World AIDS Day - Fundraising update and thanks.

Fundraising across Manchester helped to raise over £11,000 for LGB and HIV good causes through the cities initiatives for World Aids Day.

Manchester's HIV Candlelit Vigil on December 1st, and street collections throughout the city centre over the weekend raised over £6,000 which will be distributed between The Lesbian and Gay Foundation and George House Trust.

The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, raised a further £5,000 from events in the gay village with more monies still coming in.

Emma Peate LGF's Fundraising Manager said: 'We'd like to thank everyone who bought a red ribbon, held fundraisers, put money in our collection tins and supported the charities over World Aids Day.'

'It's heart warming to know that people have been so generous during these particularly hard financial times, and that World Aids Day is as important to our community now as it ever was.'

Joe Spencer LGF's Fundraising Officer gives more detail: 'We'd like to thank Via for throwing one helluva party! The Official World AIDS Day special event was a huge success raising £685. A massive thank you goes out to Rowetta for treating us to her dulcet tones!

"Also an extra special thank you to Essential and Queer who raised a lovely £919.16! Cheers to Churchill's for fundraising at their beach party, a big sloppy kiss for Cruz who raised £645.01 and a big gay kiss to our friends at Poptastic and Sugar Pops who collected over £500 over the weekend, all raising much needed funds for the LGF.

"We'd like to say an extra special thank you to The Trades Hotel in Blackpool for donating a 3 night stay for the auction, big thanks also to OhMiBod.

Support also came from our friends at The Olive, Café Rouge, The Birdcage, Mecca Bingo, RoB and The Royal Exchange Theatre who all donated prizes for our Big Red Raffle. Thank You!

Money raised for the LGF will go directly towards our sexual health and HIV prevention work.

Photographs by Paul Jones.