The Birmingham HIV Living Archive, a Heritage Lottery Funded history project that has recorded the voices of people living with, and affected by, HIV is officially launched.

On the 30th November 2010, Freshwinds, on behalf of the Birmingham HIV Partnership, were pleased to formally launch the Birmingham HIV Living Archive at a champagne reception at the Vaults Bar in the Jewellery Quarter. The achieve was formally launched by Councillor Sue Anderson cabinet member for Adults and Communities and Jenny Ord, Regional Director of the Heritage Lottery fund who funded the project. The event was an opportunity to thank those who had contributed their stories, their time and their support for the project and to start the events for World AIDS Day 2010 in Birmingham.

Since February 2009 the Living Archive, a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, has been working to record oral history ‘life story’ interviews with people from Birmingham’s HIV community. The voices of a wide range of people including medical staff, support workers and voluntary groups as well as those living with, or personally affected by, the virus have been recorded. The Archive will serve both as a lasting memorial to those who have died of HIV and AIDS in Birmingham and as a celebration and testament to those still living with the virus. Through the project the testimonies of people affected by HIV are being stored for future generations to understand the impact of HIV and how communities responded to the virus in brave and poignant ways.

Extracts from the Archive can be accessed on the website www.birminghamlivingarchive.org.uk and the full interviews will be available at Birmingham Central Library from 2012. If you would like to contribute your story or hire the Living Archive Exhibition please contact Catherine O’Byrne on info@birminghamlivingarchive.org.uk or by phoning 0121 4156670.