Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of Londoners sporting red scarves this winter. That’s the work of London’s Regional HIV/AIDS connection, Red Scarf Project. The project has turned into a movement that began in 2012 in London.
One of the many hand made red scarves spotted around London from a previous year
A disease that once took the lives of many, now people can live long happy lives with. Fran McEwan is the Volunteer Coordinator with RHAC and she lost a cousin to the disease 25 years ago.
“Just thinking about the advances in medicine and the fact that he could have been with us today and what our lives would be like. I hope that he would be proud of the fact that I work here and that were doing really important work. In fact, I know he would be proud of that. Giving back the way I can and knowing that it’s not scary, it’s not a scary disease. We have to stop that stigma.”
Last year volunteers donated 18-hundred and 72 hand made scarves to London’s Regional HIV AIDS Connection and they are right on track this year with 11-hundred and 95 scarves donated already. The Red Scarf symbolizes the red ribbon, which was the first awareness ribbon created to recognize and promote awareness around HIV/AIDS. McEwan says the volunteers are the heart and soul of the project.
“They’re just wonderful people to really step up and know about the cause. So many of them have either had it directly impact their lives-HIV, or they know someone who knows someone. The crocheters and knitters, it’s their time and talent that they put into making these scarves for us.”
RHAC expects more scarves to be donated in time for World AIDS day on December 1st and hopes to put them up around town during the last week of December-weather permitting. RHAC will continue to have pop ups around London where you can learn more about HIV/AIDS, pick up a red scarf and help end the stigma that surrounds it.
A benefit concert will also take place Nov. 23 at London Music Hall featuring Bedouin Soundclash.
All funds raised from the scarves and the concert go to support the RHAC’s free services and programming.
