Harriet Harman Visits Body Positive North West

Harriet Harman MP for Camberwell & Peckham, Solicitor General and Minister for Justice at the Department for Correctional Affairs paid a visit to Body Positive North West Yesterday afternoon, to see what the organisation was up to, how it worked and to meet some of the staff and volunteers.

Also attending with Harriet Harman were Mary Watson Councillor for Whalley Range, Manchester and Cath Fry Labour candidate.

Pictured left to right, Felicity Greenham Chief Executive, Mary Watson Councillor for Whalley Range, Harriet Harman MP for Camberwell & Peckham and Cath Fry Labour Candidate.

The visit started with an introduction to Body Positive North West’s Chief Executive Felicity Greenham. Who took the group for a guided tour of the centre.
Mary Watson MP said that with such a highly diverse community being affected by HIV, and so many social groups affected by the illness, BPNW was perfectly placed in Whalley Range to be accessible to all those groups. Whalley Range itself crosses many boundaries towards social inclusion having large populations from all ethnic groups as well as white British living together in a very tolerant area of Manchester. The superb work that BPNW is doing will only help to bring those different social strands together to help towards a more integrated society.

Harriet Harman met several people at BPNW including Sylvia Lawal (Health & Social Care) where they discussed the work that is being done with young people, before continuing her tour of that department. Harriet Harman MP said the challenge that Body Positive faces around homophobia and racism is immense, but the work BPNW were doing around stigma and social inclusion was fundamental  in supporting the social needs of the HIV community.

Whilst at the Centre Harriet Harman MP spent time with the volunteers department, catering staff, Positive Self-management trainers and members of the Board. Her visit ended after meeting with Ed McConniffe founder of Body Positive North West and was impressed with the work that he does with Out-Reach services, Testing Clinics and on site medical Training for students at several Manchester Hospitals. As she left she said that BPNW was carrying out a great service offering a valuable support service, offering everything from nutritious meals to holistic therapies.

Felicity Greenham CEO said after the visit she was delighted that Harriet Harman MP had made time in a very busy schedule to visit the centre, after a recommendation from Tony Lloyd MP and Patron for the Centre. Her endorsement of our services was greatly appreciated, and it was a pleasure to meet such an active member of our government.