A.I.D.S. Room To Open Soon (Press, 15 September 1986)

The first A.I.D.S. clinic in Christchurch is anticipated to open in one to two months, according to Mr John Bradshaw, the city's first A.I.D.S. counsellor. Ongoing negotiations are taking place with the Canterbury Hospital Board regarding the location for the clinic. This facility would follow the establishment of New Zealand's first A.I.D.S. clinic in Auckland three months prior. Mr Bradshaw believes that the opening of the clinic would significantly raise awareness surrounding A.I.D.S. in Christchurch and improve access to diagnostic and counselling services. Mr Bradshaw was one of approximately 40 delegates who attended an A.I.D.S. counselling conference at the Peterborough Centre over the weekend, organised by the Christchurch A.I.D.S. Support Network. This network has been conducting training weekends for its roughly 50 members. The conference received support from the A.I.D.S. Foundation, with participation from members of its trust board and volunteer counsellors from various support networks across New Zealand. The primary focus of the conference was to evaluate the current activities of the organisation and identify its future needs. Discussions and workshops at the conference highlighted the importance of education and prevention regarding A.I.D.S. Having been appointed as a counsellor by the A.I.D.S. Foundation in July 1986, Mr Bradshaw began his work in August and currently receives referrals from the support network, church counselling groups, and medical practitioners.

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