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Kernow Positive Support (KPS) - HIV/AIDS national support
In the early 1980s after HIV was first discovered, a number of voluntary and charitable organisations were set up within the UK by those affected and concerned about supporting those communities who were initially affected by this new disease, as stigma and prejudice towards those infected grew through misunderstanding and fear. One of the first organisation was The Terrence Higgins Trust, named after one of the very first people to die of an AIDS related condition in the UK in 1982. Since those early days a variety of voluntary HIV Support agencies were established. However, during the late 1990s and the development of treatments the disease became more manageable and the needs of people changed and consequently a large number of support groups closed. Below we look at HIV support services available in Cornwall.

After the closure of the Cornwall AIDS Council and The Bethany Trust (Bodmin) in 2003, David N. Solly and his partner late Bill Sloan researched the continuing need for HIV Support services and founded Kernow Positive Support (KPS), one of the only specialist support groups to be establish since the late 1990s to-date. KPS was launched on 4th February 2004, and attained charitable status in the July of the same year. The first stage was to bring back HIV support to Cornwall and to compliment the services established in Devon by the original support charities; Eddystone Trust and Positive Action Southwest, the ultimate vision was to reestablish a national HIV respite and retreat service into the county after the closure of the Bethany Trust.

About the charity
Established to effect, and develop HIV support services within the county of Cornwall and the provision of a national respite and retreat centre n partnership with Cornwall Council and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust for all those infected/affected by HIV and AIDS. KPS now provides an effective service provision in consultation with service users to define their needs, and encourage service users to be fully involved in their service provision through a self-help ethos. You can view their services currently on offer and those in development by visiting their extensive website www.kpsdirect.com

KPS is a registered charity no.1104947 KPS is dependant on grants, voluntary contributions and their own fundraising efforts. KPS officially adopted their 'Declaration of Trust' on 21st January 2004 prior to becoming a registered charity. KPS has gained a great deal of experience from its current and founding trustee, and their involvement and development of HIV services. KPS has a Board of  Trustees, comprising of the founder David Solly (Chair ) and the four other trustees. KPS is also registered within the Cornwall Sexual Health Strategy page 23 - para.2. KPS in partnership with the Cornwall PCT has a weekly HIV advice clinic within the Sexual Health Centre (Hub) at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

KPS Trebullom
Established by KPS through a government grant (AIDS Support Capital Grant Scheme ) and opened on 18th April 2011 as a National Residential Retreat, Respite, Education and Training Centre including a temporary accommodation solution for those within the Southwest peninsula with housing related needs. KPS Trebullom is the first and only facility of its kind in the UK. Further information about KPS and it's founder is published in Baseline Autumn 2011 Issue page 20, a specialist magazine and website. Sadly, Kernow Positive Support (KPS) had to close its Respite and Retreat facility KPS Trebullom in late 2016 due to funding constraints imposed on respite. However, the facility supported over 2,000 individuals living with HIV, including, a vast number of members of the public and other agencies with our HIV Awareness Training courses.

KPS Enabling Futures Project
After looking at the welfare reform changes being introduced by the Coalition Government in 2010 and enshrined in the Welfare Reform Bill February 2011, Kernow Positive Support (KPS) decided that it needed to take action to protect the interests of people infected or affected by HIV.

KPS recognises that people affected by HIV were beginning to find themselves on the wrong end of benefit changes being introduced to reduce the numbers of people living long term on incapacity benefits. The disclosure of HIV status, confidentiality and how HIV disproportionately affects the negative view some employers have when considering an HIV-positive applicant. In addition, KPS realised that children in households where either a parent or sibling had HIV suffered the same stigma being played out on the school playground as the HIV-positive person was finding in society generally.

KPS then put these ideas on paper and made a sucessful application to the Big Lottery Fund with a grant of just under a quarter of a million pounds over three years (Reaching Communities), resulting in the KPS Enabling Futures Project held at the KPS Trebullom facility during 2012 until 2014 (3 year project), Supporting a large number of people and families living with HIV with a retreat break, life skills training and counselling.