Berkshire podcast shortlisted for award

The HIV Podcast by a Berkshire support group has been nominated for an award

A podcast created by a Berkshire support group has been shortlisted for an award.

The HIV Podcast aims to tackle the "myths and misconceptions" around the virus, according to Thames Valley Positive Support.

The charity has been supporting people affected by HIV across the county since 1985.

Co-host Jessica Harding said the team had been "blown away” by how popular the audio series had become.

The podcast has been nominated for an Audio and Radio Industry Award - the UK's leading industry awards that celebrate outstanding shows and the creative teams behind them.

Sarah Macadam, HIV Podcast co-host, said the idea for the series came from “our service users - a lot of people living with HIV aren’t open about their status because of the stigma".

She said: “They don’t really have a voice within society or a platform to share their lived experience.

“With them we decided that we would create something anonymous where we could share some of their experiences."

HIV infects and attacks immune-system cells, using their own machinery to make copies of itself.

Existing HIV medicines can stop the virus but not eliminate it.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Harding told how they received a message from someone in Bahrain, who said: “I can’t be that open about my status here, there’s not loads of support but just listening to this [podcast] makes me feel part of the community.”

She said: “It’s been absolutely wonderful knowing that we are connecting people all over the world.”