Latest news with #ManojMalde
South Wales Argus
23-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Gareth Thomas stepping out of his comfort zone at Chelsea Flower Show.
Created by award-winning designer Manoj Malde, the Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden will be on show at the prestigious event from 20 to 24 May in a bid to challenge harmful stereotypes and showcase the narratives of those living with HIV. Thomas, who leads the Tackle HIV campaign, revealed his pride in the project's beauty and theme after first coming to the flower show two years ago and feeling uncomfortable in the environment due to his HIV status. The Wales rugby icon now hopes that by bringing his and other's stories to life through the garden, he can help educate new audiences on the stigmas surrounding the virus. Created by award-winning designer Manoj Malde, the Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden will be on show at the prestigious event from 20 to 24 May in a bid to challenge harmful stereotypes and showcase the narratives of those living with HIV. (Image: imagecomms) "When I came before, I felt like I was amongst a demographic who potentially didn't have the understanding around HIV, or the only education on it they had had was delivered to them about 40 years ago," he said. "But I felt as a campaigner, going to places and doing things that make you feel uncomfortable are actually the places where you need to be, because that's where you change minds. "This garden is all about celebrating science and medicine, which allows people like me to be able to live normal, happy, healthy lives, not restricted by the virus. "People can come and see that narrative, have that understanding, and that helps break down the stigma engrained in society around HIV." The Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden reflects the significant advancements made in HIV treatment, prevention and care over the last 40 years. From the hexagonal paving that reflects a key chemical structure found within many HIV medications to the words "Undetectable = Untransmittable" etched onto a bench, conveying a crucial educational message about the empowerment provided by effective HIV treatment, each part of the garden tells a crucial part of the story. Created by award-winning designer Manoj Malde, the Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden will be on show at the prestigious event from 20 to 24 May in a bid to challenge harmful stereotypes and showcase the narratives of those living with HIV. (Image: imagecomms) "We have been in the HIV response for the last 40 years, bringing the first medication to market, and transforming the treatment landscape," said Audrey Abernathy, Vice President and Head of External Affairs and Communications at ViiV Healthcare. "But the story that this garden tells is one that hopes to really tackle stigma, because without focusing on tackling stigma as well as medicinal and biopharmaceutical interventions, we're never going to end the epidemic. "Bringing this understanding to new audiences and more unexpected audiences was really important for us to do." In order to bring his vision to life, designer Malde contracted JJH Landscapes to build The Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden. It was an emotional and rewarding project that Justin Himpson was thrilled for his team to be a part of over the past year. "Building a garden at Chelsea is the pinnacle of landscaping and horticulture," he said. "But what this garden is about, and being able to get that across through landscaping and art, has been really inspirational. "It has also been a very emotional build throughout and I think we've delivered something spectacular." The Tackle HIV Challenging Stigma Garden will feature at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025, designed by Manoj Malde and built by JJH Landscapes and Tisserand English Gardens. Tackle HIV is a campaign led by Gareth Thomas in partnership with ViiV Healthcare, with Terrence Higgins Trust as the charity partner, which aims to tackle the stigma and misunderstanding around HIV. For more information visit and follow @tacklehiv.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Chelsea Flower Show garden aims to tackle HIV stigma
A Welsh rugby legend has served as the inspiration for a garden that aims to tackle the stigma around Thomas, who revealed he was HIV positive in 2019, teamed up with designer Manoj Malde for the garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, which the player affectionately known as Alfie said was "two years in the making" is a celebration of how far treatment of the virus has - who was the first player to win 100 caps for Wales - said he was proud to have created a space that shared a message of acceptance in a "beautiful, different way." "I came to the Chelsea Flower Show to de-stigmatise the HIV virus. Coming here, I felt that people wouldn't understand or accept me," Thomas told Radio Wales said this garden was his way of changing that and it was a "fantastic platform" to deliver an important message in a creative way."What we've managed to do is create a story of a lived experience through the beauty of plants and sculpture," he said. He wanted it to recognise the "lives lost" to the HIV epidemic in the 1980s adding that this was a way "to remember them".About 39.9 million people worldwide are living with HIV, according to the most recent figures for 2023. The garden has a number of features, including inspirational words etched into objects associated with the stigmas attached to HIV is a bridge over the water symbolising a leap of faith and red ribbons, a universal symbol of HIV awareness and support, in a seated area. "We hit it off straight away. Our thoughts about the garden were on the same page," said men wanted it to be a message of "positivity" and Malde said it was "brilliant to take Gareth's personal experiences and translate them into something that is beautiful".He added: "If you look at the colour in this garden it is joyful. Gareth is always full of joy and that comes through in this garden." Thomas said HIV was "still misunderstood" which is why stigma still exists."I have experienced and heard first hand stories and I am determined to change this," he added."I take one tablet a day and it doesn't stop me from doing anything mentally or physically. I live a normal, happy, healthy life."
