A PHOTOGRAPHER has captured portraits of people in Merseyside living with HIV ahead of World Aids Day.

Liverpool photographer Laura McCann was approached by Sahir, a charity that provides sexual health and LGBTQ+ support to communities in the Merseyside area, to create a project that recognises the many faces of HIV to mark World Aids Day.

Laura responded with a series of portraits which she said “celebrates the uniqueness” of people in Wirral and Liverpool living with HIV.

Wirral Globe: MarcMarc (Image: Laura McCann)

She told the Globe: “I was humbled to be asked to deliver the project. Sahir is an amazing organisation. I consider it a real honour to help them mark such an important milestone and I am incredibly grateful to all the inspiring individuals who took part.

“I hope the portraits serve as a reminder that we are all unique and that there is definitely a life beyond HIV diagnosis."

Wirral Globe: Arthur BritneyArthur Britney (Image: Laura McCann)

The exhibition will debut at Museum of Liverpool on Friday, December 1, and will be the 35th World Aids Day. Sahir will also hold a World Aids Day presentation at the Bloom Building in Birkenhead on the same date between 3.30pm-5pm.

During the event, members of the public will also be able to view a poignant piece of social history; the UK AIDS Memorial Quilts. The selection of quilts being shown were made in by loved ones of those lost to HIV related illness some of whom were from Merseyside.

Wirral Globe: GraemeGraeme (Image: Laura McCann)

Sahir was set up in 1985 at the height of the AIDS pandemic. Since then it has helped  people affected by HIV and AIDS across the region and it runs regular events in Wirral providing advice, testing and support.

CEO of Sahir, Ant Hopkinson, said: “Our history is punctuated by the strength, fortitude, creativity and togetherness of local queer trailblazers and sexual health activists. We strive to ensure that all local lives lost to HIV/AIDS will be remembered and that all stories of heroism, compassion, activism and love in the face of prejudice, stigma, inaction and hate will always prevail.

“Sahir is a vibrant community-centred Charity. We unapologetically fly the flag for our LGBTQIA+ communities across Merseyside and support all people living with HIV.”