A MAN who fought terrible lows now runs a project in Bury which he credits with saving his life.

Following an HIV diagnosis in 2009, Bury-born Simon Clark, aged 33, battled severe depression.

After several suicide attempts last October, he was placed in crisis care for three weeks.

But now, having overcome this period of mental illness, Simon is eager to battle the stigma surrounding HIV.

He has begun running The Rainbow House Project, which provides Bury’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community with signposting to services, and since May has hosted weekly coffee mornings in the town.

Simon said: “When I was diagnosed I thought it was a death sentence — I honestly believed I had 10 years, maybe 20, and then I would be dead.

“I expected the result to be positive as I was battling with drugs and would wake up not knowing who the person next to me was, so I knew I had put myself at risk.

“Mentally, the diagnosis did alot of damage to me and for a while I was in denial but I started to realise it is not the end and there was so much to live for.

“I am able to live a perfectly normal life and it is not like it used to be in the 1980s — this is what people need to be made aware of.”

Simon said there are 6,334 people living with HIV in Manchester — and only a quarter are aware of their condition.

Determined to challenge misconceptions surrounding both HIV and mental illness, Simon said more awareness needs to be raised.

He said: “I had to learn to accept my HIV but I was afraid of the stigma and of what people would think — and most of this stems from ignorance and misunderstanding.

“HIV awareness initiatives need to reach out to more communities, testing opportunities need to be made more public and GPs don’t seem to know how to approach the subject — they need further training.”

Before falling ill, Simon had a colourful career — he has run a hotel in Manchester, managed a bar in the gay village and has had his own recruitment company.

At first, his life-saving medication left him suffering from debilitating side-effects and he remains susceptible to catching colds and viruses.

He now runs The Rainbow House Project full-time, funding it entirely from his own pocket.

Simon said: “I felt there was a lack of support in Bury so The Rainbow House Project was a way of directing people to the help available.

“There is a large LGBT community in Bury who deserved this service and I also wanted the chance to talk to people about my diagnosis and let others talk to me.”

Simon, who knew he was gay at age 13, but did not tell his family until he was 20 years old, said mental health issues are commonplace in the LGBT community — partly because of the fear of rejection on coming out.

He has struggled with anxiety but after giving a speech at the first coffee morning he organised in May, he was able to begin overcoming this.

He said: “Formally addressing the group was a massive step for me — I hardly slept the night before, but I am so glad I threw myself into the situation.

“Now if I ever get anxious I tell myself “just remember what you do on every Tuesday”.

“Rainbow House Project has been a godsend and if it werenot for organising this I probably would not be here now — it stopped me from killing myself.

“I no longer worry about negative comments — I am happy. I have come so far in such a short space of time.”

For more information on Rainbow House Project: go to therainbowhouseproject.org.uk 

A coffee morning will be held by the Rainbow House project at the Automatic Cafe in Market Street in Bury on Tuesday.

Early Break in Bury, which offers advice to young people who have issues with drugs or alcohol, and the Creative Living Centre in Prestwich, which supports people who are lonely or depressed, will speak at the event.

The morning runs from 10am to noon.

The project will hold a walk through Bury town centre on Sunday, July 7, starting from Bury Town Hall at noon.

It will be the second time the walk has been held, and the event aims to highlight that Bury is a diverse town, and to reject homophobia, racism, sexism, ablism and ageism.