What George House Trust does

George House Trust is a UK-registered charity (No. 1143138) and company limited by guarantee (No. 07575379) founded in 1985 in Manchester as Manchester AIDS-Line by six gay HIV activists, later relaunched as George House Trust in the 1990s at its current headquarters at 75-77 Ardwick Green North, Manchester M12 6FX. The organisation provides free, peer-led support services to people living with HIV across all 10 Greater Manchester local authorities and Liverpool, including one-to-one advice and advocacy, counselling, peer mentoring (Better Together), money and debt advice, group support programmes (Ageing Well 50+, Women's Group, Calabash for African men, LGBTQ+ Group, Heterosexual Men's Group), and the Positive Speaker development programme. Specialist community workers are embedded in HIV clinic Multi-Disciplinary Teams across Greater Manchester, and a Children, Young People and Families Worker is based at North Manchester General Hospital.

Its product surface combines in-person, telephone, and online service delivery with two notable digital products launched in 2024: the SAFE HANDS eLearning course ('Understanding HIV in Hairdressing, Barbering and the Beauty Sector') and the HIV and Beauty Guide, both funded by Manchester City Council and co-developed with industry expert Sam Marshall under HABIA endorsement. Other 2024 initiatives include Positive Ambition Manchester (a citywide VCSE-sector HIV stigma training programme), a £151,760 National Lottery Heritage Fund archive and exhibition project, and a Spit & Polish T-shirt anti-stigma campaign with Terrence Higgins Trust tied to Channel 4's Tip Toe. The organisation's underlying technology is a CRM system supporting case management and referrals, supplemented by a separate eLearning platform.

Revenue is generated entirely from charitable sources with no fees charged to service users: individual and corporate donations (processed via the Enthuse donation platform), grants from Manchester City Council across multiple programmes (Our Manchester VCS Grants, Positive Ambition Manchester, Skilling Up, SAFE HANDS), Liverpool City Council (infant formula initiative), the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the National Lottery Community Fund. Russell T Davies has served as Patron since 2015 and CEO Darren Knight leads a team that includes dedicated managers for HIV advice/support, fundraising, wellbeing programmes, and volunteering, supported by a trustee board with NHS, HR, and healthcare-sector commercial experience.

Name

George House Trust

Legal name

George House Trust

Website

https://ght.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

George House Trust is a Manchester-based HIV charity providing free peer-led support, advice, counselling, peer mentoring, and money/debt services to people living with HIV across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs and Liverpool, with digital training products for the beauty industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate donors, and fundraising activities including events and campaigns. Website mentions donation portal via Enthuse platform.
2. Government and Council Grants: Funding from government bodies including Manchester City Council (Our Manchester VCS Grants, Positive Ambition Manchester, Skilling Up), Liverpool City Council (infant formula initiative), and National Lottery Heritage Fund (£151,760 grant for 40 Years of HIV Activism project).
3. National Lottery Funding: Ongoing funding from National Lottery Community Fund and Lottery Heritage Fund as shown in partner/funder logos.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

George House Trust is a registered charity providing free HIV support services for people living with HIV across Greater Manchester and Liverpool. Its core offering includes one-to-one advice and advocacy, counselling, peer mentoring (Better Together), money and debt advice, the Ageing Well programme for people aged 50+, demographic-specific support groups (Women's, LGBTQ+, African Men's Calabash), Positive Employer workplace training, and the SAFE HANDS eLearning course and HIV and Beauty Guide for beauty industry professionals.

Product overview

George House Trust provides a comprehensive suite of HIV support services primarily in Greater Manchester and Liverpool, UK. The organisation operates as a single-charity with multiple interconnected service offerings rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Core services include one-to-one advice, counselling, peer mentoring (Better Together), money and debt support, and the Ageing Well Programme for those 50+. Notable digital products include the SAFE HANDS eLearning course for beauty professionals and the HIV and Beauty Guide - both launched in 2024 as innovative HIV inclusion tools. The organisation also delivers Positive Employer workplace training, Skilling Up employment support, and various social support groups including Calabash for African men. Heritage preservation projects and activism programmes round out their offering alongside practical support like the infant formula programme in Liverpool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HIV Support Services One-to-one advice, advocacy, counselling, and peer support for people living with HIV. Includes money and debt advice, welfare support, and emotional support for those newly diagnosed or living longer term with HIV. Delivered in-person at the Manchester headquarters, by telephone, online, and via embedded Intensive Support Workers at HIV clinics across Greater Manchester and Liverpool. Free of charge.
• Peer Mentoring (Better Together) Peer mentoring programme matching individuals with trained volunteers who are also living with HIV, providing support for those newly diagnosed or those needing additional support. Available remotely as well as in-person.
• Ageing Well Programme Dedicated support programme for people aged 50+ living with HIV, including social networking, skills-based training, volunteering opportunities, and HIV awareness training for care providers. Operates across Greater Manchester and Liverpool.
• Money and Debt Support One-to-one money and debt advice service for people living with HIV, including detailed budget assessments, benefit identification, help with utility switching, debt management, and grant applications. Provided free of charge.
• SAFE HANDS eLearning Course UK's first free online HIV inclusion eLearning certification course for hairdressing, barbering, and beauty sector professionals. Empowers beauty professionals and students to be confident and supportive of people living with HIV. Available online at hiv-and-beauty-elearning.ght.org.uk. Co-developed with Sam Marshall (The Beauty Guru) and endorsed by HABIA.
• HIV and Beauty Guide UK's first guide for hair and beauty professionals on HIV inclusion, designed to empower professionals to become HIV-inclusive and end discrimination in beauty settings.
• Positive Employer Training HIV awareness training for corporate workplaces teaching employers how to support colleagues living with HIV and make reasonable adjustments to combat stigma. Free Positive Employer HIV awareness training for corporate businesses in Greater Manchester.
• Calabash African Men's Project Monthly support sessions for African men living with HIV providing HIV-related, psychosocial, and economic support, skills training, and volunteering opportunities. Culturally tailored to meet community-specific needs.
• Infant Formula Programme (Liverpool) Free infant formula programme for mothers living with HIV in Liverpool, eliminating risk of HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Delivered in partnership with Liverpool City Council's Public Health team as part of Liverpool's Fast-Track Cities commitment. Supports around 901 people living with HIV in Liverpool.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% of people living with HIV still face stigma - Positive Ambition Manchester project aims to address this
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sam Marshall (The Beauty Guru)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Co-developed UK's first HIV and Beauty guide for hair and beauty professionals. Also partnered on SAFE HANDS eLearning course. Leading gender inclusivity expert and HIV-awareness advocate with 25+ years beauty industry experience.
• Terrence Higgins TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to launch limited-edition Spit & Polish T-shirt as seen in Channel 4's thriller Tip Toe. Collaborative campaign to challenge HIV stigma and support George House Trust's vital work.
• HABIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHABIA (Hair and Beauty Industry Authority) endorsed HIV awareness training course. Industry body advisory board relationship through Sam Marshall.
• British HIV AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for annual World AIDS Day Vigil at Sackville Gardens, Manchester. Also referenced in HIV and Beauty resources regarding guidance on beauty treatments for people living with HIV.
• PaSH Partnership (BHA for Equality and LGBT Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPassionate about Sexual Health Partnership for collaborative HIV outreach, testing, and awareness activities across Greater Manchester. Includes weekly testing, information provision, and World AIDS Day events.
• Sahir HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiverpool-based HIV support organisation. Partnership for Liverpool World AIDS Day Vigil and collaborative activities.
• Russell T DaviescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCelebrity Patron and creator of Channel 4's Tip Toe. Created Spit & Polish T-shirt campaign. First Patron of George House Trust since 2015. Renowned television presenter and screenwriter.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Positive East: East London HIV charity offering peer support, counselling, advice and community services to people living with HIV. Comparable as a regional HIV support charity with similar service mix of one-to-one support, peer mentoring and stigma reduction programmes.
• Positively UK: London-based HIV charity providing peer mentoring, support groups, advocacy and advice for people living with HIV. Closely comparable service model especially the peer-led Better Together-style mentoring approach that both organisations share.
• Body & Soul: London charity supporting children, teenagers and families living with HIV. Comparable in delivering specialised HIV support services with a strong peer-led and community model; overlaps with GHT's Children, Young People and Families Worker service.
• Sahir House: Liverpool-based HIV support charity providing similar services to people living with HIV including advice, advocacy, peer support, and wellbeing programmes. Directly comparable as the regional counterpart in Liverpool; collaborates with GHT on World AIDS Day events.

Emerging players

• METRO Charity: London-based charity delivering sexual health, HIV support, youth services and wellbeing programmes for diverse communities including LGBTQ+. Comparable in the HIV and LGBTQ+ community support space, with overlapping demographic focus.
• LGBT Foundation: Greater Manchester-based charity providing support services to LGBTQ+ communities including sexual health, HIV, mental health and advocacy. Directly comparable regional peer operating in the same Greater Manchester geography and part of the PaSH Partnership with GHT.
• NAM aidsmap: UK-based HIV information charity providing evidence-based resources, news and treatment information for people living with HIV and professionals. Comparable as a sector peer focused on HIV information and education, complementing GHT's HIV awareness training and Positive Speaker programmes.

Regional players

• Cara Trust: Northern Ireland HIV charity providing support, information and advocacy for people living with HIV. Comparable peer charity operating in a different UK region with a similar community-based HIV support service offering.
• Waverley Care: Scotland's largest HIV and hepatitis C charity providing support services, peer support, and testing. Comparable peer operating in a different UK geography with a similar community-based HIV support delivery model and lived-experience peer workforce.

Broad incumbents

• Terrence Higgins Trust: UK's largest HIV/AIDS charity operating nationally across sexual health, HIV support, advocacy and testing. Directly comparable peer as both charities deliver HIV support services, peer mentoring, and stigma reduction campaigns; GHT already partners with them on the Spit & Polish T-shirt campaign.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GeorgeHouseTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/georgehousetrust
• Xx.com/georgehousetrst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/george-house-trust

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about George House Trust