Running a Charity on 31 Staff and 135 Volunteers | Darren Knight Ep113

HIV Today: Facts, Stigma, and Charity Leadership with Darren Knight (George House Trust) James Crisall hosts Darren Knight, CEO of George House Trust (https://ght.org.uk/), a charity supporting people living with and affected by HIV through counselling, housing, debt and benefits advice, social support, and awareness-raising. Darren explains how HIV has changed since the 1980s: it’s preventable, treatable, and manageable, with PrEP available and effective treatment meaning people can’t pass it on, yet stigma and discrimination still affect people at work, in healthcare, and with family and friends. He shares the charity’s origins as Manchester AIDS Line in 1985, its 40th-anniversary Manchester Central Library exhibition, and fundraising challenges. Darren discusses running a lean organisation with 31 staff and 135 volunteers, his career path and lived experience of HIV, workplace inclusion, and upcoming work including Positive Ambition Manchester and stronger links between charities and clinics. 00:00 Meet Darren Knight 00:37 What George House Trust Does 01:20 HIV Then and Now 03:03 Prevention and Treatment Facts 04:03 Origins and 40 Years 05:45 Fundraising and Stigma 08:57 Running the Charity Day to Day 10:28 Darren’s Career Journey 13:00 CEO Reality and Leadership 16:00 Volunteers and Getting Involved 18:04 Living With HIV Story 20:51 Proudest Moments and Media 23:31 HIV Facts Not Myths 24:55 What’s Next for the Trust 27:03 Education and Wider Awareness 28:11 Leadership Advice and Partnerships 31:54 Workplace Inclusion and U=U 33:40 Closing Thanks and Links Thanks to ⁠Cheshire Podcast Studio⁠ for the studio. (https://cheshirepodcaststudio.com/) Thanks to ⁠Recognise Media (https://recognisemedia.com/)⁠ who produced the podcast for ⁠Manchester SEO (https://mcr-seo.com/)⁠. Brownies supplied by Bele Brownies