Happy Friday, Insiders! It has been a busy week here at The Independent and today we are rounding up some of the highlights for you. Big announcements this week included the launch of our Christmas campaign, SafeCall, and the reveal of our World AIDS Day programme. Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, we hosted our FIRST FIFTY show in London.
The Independent has announced a powerful programme of editorial, film, events and advocacy in the run up to this year’s World AIDS Day on 1 December. The aim is to ensure the UK and other governments protect the remaining funding for HIV/AIDS response programmes, whilst raising public awareness with a message of hope and action.
This includes a screening of Chief International Correspondent Bel Trew’s documentary ‘Death Sentence: The real cost of Trump’s aid cuts on HIV’ at the Institute of Contemporary Arts on 30 Nov. The evening event will see a panel discussion investigating the wider impact of sudden foreign aid spending cuts on Africa and other parts of the developing world.
Tickets for the documentary screening at the ICA are now on sale and available here.
See the press release for a full rundown of The Independent’s World AIDS Day activity.
Last night, The Independent was in Folklore Hoxton to present our FIRST FIFTY showcase which included James Emmanuel, Madra Salach and Ashaine White.
FIRST FIFTY is the live launch of The Great Escape 2026 and introduces fans and the music industry to artists they can expect to see on the stages in Brighton in May next year.
The Independent has been the exclusive news partner of The Great Escape since 2022 and we look forward to seeing you all down in Brighton for next year’s installment.
This week saw the launch of The Independent’s Christmas campaign – SafeCall.
In partnership with the charity Missing People, the appeal is looking to raise £165,000 to launch a life changing service for the 70,000 children who go missing in the UK each year.
In the first week alone, the appeal has raised over £35,000 in donations and has garnered support from the likes of Sir Stephen Fry and Sir David Beckham. We would like to thank all of you who have donated so far and we ask for your continued help in sharing this campaign with as many people as you can to help to provide this vital service for missing young people.
See the press release for more information.
And to donate, visit the SafeCall appeal page www.missingpeople.org.uk/independent or Text SAFE* to 70577 to donate £10. This amount can allow a child to access the new SafeCall service, giving them a trusted adult to talk to in complete confidence.
*T&Cs: Text costs £10 plus your network charge. Missing People (Charity No. 1020419, SC047419) receives 100% of your donation. Bill payer’s permission is required. We’ll ask for your consent preferences via text. CS: 02034047251.
