REVELLERS to Swindon and Wiltshire Pride can get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on Saturday as part of a drive to raise awareness of good sexual health.

Thousands will descend to the Town Gardens for the celebrations and a team from Great Western Hospital’s sexual health clinic will be on hand with advice, information and support on HIV and sexual health.

This year, partygoers will be able to get swab and urine tested for numerous STIs at the event but information will also be available about how to get blood tests done at GWH or Swindon Health Centre as a walk-in appointment.

Dr Sophie Forsyth, sexual health consultant at GWH hopes people use the event to be better safe than sorry.

“We are encouraging people to come to the stand because we have lots of information and condoms as well as a lot of other incentives and free gifts for people who get tested,” she said.

“It is going to be quite fun and it is always a good laugh with people because we have these massive STIs that our staff have made so people can come and have selfies with them.

“There will be lots of stuff there to find out more information as well as to give advice or support and people who don’t want to be tested there and then can also book appointments for another day.

“Getting tested is really important and Pride is the main outreach event we do every year because of the amount of people there. Pride is a really enjoyable free event and our staff love going there and we seem to attract a lot of interest. People are always so friendly and happy to talk to us about getting tested.”

Saturday’s Pride event will begin with a grand parade in Old Town before setting up in the Town Gardens where the sexual health team will have a stand from 12pm to 6pm.

Dr Forsyth added: “Because it is 10 years of Pride, every tenth person that gets tested will have the chance to pick out a condom and if it has a star then they will win a prize so that is how we are trying to celebrate the 10 years.

“We would hope that most people know about us but we always get new people come and see the team with many not knowing that the service was there for them.

“We are also hoping that Pride also gives us the chance to provide information on PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) in relation to HIV that has been in the news a lot recently. While it is not available on the NHS at the moment, there is going to be a big trial soon and we hope to be a part of that.

“Looking after yourself and looking after your sexual health is really important because a lot of these things can been easily treated so our message is that it is better to get tested and know.”

For more information about appointments to see the sexual health team, visit www.swindonsexualhealth.nhs.uk