GMFA

GMFA logo

GMFA is a gay men's health charity, founded in 1992. It was originally called “Gay Men Fighting AIDS”, and was set up by a group of gay men who thought there was not enough HIV prevention work being targeted specfically at gay men. In 2001 it merged with the black gay men’s group Big Up and the following year it changed its name to “GMFA – the gay men’s health charity”.

GMFA became one organisation that fulfilled the aims of London’s combined PCT groups on HIV and AIDS, the Pan London HIV Prevention Programme, which were set out in the booklet “Making It Count”, published by Sigma Research. These organisations, including PACE and THT, would bid for contracts to cover parts of London’s HIV prevention work. For some years GMFA held the contract for small publications and training in London.

GMFA is the main name now behind the GMFA/RVT Sports Day, held annually on August bank holiday, and the annual Clapham Street Party.

The official name of the charity is now Health Equality and Rights Organisation (HERO) as it now has a wider remit, concerned with the health of all LGBT people, not just gay men.

GMFA publishes a magazine, FS ("Fit and Sexy") which is available at gay venues or online.

In March 2013 it was announced that GMFA would no longer receive funding for its London HIV information services. However GMFA News Monthly for May 2012 said:

"By liquidating some of our assets, and streamlining our organisation, we will have enough funds to continue to provide our core activities, including our websites and FS magazine as well as delivering some radical new approaches in HIV prevention over the next couple of years."

GMFA provides an online guide to gay sports and social clubs.

There is another GMFA (short for "Gay Men Fight AIDS") in the United States, founded 1996.