French bakeries in second Love Baguette AIDS campaign
Almost 900 artisanal bakeries across France are to help raise money for the fight against AIDS by selling a ribbon-shaped “Love Baguette”, this October.
From October 5 to 15, “operation Love Baguette” will see ribbon-shaped baguettes sold in association with the AIDES anti-HIV charity. For every baguette sold for €2, €1 will go to AIDES to help its work against HIV testing and prevention.
The second annual edition of the campaign is focusing solely on artisanal bakeries, to ensure flavour and quality.
It is being sponsored by the chefs Yves Camdeborde and Norbert Tarayre, and other high-profile French chefs including Thierry Marx, Yves Camdeborde, Flora Mikula, Christophe Michalak, and Christian Constant have also stated their support.
An interactive online map on the campaign website shows the locations of all participating bakeries, allowing you to check which shops are selling Love Baguettes near you. If your local bakery is not yet taking part, you can nominate them to do so, also via the website.
The bakeries will also have collection boxes in place for added customer donations.
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The campaign is aiming to start local conversations and raise awareness of the continuing risk of HIV, and the importance of getting tested.
According to AIDES, over 25,000 people in France are currently carrying HIV without knowing. Once someone has been tested and treated, they can usually live a normal life and are no longer contagious.
The campaign says that more testing equals fewer infections.
Aurélien Beaucamp, president of AIDES, said: “Operation Love Baguette is also an opportunity for us to recognise the incredible advances made in terms of prevention and treatment of AIDS in recent years, which are taking a fresh approach to fighting the epidemic.”
