Clubgoers encouraged to 'pee in the pot'
PARTY-GOERS in the borough were encouraged to pee in a pot as part of a sexual health campaign.
Youngsters drinking in Bar Vi in Whitley Bay were approached by specialist health advisors and offered the chance to take a sample chlamydia test as part of a campaign to promote the awareness of the sexual transmitted infection.
The bar, which is on South Parade, promoted the event by giving all staff T-shirts to wear.
Before the event, manager Kris Woods said: "On a Thursday night we tend to get a lot of young people visiting the bar to socialise and thought this would be a great way to target them and help get the message across.
"I'll be taking the test myself and staff will be wearing T-shirts advising people to pee in a pot and we will be displaying posters to help spread the word.
"I think the event will help promote even further awareness of this disease and by holding these types of events hopefully more young people will become aware of chlamydia and protect themselves against it."
The campaign is targeting people under the age of 25 to take the simple test, which is the most common sexually transmitted disease and is increasing, among that age group.
Chlamydia has no symptoms, but if left untreated could lead to infertility in both men and women and can cause pelvic inflammatory disease.
But with a short course of antibiotics, it can be easily treated.
Michelle Stamp, chlamydia screening programme manager said: "By targeting places where young people visit we hope to raise awareness about chlamydia and offer as many young people as possible the opportunity to a have free confidential chlamydia test.
"It is a particularly nasty infection because it doesn't always have symptoms but it can leave you infertile.
"Chlamydia can be easily treated by a short course of antibiotics and we are making it as easy as possible for people to be tested and treated for this condition."
A sample is sent off free of charge to a laboratory and the result takes a few days to come through.
People can choose whether they want to receive their results via post, phone or text.
Further information about the infection, and information about testing kits is available through a new website www.checkyourbits.org
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Weather for Whitley Bay
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
