Watford residents are being urged to get tested for sexually transmitted infections at Herts Pride.

Herts Aid and Sexual Health Hertfordshire will screen for HIV, gonorrhoea and chlamydia in private rooms at the event from 11am on Saturday, August 22, in Watford’s Cassiobury Park.

Anyone attending can request a test from the team, who will be based within the Wellbeing Marquee between 11am and 6pm, for one or all of the infections. Alternatively if anyone has any questions or concerns about sexual health, they can drop in for a chat.

Suzanne Bannister, director of Herts Aid, said: “STIs don’t always show symptoms, so unless you’ve been tested it’s difficult to know for sure if you’ve picked something up.

“Some people live with HIV for years before they’re diagnosed. If you’re going to Herts Pride this year why not take ten minutes out of your day to get tested. With all STIs the sooner you know you have one the better, so you can get the treatment you need.”

The tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea require a urine sample and /or self-taken swabs which will be sent off for testing. Results are normally available within a week via text or phone call.

HIV screening will be done using a finger prick test that gives a result in just 60 seconds.