Mr Gay UK Vows to Donate Winnings to HIV Charity

The recently crowned winner of Mr. Gay UK has vowed to give some of his prize money to a prominent HIV/Aids charity in an attempt to raise more awareness about the disease.

Samuel Kneen, 22, a hairdresser from Cardiff, says he will give some of his £2,000 winnings to the Terrance Higgins Trust after seeing a close friend suffer from HIV, saying he feels strongly about supporting the cause.

He told Wales Online: “I paid off a little bit of debt and I said that I’d donate some money to Terrence Higgins Trust,” he said.

“I told them when I entered the contest that I know somebody who has got HIV and I want to support him. It is something I feel strongly about,” he said.

As well as the donation, he also hopes to play a part in raising general awareness of the issue. “I walked around Cardiff on World Aids Day last year and the shops didn’t know what I was talking about when I was asking if they had any ribbons for sale. I’d like to make a difference if I can, and help people know more about it,” he added.

Kneen also won a trip to Morocco as part of the prize and he has the chance to enter the Mr. Gay Europe competition, but he already feels proud of his achievement. “I was excited because I won,” he said. “But it was more the fact that I felt proud of myself that I had accomplished something. That was the biggest reward,”

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