, ▁H GM ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁by ▁Paul ▁Martin ▁O BE ▁( current ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁of ▁L GB T ▁Foundation ), ▁and ▁Ger ard ▁G ud g ion ▁with ▁a ▁clear ▁aim ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁inc idence ▁of ▁H IV ▁in fection ▁through ▁sex ▁between ▁men . ▁F amed ▁for ▁its ▁ground - bre aking ▁approach ▁to ▁sa fer ▁sex ▁campaign ing , ▁H GM ▁was ▁a ▁pione ering ▁gay ▁men ' s ▁health ▁organisation ▁offering ▁free ▁cond oms ▁and ▁l ube , ▁coun s elling , ▁services , ▁groups ▁and ▁volunte ering ▁opportun ities ▁such ▁as ▁cond om ▁pack ing ▁even ings . ▁ ▁ML G SS ▁began ▁ 4 4 ▁years ▁ago ▁on ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁when ▁six ▁gay ▁men ▁got ▁together ▁to ▁provide ▁an ▁information ▁and ▁support ▁service ▁for ▁the ▁growing ▁number ▁of ▁gay ▁men ▁coming ▁out ▁following ▁the ▁dec riminal isation ▁of ▁hom osex ual ity ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁The ▁line ▁ran ▁from ▁ 7 ▁to ▁ 9 pm ▁each ▁evening ▁with ▁calls ▁being ▁taken ▁about ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁issues . ▁Over ▁the ▁dec ades , ▁the ▁services ▁bro aden ed ▁out ▁to ▁include ▁coun s elling , ▁group ▁work ▁and ▁email ▁support . ▁ ▁L GB T ▁Foundation ▁has ▁witness ed ▁and ▁respond ed ▁to ▁and ▁impact ed ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁national ▁and ▁international ▁develop ments ▁for ▁L GB T ▁equality ▁ ▁L GB T ▁Foundation ▁co - oper ated ▁with ▁Manchester ▁P