Peer Support & Living Well with HIV
All Eddystone peer support groups:
- Are held online
- Are available to people living with HIV in the Southwest
- Provide a safe space for a check in
- Provide the opportunity to meet with other people to share experiences of living well with HIV
- Are facilitated by Eddystone staff members
If you haven’t been to a peer group before why not give it a try? It is a great space to enjoy a couple of hours and support each other through our individual journeys and shared experiences, everybody is welcome even if it’s just to listen to others.
To find out more about joining our groups please email connections@eddystone.org.uk
Living Well with HIV – What does this mean for me?
- You can expect to live as long as someone who is not HIV+ Great News!
- Be sure to take your tablet as prescribed by you HIV consultant – this is referred to as Medication Adherence
- Attend your appointments at the clinic – this plays a big part to living well with HIV
- Look after your Mental Health – it is not unusual to experience low mood, anxiety, feel as if your concentration is impaired, and insomnia. (This list is not exhaustive) This could be a sign of depression – if this is the case chat to your clinic as they may have a professional you can talk to, if not they will be able to refer you to a specialist mental health service. To find services available in your area please visit Mental health charities and organisations - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Peer Support with The Eddystone Trust
Current Peer Support Sessions:
Current Peer Support Sessions
Positive Connections for All
Our mixed gender group is held on the second Tuesday of every month, 18:45 – 20:45.
We welcome all people living with HIV in the Southwest and offer a ‘Real Peer Support experience’ where you can discuss all things Living Well with HIV.
Positive Connections for Positive Men
Our group for men is held fortnightly on a Thursday from 19.00 – 20.30.
We welcome all men (including trans men) that are living with HIV in the Southwest and provide a safe friendly space where Men can talk ALL things men!
Positive Connections for Positive Women
Our group for women is held on the last Tuesday of the month from 18.45 – 20.45.
We welcome all women (including trans women) that are living with HIV in the Southwest and provide a safe friendly space where women can talk ALL things women!
Rotating Peer Support Sessions
Positive Connections for Newly Diagnosed People
September to November 2025
This group will be held fortnightly and welcome people that have been diagnosed with HIV in the past 2 years.
Come along to meet other recently diagnosed people, share your experiences, and support each other. We will discuss topics such as understanding your CD4 count, understanding viral load, understanding undetectable = untransmittable, sharing your HIV status with family, potential partners, and loved ones; and much more.
Ageing well with HIV
January to March 2026
This group will be held fortnightly and welcome all people living with HIV in the Southwest that would like to discuss aging well with HIV.
Come along to discuss anything that may affect us as we are aging such as supported living, survivors guilt, and much more.
Positive Connections for Young People Under 35
April to June 2026
This group will be held fortnightly and welcome all people living with HIV in the Southwest that are under the age of 35.
Come along to discuss daily living, relationships, sharing your HIV status with family, potential partners, and loved ones; and much more.
Positive Connections for People New to the UK
July to September 2026
This group will be held fortnightly and welcome all people living with HIV in the Southwest that have moved the UK within the past 2 years.
Come along to discuss treatment in the UK, support in the UK, immigration and asylum, daily living, and much more.
How are the groups ran?
All our groups are available to HIV+ people living in the Southwest and are currently held online, are facilitated, have guest speakers and are a safe space for a check in as well as the opportunity to meet with other people to share experiences of living well with HIV.
All groups provide a safe space to meet other people that have a shared experience!
That is a good enough reason to come along!
If you haven’t been to a peer group before why not give it a try – it’s a great space to enjoy a couple of hours and support each other through our individual journeys and shared experiences, everybody is welcome even if it’s just to listen to others.
To find out more about joining our groups email connections@eddystone.org.uk
PEP & PrEP
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HIV FAQs
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Contact Us
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