WOMEN SERVICES
If you are a woman living with HIV we are here to help. We offer support around dealing with your diagnosis, dating and relationships, maintaining a good physical and mental health, pleasurable and safer sex, pregnancy or contraception. You can also talk to us if you want to know about your rights as a woman living with HIV.
We run online groups every other week usually on Wednesdays, which can be accessed by women receiving HIV care from anywhere within the UK. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifting there will be opportunities for face-to-face meetings that you will need to register for in advance. For more information, keep up with our calendar or contact our Women’s Casework Coordinators Helen and Neo.
Women's Room
Living with HIV isn’t something you have to deal with on your own. Our Women’s Room group for women living with HIV meets the second Wednesday of every month.
Facilitated by trained and knowledgeable staff and peer mentors, the group provides a safe, friendly space for you to get peer support, build life skills, have fun and socialise. Each month focuses on a different theme. Travel cost reimbursement and refreshments are provided too.
Mentor Mothers
Our Mentor Mothers are women who have been through the pregnancy journey whilst living with HIV themselves.
They are trained to provide emotional and practical support around all aspects of the pregnancy journey, including talking about HIV to others, treatment, delivery options, and aftercare. A mentor mother can be like a friend by your side to support you, give you information, or simply talk through all your concerns during and after pregnancy.
Women with HIV GRowing Older Wiser and Stronger (GROWS)
We provide peer-led support, accurate and accessible information, and networks and spaces to help women feel powerful comfortable with themselves as they embrace growing older. Read more about the GROWS project.
Catwalk4Power Toolkit
Positively Past, Positively Present
Positively Past Positively Present is a collaboration between Positively UK and The Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. The research project looks at documenting and amplifying the narratives of women living with HIV by looking at the inspiring history of Positively Women, stored in Positively UK’s archives. Read more here.
Bearded & Flushed
Bearded & Flushed is a partnership between Naz, Sophia Forum, 4M and Positively UK and it was funded by the Public Health England Innovation Fund.
In October 2021, Bearded & Flushed provided space for 16 women ageing with HIV to discover their creative voice over a series of writing workshops focussing on living well with HIV and living through the menopause.
More and more women with HIV are getting older, and experiencing menopause, but they face a double taboo of stigma and invisibility. These writing workshops gave creative expression to one of the most under spoken and under researched areas of women’s lives.
The result is a life-affirming collection of stories, poems, haikus and love letters by women modelling extraordinary talent, courage and wisdom to countless other women going through the menopause and living with HIV.
Following on from these workshops, we filmed individual vignettes and a short film featuring the work and stories of some of the women from the courses, directed by Tom Line.
VIdeo Gallery
Women's Space Events
march
08mar5:30 pm8:00 pmInternational Women's Day: Movie Premiere
Event Details
In celebration of International Women’s Day, come along to the Movie Premiere of our very own short film in collaboration with Katharine Low and Chuck Blue Lowry.
Event Details
In celebration of International Women’s Day, come along to the Movie Premiere of our very own short film in collaboration with Katharine Low and Chuck Blue Lowry.
Sheila’s Story is a short film that follows the life of Sheila Gilchrist, a founding member of Positively UK, as she navigates the challenges of the 1980s, a time when the unique needs of women living with HIV were frequently ignored. Set against the backdrop of her battle with drug addiction and her AIDS diagnosis, the narrative portrays Sheila’s journey with resilience and empathy, fuelled by her unwavering rebelliousness.
After the screening, join us for a panel discussion with guest speakers, followed by a Q&A session and group discussion.
If you’re a woman living with HIV, join us this International Women’s Day for an evening of unforgettable history!
Get your free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-womens-day-celebration-tickets-837447627397?aff=oddtdtcreator
If you have any questions, please contact nmoepi@positivelyuk.org or Hrogers@positivelyuk.org
more
Time
(Friday) 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm(GMT+00:00)
april
10apr5:00 pm8:00 pmWomen's Group South London: Charge Your Mind
Event Details
Join us for an empowering women’s group session! This month, we’re delving into the fascinating realm of the Power of the Mind. Discover effective techniques to supercharge your mental strength,
Event Details
Join us for an empowering women’s group session! This month, we’re delving into the fascinating realm of the Power of the Mind. Discover effective techniques to supercharge your mental strength, fostering positive transformations for enhanced mental health. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your well-being!
Please note this session is for women with HIV who are living in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. For more information please email Susana at sdeoliveira@positivelyuk.org
Time
(Wednesday) 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm(GMT+00:00)
Location
78 Fitzalan Street, London, SE11 6QU
Organizer
24apr6:00 pm7:30 pmWomen's Room: A Time to Talk
Event Details
This months Women’s Room meet up will be a zoom session, an open session for a chat about any issues you want to discuss. Register in advance for
Event Details
This months Women’s Room meet up will be a zoom session, an open session for a chat about any issues you want to discuss.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vd-CqqzsrEtC0RjTLVu87ED4liIYHdn6S
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For more information please contact hrogers@positivelyuk.org or nmoepi@positivelyuk.org
more
Time
(Wednesday) 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm(GMT+00:00)
Women's Space Latest Articles
Saluting the Women who Created Positively Women: Sheila’s story We’ve partnered with the talented filmmakers Kat Low and Chuck Blue Lowry to produce short film documenting the extraordinary journey of one of our founders, Sheila. Set during an era when ...
It’s Time to Talk about SEX: In celebration of Sexual Health week 2023, we wanted to spotlight Silvia’s blog on the intersection of sex, pleasure and HIV. Good sex, intimacy and sensual pleasure are an important part of quality of ...
Our Youth Project Coordinator, Michelle, took part in this year’s National HIV Nurses Association Conference. She was invited to present the perspective of a young woman living HIV herself and working with young women living with HIV. “I really enjoy ...
CATWALK4Power
PERSONAL STORIES
10th October marks World Mental Health Day – a day to raise awareness of mental
Memory Sachikonye, our Admin and Finance Lead, is one of the most inspirational and versatile