Our Peer support services offer time for people living with HIV to come together to support one another. We offer one-to-one and group support through peer mentoring and regular support groups. Please use the contact email addresses under each service to get in touch, or you can phone the METRO HIV team on 020 8305 5006.
You will be paired with a mentor who also lives with HIV and who will try to help support you with living well with HIV. Issues our mentors can support you with are: the psychological effects of living with HIV, tackling stigma and discrimination, sex and relationships, healthy eating, physical exercise, and reaching out for more support around your mental health. We usually offer 10 sessions of peer mentoring, one-hour sessions, once a week. Sessions can be online or face-to-face.
Get in touch:
This is a new service offer from Positively UK. We will provide a support group for all women living with HIV resident in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. The group will meet once a month in Kennington, Lambeth and be run by women workers and volunteers who also live with HIV. The emphasis will be on building support and confidence and having fun together.
Get in touch: info@positivelyuk.org
This group is for parents of small children and babies who are living with HIV in South London. The group provides a chance for parents to come together and bring their babies and children and have support around living with HIV. The group has activities for small children, regular input from outside speakers, and support from a doctor who specialises in supporting parents living with HIV. The group is run by METRO and meets twice a month, once online and once in person, in New Cross, Lewisham.
Get in touch: bridges@metrocharity.org.uk
Catholics for AIDS Support and Prevention (CAPS) provides a range of groups for residents of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham who are living with HIV. Our groups are based in Stockwell, Lambeth.
Positive Faith Group - This group is open to people of all faiths who are living with HIV and residents in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. The group focuses on sharing lived experiences of faith and HIV, supporting members to socialise and support one another and have fun. We often start the group with a scripture reading, and at each group, we provide a hot shared meal. The group meets once a month.
Get in touch: info@caps-uk.org
Gay’s Men HIV Positive Faith Group - This group is open to gay men living with HIV and residents in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. Open to all faiths. The group meets once a month and is run by gay men living with HIV from a faith background.
Get in touch: info@caps-uk.org
Positive People Network (PPN) - A group for people from Black African backgrounds hosted by Africa Advocacy Foundation (AAF).
This weekly peer support group is primarily attended by people from Black African backgrounds who are resident in the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. Group discussions on issues such as HIV diagnosis, treatment, self-management, living well, quality of life, relationships and more. The group meets in Catford, Lewisham.
Get in touch: info@africadvocacy.org
+PALS is a peer-led social group for gay and bisexual men who are living with HIV in South London. It is run by METRO and open to residents of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. It runs twice a month, once in Lambeth and once in Wandsworth.
Get in touch: bridges@metrocharity.org.uk
Positive Journeys is a peer support group for gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in South London who identify as migrants. It is run by METRO and takes place twice a month, once in Kennington, Lambeth and once in New Cross, Lewisham.
Get in touch: bridges@metrocharity.org.uk
Positive People Network (PPN) Wellbeing Group is a wellbeing and social support network for all people living with HIV in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. The group is convened by METRO and Positively UK and invites guest speakers to talk about various health issues and provides social support to members. It runs monthly in various locations.
Get in touch: bridges@metrocharity.org.uk
Recently Diagnosed Workshops These groups are a stand-alone set of workshops open to all people recently diagnosed with HIV or those who struggle to accept their HIV diagnosis. The workshops are run by peers living with HIV from across a partnership of METRO, Positively UK, Terrence Higgins Trust and Positive East. The groups run quarterly and consist of a weekend workshop, both in person and online. Topics discussed are adherence to medication, stigma, disclosure, sex and relationships and living well with HIV. The workshop can help change your life and perspective on living with HIV.
Get in touch: bridges@metrocharity.org.uk