Following recent government guidelines that aim to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Lunch Positive has temporarily paused all thier regular social gatherings – the weekly HIV Friday Lunch Club, monthly 50+ supper group, and food and friendship groups.
The charity will resume these regular social and peer-support activities as soon as government advice suggests that such gatherings are again appropriate. However, Lunch Positive is delivered by a team of over amazing 30 volunteers, and people have been fast to adapt to need and changing circumstances. The team will continue to provide social and nutritional support in other ways until such time as regular services resume. So the team will undertake two new pieces of work called Lunch Positive In-touch and Lunch Positive Outreach.
The charity plays an important role in helping people make connections, socialise, and share peer-support. Over the years, many hundreds of friendships have been formed at the lunch club. A new range of resources are being put into place to help people with HIV keep in-touch with each other, in-touch with the charity, and to continue to be able to share and receive support. These include a regular phone-in, a private Lunch Club Members Facebook group, an online live support portal, and a regular members’ information mail-out. These will be rolled out over several weeks. People will need to sign up to these on the Lunch Positive website, and the volunteer team will be active in providing support.
Lunch Positive will still regularly prepare food and outreach to people.
They will doorstep deliver supplementary food items to members who are unable to shop, experience financial difficulty, and are staying at home or self isolating because of risk or COVID-19. For people with HIV who are short on food, not confined to their homes and who are not in the vulnerable group category, ready prepared & packaged food items will be regularly available for drop-in collection at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church. This is similar to a quick visit to the shop, and following guidelines around social distancing. These outreach approaches will be available for as long as government advice suggests that this type of brief and limited contact is possible.
There will also be continued access to the Lunch Positive emergency food pantry for people in financial crisis, additional advice and signposting to city food support. Information on this new outreach food support, including how to sign up, is on the website, or available over the phone.
Gary Pargeter, Service Manager said
“Naturally we’re saddened to need to temporarily pause our social gatherings. We know that members & volunteers put so much in and take so much from our time together. The support that is shared and the kindness people show whilst together is inspirational. We understand that people may feel a loss whilst we are unable to provide these usual gatherings and want to reassure people that we’re ready and poised to resume ‘usual service’ as very soon as government advice suggests. People with HIV are still welcome to join us at any time, and should visit the website to find out more.
We also know the time ahead may feel uncertain, isolating and challenging for many people with HIV. We remain active and are still here to support and help. In addition to the practical support, we especially hope that people will keep in touch with each other and with us, and will use the new facilities that are explained on our website and social media to do this. Our team of volunteers have been totally amazing, adapting and enthusiastic about providing these new types of support. So to all our members and people with HIV looking to connect or for support, please visit our website and get in touch with us. We’re here for community, togetherness and support at this important time, and beyond.”
For more information visit Lunch Positive website for all their up to date information.
Email info@lunchpositive.org phone 07846 464384
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