Funding wins for Surrey HIV support service
Funding wins for Surrey HIV support service
St Peter’s House Project is delighted to announce two funding wins for its Surrey support service. Two-year grants from the People’s Health Lottery and Henry Smith Charity will fund a peer support service in East Surrey for people living with HIV, which aims to build confidence, resilience, greater independence and reduce social isolation.
The new peer support service will run from St Peter’s House offices in Redhill. Co-produced by people living with HIV, with the support of a coordinator, the service will offer:
- weekly day and evening groups
- invited speakers
- healthy activities such as walking groups
- supported buddying
- fundraising for social activities
- on-line support through developing website and social media
- access to a food bank
The service will be for people living with HIV who need advice and emotional and social support. Referrals come from the local Sexual Health Clinic and other statutory/health professionals for people who are both long term and newly diagnosed. Self-referrals will also be accepted.
Stephanie Phillips, project director at St Peter’s House, explained, “HIV support services in Surrey have largely closed down due to funding cuts by local clinical commissioning groups. But the issues many people living with HIV face – discrimination, poverty, isolation – remain.
We were determined not to abandon the people we’ve been supporting in Surrey for decades without a fight, and are delighted and enormously grateful to the People’s Health Lottery and Henry Smith Charity for this funding.”