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Peer Support Groups
Peer Support Groups (PSGs) provide an opportunity for service users to come together to share experiences and to give support, understanding and friendship to one another in a safe and comfortable environment. The groups are run by services users for service users of The Eddystone Trust.
A member of staff is available at each session to provide support and information.
Guest speakers are arranged to speak about specific issues these include General Practitioners (GPs), Health Advisors, Pharmacists, and Money Management with Citizens Advice.
EXETER – GATEWAY GROUP
The Gateway Group is a long standing peer support group that meets in Exeter on the last Thursday of every month between 6pm and 10pm.The group is attended by people living with HIV from across the South West.
Everyone is welcome and snacks are provided.
‘The Gateway Group is a good escape and is good fun. We chat, laugh and eat. Each time is different, sometimes we see a film and sometimes cry with laughter and other times we play cards or scrabble or have a BBQ outside. Although I’m feeling knackered and have no energy it’s really worthwhile coming to Gateway because I feel like there are other people around who understand what I’m going through. You get to meet people from different countries and cultures. Sometimes we talk about being positive and other times it never gets mentioned all night. I got fed up of looking at websites which had conflicting information about the virus but now I go to Gateway I check things out with other people and I really look forward to it. It’s a good social night and I wish it was on more. We’d like to get more people to come along too so please come along and give it a go’.
Contact Maria Cox if you are interested in joining us….
Maria Cox, Devon Client Support Worker can be contacted on: maria@eddystone.org.uk
SOMERSET
P.E.G.S. (Positive Empathy Group)
PEGS (Positive Empathy Group Somerset) have been meeting monthly for a number of years in Taunton. People mainly attend PEGS from the Yeovil, Glastonbury and Taunton areas.
We are an expanding group, new faces appearing at each one of the last four get-togethers, and as well as sharing the highs and lows of living with the virus, we have had various quests with professional involvement in HIV come to speak with us. In recent months these have included a G.P, two different people from the National AIDS Trust in London and a complementary therapist. More guests are planned but not for each month; the main emphasis being on mutual support in safe surroundings, with food!
The 2012 dates are:
- January 21st
- February 18th
- March 17th
- April 21st
- May 19th
- June 16th
- July 21st
- August 18th
- September 15th
- October 20th
- November 17th
- December 15th
Contact Annie Parker if you are interested in joining us….
Annie Parker, Somerset Client Support worker can be contacted on: anne@eddystone.org.uk
NORTH DEVON
The Castle Group runs from a location in central Barnstaple from 6pm to 9pm every other month. People attend The Castle Group mainly from Bideford, to Ilfracombe and to South Molton.
This is a great opportunity for people to come together in a comfortable, relaxed and confidential space. Partners and carers are very welcome.
Please bring snacks to share.
“We have open forum discussions in a relaxed, unpressured atmosphere. We also have lots of fun and laughter. Everyone is welcomed and made to feel at home, and many friendships have been forged already. We would love you to join us…..”
Contact Annie Parker if you are interested in joining us….
Annie Parker, Somerset Client Support worker can be contacted on: anne@eddystone.org.uk
