Lunch Positive’s Seahaven Social is a peer led support group for people living with HIV. We aim to overcome social isolation and loneliness, creating a safe, shared peer-led friendly food environment.
Sharing and talking across a light meal has helped people overcome social anxiety and share conversations with people they would otherwise not have, including across generations and cultural differences. The only face-to-face HIV group support activity in Lewes District, the fact that this happens within reach of people’s homes has great value in engagement and in sustaining social and peer-supportive connections. The group helps connect the local HIV community to better food, supporting our members to learn to cook healthy food on a budget. Well-being is central to our charity’s aims, the promotion of healthy eating and ensuring access to healthy food a key part of physical and mental well-being.
The monthly HIV hub, ‘Seahaven tea social’ provides a healthy light meal to members, complemented with visits from a volunteer barber as well as from specialist health care professionals facilitating group discussions.
Referral is via local HIV clinics and other partner organisations. People living with HIV can also contact the project co-ordinator, Jim Stanford, for further details.