Lunch Positive, the weekly HIV lunch club that provides a healthy meal, community and social space for people with HIV held its Christmas Lunch on Friday, December 18.
Ninety-eight people including members, the entire volunteer team, trustees, supporters from partner charities and friends went along to Dorset Gardens Methodist Church in the heart of the gay village.
Volunteers cooked a fantastic three course meal, and also welcomed three new members who attended for their first time.
Local businesses and members contributed towards a Christmas Raffle that raised £260, which covered the costs of the Christmas Lunch and forthcoming New Year’s Day Lunch.
A lunch club member said: “At the Lunch Positive Christmas lunch this afternoon I was reminded of how much things have changed over recent years. It’s only a few years ago that, when I was critically ill, the only substantial meals I ate were those Friday afternoon lunches. Sometimes it took an effort of will to force myself to go, because my mental health was far less stable than my physical health. The food I ate during the rest of the week was nothing in comparison to that one meal every Friday. One of the ideas of Lunch Positive is to get people to have lunch together and get to know one another. I also know that I am, nowadays, the opposite of the kind of person who wants to talk to strangers. I’ve never been made to feel like I have to ‘join in’ or anything silly like that. It’s always really friendly and welcoming. I so wish that we show everyone how amazing those lunches are, and for so many different reasons. It was a lovely afternoon.”
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