Waverley Care - HIV, Hep C & Sexual Health in Scotland

Tickets are now available for q***r dance theatre piece, Smalltown Boys, in Perth and Dundee 👇

🗨️ Waverley Care will be part of Q&A panels at each of the venues.

🏳️‍🌈 SMALL TOWN BOYS IS BACK! 🏳️‍🌈

After a glorious run in Dundee last year, we're taking Small Town Boys on the road, making stops in Dundee, Perth, Inverness, Stirling, Glasgow and Aberdeen!

A young man leaves his small hometown to find refuge in the bright lights and warm embrace of the big city; he discovers solace and joy in the city's LGBTQ+ scene, but soon finds himself navigating a terrifying unfolding health crisis, almost completely ignored by the government.

Small Town Boys explores the escapism of q***r nightlife during the 80s & early 90s AIDS crisis through dance and spoken word.

And it just won the Creative Arts Award at the 2024 Proud Scotland Awards!

Dundee is on sale NOW! Book tickets at https://dundeerep.co.uk/events/small-town-boys-3

Make sure to keep an eye out for more ticket releases in the coming weeks!

Volunteer with Waverley Care this August 🎪🎭✨

🗨️“There's this incredible energy during the Fringe... Seeing the generosity of strangers and knowing that every penny we collect makes an impact on Waverley Care’s mission is super rewarding to me.” - Octa

We need enthusiastic volunteers to collect donations this Fringe Festival!

Join us between 📆2-26 August at 📍The Pleasance to help Scotland

Email 📧[email protected] to sign up now!

📅 Our next HIV and Syphilis drop-in clinic in Isle of Skye is on TUESDAY 16 July.

📍 Portree – Skye Gym 4-6pm

Testing is totally free and confidential, and we also offer s*xual health advice and free condoms & l**e.

No booking needed!

We are absolutely thrilled to share some fantastic news! 🌟

Nathan, our Health Improvement Coordinator at Waverley Care, has been recognised for his incredible work with Lanarkshire’s African community through a Community Involvement Award from one of our key partners, Bestway Community Development.

Nathan has worked for Waverley Care for 15 years and has been at the forefront of work in Lanarkshire, building relationships with our partners and supporting the African community. Nathan, your dedication and hard work inspire us every day, and this recognition is truly well-deserved! 🎉👏

Like and share this post to join us in congratulating Nathan! 🥳✨

We kicked off the Pride celebrations with some epic events last week 🌈🩷✨

We held our ‘Doors Open’ event up in 📍 Inverness where we welcomed people into our Highland office for an insight into what Waverley Care do, the services we offer and also to offer any s*xual health advice. There were also lots of opportunities to grab some fabby Waverley Care Pride freebies!

We also marched at 📍 Edinburgh Pride, where we turned the sea of people purple with t-shirts. We wanted to say a massive thank-you to our incredible volunteers who marched with us and helped out at our stall!

The fabulous MAC cosmetics did some amazing Rainbow makeup for us at their St. James’ Quarter Boots counter ahead of the march, which included getting our main sponsors, Thebans Rugby Club, glam. Thanks again guys for all your support 💄✨🩷

Proud of our Sexual Health ✨

Join us for an exciting ‘Doors Open’ Office event, where you can come and see us in the Waverley Care office in Inverness 👋

📆June 21st 2-7pm.
📍Waverley Care Office, 6 Ardross Street, Inverness

What to expect 👇
*Free condoms and l**e: be empowered about your s*xual health
*Space to share your opinions: there will an opportunity for you to share your thoughts. We want to hear your feedback on s*xual health services in Highland. Your input helps us improving services
*Resources on s*xual health and wellbeing: take home materials on s*xual health and relationships
*HIV&Syphilis testing: our free and confidential testing is available or we can book you in for another day.

Pop by at any point during the day, bring family, friends and allies! No booking required, but if you have questions, contact us 📧[email protected]

Please note that our office is on the first floor of a building that is not accessible/disability friendly. If you have questions about this, please get in touch with us.

📢 VOLUNTEER AT THE FRINGE 📢

Join us at The Pleasance and help us ! 🎭

📅 2-26 August
📍The Pleasance Courtyard

If you have three hours to spare this Fringe Festival, we need you to join our team! No experience necessary, and all training is provided 💜✨

📧Email: [email protected]

📣 Announcement - our page is moving!

To stay informed and continue supporting our work, please click the link 👉 www.facebook.com/WaverleyCare.org and then hit 'Follow'.

Here, you can learn about our latest projects, services, research, and events. Your support means a lot to us, and we can't wait to see you on our new page!

Thank you for being part of the Waverley Care community!

Happy Volunteer Week! 🎉

We are incredibly proud and fortunate at Waverley Care to have so many wonderful volunteers who give their time, skills, effort, kindness and resilience with inspiring generosity.

Since the early days of HIV, volunteers have played a crucial role in supporting people living with and affected by the virus. We are fortunate that, with the availability of effective treatment and U=U, volunteering has moved on from helping people to die with dignity, to helping people to live well with HIV. However, we still have a long way to go in fighting HIV stigma and challenging outdated information and myths around HIV.

We would like to take the opportunity to salute our volunteers and thank them for their involvement with Waverley Care and for helping us support, educate, advocate, lobby and inspire those in need of our services! It is an absolute privilege for us to work with such dedicated, inspirational and amazing people, and we are truly grateful to have them on board as part of the team. 🙏🌟

Visit waverleycare.org/get-involved/volunteer/ to find out more about our volunteering opportunities.

🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🎉

We are so excited to be involved in so many Pride events across Scotland this year. Join us in celebrating diversity, promoting inclusion and supporting the LGBTQ+ community!

Catch us at:
📍 Edinburgh Pride 📆 22 June
📍 Porty Pride 📆 30 June
📍 Mardi Gla 📆 20 July
📍 Highland Pride 📆 22 June
📍 Bute Pride 📆 10 August
📍 Oban Pride 📆 31 August

Swing by our stalls where we’ll be handing out condoms, l**e, resources and other Waverley Care goodies! We’ll also be there to answer your questions bout HIV and s*xual health. Come celebrate with us! 🎊✨

🗣️ We want to hear your experiences of getting PrEP in Scotland!

Our anonymous survey is for anyone who has tried to get PrEP in Scotland, including those currently on PrEP, as well as those who were unable to access PrEP.

📢 We are particularly keen to hear from minority ethnic communities, women, gay and bis*xual men who have s*x with men (GBMSM), people living in remote/rural Scotland and trans communities.

By completing the survey, you will be in with a chance to win one of two £100 Love2Shop vouchers!

👉Access the survey https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=0Q2A__xedUSFDFS1qdpbcsjF1o8HPrNFtIlq8GIUdLxUQkNCV0JPVFZVVFMzMU9JVFgxUkFJU1ozSi4u

The Caledonian Thebans, Scotland’s foremost inclusive rugby team, have won the Gladiator Cup at the Bingham Cup tournament in Rome 🥇🏉

As your main sponsors, we send so many congratulations to the team on a historic victory 🎉

Don’t miss out on getting involved in this exciting challenge! ⏳

Use one of our codes below to claim your FREE entry to walk with Waverley Care at the Edinburgh Kiltwalk✨:

👉Mighty Stride: WAVEMS100

👉Big Stroll: WAVEBIGWEE100

👉Wee Wander adult: WAVEWEE100

For a free space for Aberdeen and Dundee contact our fundraising team here: [email protected] 💜

Whether it’s small steps or mighty strides, let this start line be one you join with Waverley Care🫂. Become one of our Get To Zero heroes and sign up now: https://thekiltwalk.co.uk/ 🦸‍♀️

📅 Our next HIV and Syphilis drop-in clinics in Highland, Argyll & Bute are on TUESDAY 14 May.

📍 Oban – Argyll Wellbeing Hub 5-7pm

📍 Inverness – Waverley Care Office, 6 Ardross Street 4-6pm

Testing is totally free and confidential, and we also offer s*xual health advice and free condoms & l**e.

No booking required!

Our new Sexual Health Workshops begin in Fort William on the 16th May! 📅

💬 As part of our services in Highland, Argyll & Bute, we provide training sessions for professionals working with young people. Whether you are looking for a complete beginner's guide to s*xual health or a refresher of current information, these sessions will increase your knowledge and confidence in discussing s*xual health and relationships with a variety of service users and young people.

👉 Register now and secure your spot via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/waverley-care-training-highland-argyll-bute-2987159

Reflecting on an enlightening BHIVA Conference Birmingham 🫂

We delved into health inequalities in HIV care, the vital role of PrEP, and the power of storytelling in empowering those living with HIV.

We are grateful to be part of such a wonderful and dedicated community💜

📢 HIV and Syphilis testing clinic on TUESDAY from 12-4pm at Kafe Kweer (5 St. Peter’s Buildings, Edinburgh EH3 9PG).

Testing is totally free and confidential, and we also offer s*xual health advice and free condoms & l**e.

🗓️ Booking is encouraged, but we do accept walk-ins. Book your appointment at https://www.waverleycare.org/rapid-hiv-and-syphilis-testing/

🌟 Waverley Care is absolutely thrilled to be nominated for the Charity and Community Group Initiative Award at this year's Proud Scotland Awards. 🏆

This award recognises the tireless efforts of groups and initiatives dedicated to enacting positive change and providing vital support for the LGBTQI+ community. 🌈 We are so proud to be recognised for the work we love doing! 💖

Congratulations to all the incredible nominees who share our passion and dedication to making a difference in the LGBTQI+ community. 🎉 We look forward to celebrating everyone's amazing achievements at the ceremony on the 31st May. 🥳

Pride Edinburgh Glasgow's Pride 2024

Le***an Visibility Week👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏼

This week we spotlight the diversity of the le***an community. In the face of continued bigotry and ignorance we celebrate the strides this community has made but also recognise the hurdles still to overcome until we achieve true equality.

22nd of April - 28th of April ✨

🎉Apply now to be a Waverley Care Fringe Volunteer Coordinator!🎭

Applications are still open until the 8th of May 📆

Here's what Emily, a previous Fringe Coordinator, had to say about the role:

"Working as a Fringe Coordinator last August was such a fun position - it was a busy, exciting and rewarding role! Talking about and raising funds for the amazing work of Waverley Care whilst getting to experience the buzz of the Fringe at the same time made for an awesome month!" - Emily 💜

👉 Find out more, and apply, at https://www.waverleycare.org/about-us/work-for-us/fringe-volunteer-coordinator/

Have you ever tried to access s*xual health services in Argyll & Bute? ✨🗺️

If so, please share your thoughts 👉

forms.office.com

Yesterday was Transgender Day of Visibility 🏳️‍⚧️

An important opportunity to celebrate the diversity, resilience, and contributions of trans and non-binary individuals around the world. It's a day to amplify their voices, share their stories, and advocate for their rights and inclusion in all aspects of society 💜

By highlighting the achievements and experiences of trans and non-binary people, we can challenge stigma, discrimination and misinformation while promoting understanding, acceptance, and celebration of gender diversity 🫂

👉Trans people can be more at risk of HIV and poor s*xual health due to barriers in accessing healthcare, often due to medical transphobia. Not enough trans people are on or know about PrEP. There is currently no service for trans people to access relevant, inclusive information about s*xual health in Scotland.

By raising awareness of these issues and offering support, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate society where all individuals, regardless of their gender identity or HIV status, can live with dignity, respect and support ✨

Waverley Care also showed up and showed out at TransPride Scotland last weekend. We were discussing all things s*xual health, testing & prevention and resources about HIV!

We were also so lucky to be supporting Daniel Foxx in Glasgow at his incredible new show ‘Villian’ ✨

Thank you Daniel for partnering with Waverley Care and for giving us a night full of laughter! 😂

🎉 This week, we had a blast supporting the hilarious Stephen Bailey in Glasgow and Edinburgh on his new tour, Crass.

Huge thanks to Stephen for spreading the word about Waverley Care and helping us ! 👏🏼🌟

Don't miss out on our latest news and events – sign up to our newsletter! 📧 https://www.waverleycare.org/get-involved/sign-up-to-our-newsletter/

🌟Reflecting on some lovely memories from the Shine a Light on Recovery event earlier this month!

The event was hosted by Your Voice Inverclyde and it was so amazing connecting with various organisations and hearing inspiring recovery stories. 💜

🌱On our stall we had a wish tree where people left their aspirations and reflections. What a magical day! ✨

🌐 Visit our website for upcoming events and opportunities to get involved!

To secure your charity place for the EMF 5KM & 10KM race now 🏃‍♂️✨

With not long to go till EMF weekend and with 2 events already sold out, sign up with Waverley Care by following these easy steps:

- Visit the official website of Waverley Care or the EMF (Edinburgh Marathon Festival) event.
-Look for the section dedicated to charity entries or fundraising opportunities.
-Find the option to register for the EMF 5KM & 10KM race under Waverley Care's charity team.
-Follow the registration instructions provided on the website.

Find out more here 👉 https://www.waverleycare.org/get-involved/fundraise/sponsored-challenges/

Good luck with your race and fundraising efforts!💘

🔊Call for registration: If you are a person living with , don’t miss the opportunity to attend the sixth National Conference for People Living with !

Just a few more days to express your interest - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N5SQS2G #

Deadline: 31st March

🔔Last chance to register!

🔜The registration for the sixth National Conference of People Living with HIV is closing this Sunday!

✔️The Conference will take place on 1st June and will host over 150 delegates from across the nations, who will gather under the theme ✨One Voice Multiple Experiences✨ to strengthen HIV advocacy, fight HIV stigma and develop support networks.

🧡If you are a person living with HIV who would like to attend the Conference, register before the 31st March by clicking the link in our bio.

A massive thanks to the readers of Somewhere: For Us for nominating Waverley Care for the annual Unicorn Awards. We won Charity of the Year! 🥳

Somewhere: For Us is Scotland's award-winning LGBTQ print and online magazine supporting q***r arts, culture and enterprise. Part of their charity award is identifying the 'Unicorns' for special recognition for their work supporting the LGBTQ+ community 💖

We are so honoured and appreciative of this award 🏆