Positive East

Ear Acupuncture
2025-09-24 16:30 - 17:30, 2025-10-01 16:30 - 17:30, 2025-10-08 16:30 - 17:30, 2025-10-15 16:30 - 17:30 UTC | Positive East, 159 Mile End Road, London, E1 4AQ, United Kingdom
Ear acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that involves very fine needles being placed in various points of your outer ear. Many people have found it can help with a variety of health issues, include sleep, pain management, nausea and stomach problems, relieving stress and anxiety.
The sessions are led by Truus Jansen. They are informal sessions which take place in a group environment. You don’t currently need to book, although it’s helpful if you can let us know in advance that you intend to come along as the sessions could become very popular. As you need to sit quietly once the treatment has begun for around half an hour, the last admittance to the session is 5.15 pm
For more information, or to tell us you’re coming contact mina.kakaiya@positiveeast.org.uk

Women's Group: What Women Want
2025-09-24 18:00 - 20:00
This month we’re delighted to welcome back Rebecca Mbewe – mentor, speaker and trainer with long standing experience of working in HIV and lived experience of living well with HIV for over 20 years – to guest host our session about What Women Want.
Our Women’s Group is a regular social and support group for women living with HIV who either live in East London or if you get your HIV care in an East London clinic. It usually meet on the 4th Wednesday evening of each month, but this day and time may vary especially for visits out, so its best to check these listing regularly.
If travel or care costs are a barrier to taking part, let us know in advance.
For more information, or to tell us you’re coming, contact Sarah.Boum-Enock by email on sarah.boum-enock@positiveeast.org.uk or call 020 7791 9341

Mindfulness meditation
2025-09-26 12:30 - 13:00, 2025-09-30 17:00 - 17:30, 2025-10-03 12:30 - 13:00, 2025-10-07 17:00 - 17:30, 2025-10-10 12:30 - 13:00, 2025-10-14 17:00 - 17:30, 2025-10-17 12:30 - 13:00, 2025-10-21 17:00 - 17:30
Everybody needs a little time away from the everyday stresses and strains of life. Twice a week, Andre Smith – Positive East’s Counselling Co-ordinator – leads a 30 minute online mindfulness meditation session.
These usually run twice every week on:

Tuesdays at 5pm
Fridays at 12.30pm

For more information on how to join, please email Andre at andre.smith@positiveeast.org.uk

Foodcycle Stepney Green
2025-09-29 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-06 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-13 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-10-20 13:00 - 15:00
Every Monday we welcome FoodCycle’s volunteers to use our kitchen and our cafe area to provide a delicious hot lunch. This is open to anyone living with HIV across London. By cooking with surplus ingredients, they promote healthy, sustainable attitudes towards food and its impact on the environment, and help people to learn more about healthy food.
Lunch is usually served shortly after 1pm. Lunch is served to your table by FoodCycle volunteers, so you’ll need to arrive by 1pm.
For more information, visit FoodCycle Stepney Green If you’d like to come along, contact FoodCycle stepneygreen@foodcycle.org.uk

Stigma and Empowerment Workshops -Series of 4
2025-09-30 18:00 - 20:00
Are you living with HIV and want to feel more confident and in control of your HIV status and develop new skills to live a more fulfilling and happier life?
This 4 part series of workshops has been very popular, and has been updated and re-designed to be delivered online using Zoom – by popular request especially for those with busy lives. The workshops will include:
-Developing skills to live a life free of internalised stigma.
– Examining what it means to live well with HIV
-Getting to know more about HIV, effective treatment and HIV transmission risks – including Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U)
– Exploring self-compassion and ways to build self-esteem and confidence
– Discover opportunities to develop self-advocacy, support networks and volunteering opportunities
For more information contact Mina Kakaiya mina.kakaiya@positiveeast.org.uk or call 020 7791 9301
If data or lack of devices are a barrier to taking part, please speak with us in well in advance

Quotes from previous participants
“I have realised that I have more of a voice than I thought, and thought I had lost it – but have it!.”
“I have learned to accept and talk about my HIV now and to go at my pace, its my journey”

October Calendar
2025-10-01

Qigong Exercise
2025-10-01 15:15 - 16:00, 2025-10-08 15:15 - 16:00, 2025-10-15 15:15 - 16:00, 2025-10-22 15:15 - 16:00 | Positive East, 159 Mile End Road, London, E1 4AQ, United Kingdom
Qigong, pronounced “chi gong,” was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being.
The sessions are led by Truus Jansen. They are informal sessions, so you don’t currently need to book, although it’s helpful if you can let us know in advance that you intend to come along as the sessions could become very popular. You’re advised to wear loose comfortable clothing.
For more information, or to tell us you’re coming contact mina.kakaiya@positiveeast.org.uk

Wellbeing Matters - Community Health Checks
2025-10-02 12:00 - 15:00
The community health check is a quick 15-minute screening that assesses key health indicators and provides guidance on lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health conditions.
Trained healthcare assistants conduct the checks and offer support and referrals where necessary.
The check includes:

Blood pressure measurement

Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation (height and weight)
Waist circumference measurement
Type 2 diabetes risk assessment (using an online tool)
Smoking status
Alcohol risk
Advice and support, including signposting to GP and support services.

There’s no need to book – just drop in to Positive East anytime between Noon and 3pm

Positive Over 50: Lunch
2025-10-02 13:00 - 15:00
Our monthly lunch group for people living with HIV who either live in any of the East London Boroughs, or get your HIV care an an East London clinic. Usually on the first Thursday afternoon of the month, the January lunch is a week later than usual because of the New Year holidays.
Join us for a tasty, freshly prepared lunch provided by our colleagues from Food Chain. Stay and engage in one of our discussion topics, hear from guest speakers, or join in one of our Positive Over 50: Out And About trips to places of interest. Or stay and join in the conversation with old friends and new.
For more information contact mina.kakaiya@positiveeast.org.uk

Silver Pride
2025-10-05 13:00 - 15:00
This is a joint outing of our Positive Over 50, Rainbow Men, and Together Group for the first two hours of Silver Pride, though the event continues throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
Silver Pride is a celebration of LGBTQIA+ people over 50 and provides an exciting event to promote connectivity throughout the community. There will be dancing, laughter, cake and a range of performances throughout the day and evening. There will also be an exhibition of LGBTQIA+ history and entries from Switchboard’s log books.
Once again, Walthamstow Trades Hall is hosting Silver Pride, in partnership with Switchboard, Positive East and former Opening Doors volunteers.
This event is aimed at LGBTQIA+ people aged 50+ but we welcome attendees of all ages to celebrate this vibrant day with us. Allies are welcome.
If travel costs are a barrier to coming along, let us know in advance
Contact Mina.kakaiya@positiveeast.org.uk
For more details see the Walthamstow Trades Hall What’s On website pages

Together - Theatre-making workshop taster session, and film private view
2025-10-08 18:00 - 20:00
Together is our social and support group for anyone living with HIV. This group is for you if you are HIV positive and either live in East London or get your HIV care in an East London clinic. It usually meets on the second Wednesday evening of each month, but this day and time may vary especially for visits out, so its best to check these listing regularly.
This month, we’re thrilled to welcome Diego Agurto – actor, director and Latino HIV activist – for a taster session ahead of his 3 workshops incorporating drama, creative writing, collage and zine-making. See Saturday 11th October for details
We’ll also be showing our new series of short films about staying engaged with your HIV care, featuring our Peer Support Co-ordinators and the voices of many Together Group members. This is the first time they have been shown, so come along and we’ll see them first together.
If travel or care costs are a barrier to taking part, you need to let us know in advance.
For more information, or to tell us you’re coming, contact Sarah.Boum-Enock by email on sarah.boum-enock@positiveeast.org.uk or call 020 7791 9341

Theatre-making workshops - Series of three
2025-10-11 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-18 14:00 - 16:00
We’re thrilled to be welcoming Diego Agurto – actor, director and Latino HIV activist – for three workshops incorporating drama, creative writing, collage and zine-making. Diego designed this series, called the Living Museum of Emotional Archive of HIV, and has delivered it around the world. We’ll also be welcoming back Mike Phillips, who worked with us last year and established our in-clinic peer support at Barking Hospital.
A three-part workshop series to transform memory into performance, personal experience into creative text, and individual voice into collective resonance.
? Session 1 – Writing a Monologue of Autofiction
Participants will write a monologue based on personal archives, objects or memories related to their experience with HIV. The focus will be on crafting a theatrical piece that is intimate, poetic and performative.
? Session 2 – Creating a Personal Fanzine
Each participant will design their own small book, including a title, opening words and their monologue. Using collage techniques, we will explore visual storytelling and self-publishing as acts of empowerment.
? Session 3 – Finalising the Fanzine + Public Reading
We will complete the fanzines and close the process with a public reading of the texts, performed by the workshop participants. A space to share stories, raise voices and build community.
To register your interest, contact Sarah Boum-Enock sarah.boum-enock@positiveeast.org.uk
If travel costs are a barrier to taking part, let us know in advance

Rainbow Men - Dealing with Hate Crime
2025-10-15 18:00 - 20:00
Rainbow Men is our social and support group for gay and bisexual men living with HIV, including men who have sex with men but don’t identify as gay or bisexual. This group is for you if you are HIV positive and either live in East London or get your HIV care in an East London clinic. It usually meets on the 3rd Wednesday evening of each month, but this day and time may vary especially for visits out, so its best to check these listing regularly.
As its National Hate Crime Awareness Week, the focus of the October group will be LGBT+ hate crime, as well as the other hate crime strands, such as race, faith and disability. We will also be looking at keeping safe online and with hook up apps.
If travel or care costs are a barrier to taking part, please let us know in advance.
For more information, or to tell us you’re coming, contact Nick.Maxwell@positiveeast.org.uk
