However you enjoy December we at Sahir House wish you all a very restful time off and may 2017 be a happy and healthy year for you and your family.

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1 Sahir House December Newsletter 2016 However you enjoy December we at Sahir House wish you all a very restful time off and may 2017 be a happy and healthy year for you and your family. Hi and a big thanks to all volunteers, students and supporters this year who have helped the work of Sahir House and all the great things that go on to enable it to provide invaluable services. From attending the volunteer monthly meetings, staffing reception, help with admin jobs, training public sector services and guest speaking, buddy support in the community, fundraising of any sort, getting someone to wear a red ribbon, information out to the general public, cake sales (nom nom), Trans Health Merseyside activities, research, marketing and social media, and of course the board of trustees who govern this amazing charity thanks to you all and keep fighting the good fight people! From all the team at Sahir House 1

2 World AIDS Day National HIV testing week & World AIDS Day on Merseyside World AIDS Day reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away there is still a vital need to increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education. This year, both National HIV testing week and World AIDS Day campaigns have reached far and wide throughout the Mersey region. From the Light Wall in Knowsley lighting up a message of support to Southport s All White Taxi s sending out 150,000 texts with the campaign message on each message! Supporters across the region have been extremely busy with cake sales, fundraising events, film events, art exhibitions, window displays, bag packs, lectures, 1000 s of red ribbons distributed, buildings lit up, the best picture however has to be the gingerbread biscuits that Hannah Madden and the team at LJMU sold at their cake sale!! And nationally - Prince Harry went for an HIV test, nearly 40 parliamentarians from across the political spectrum attended a parliamentary reception in the House of Lords and the for first time in 20 years the UK s AIDS Quilt was displayed at St Pauls Cathedral. Massive thank you to all who have supported this campaign, all our partners who work in sexual health across the region, Sahir House volunteers and supporters. 2

3 Thank you Huge thanks to all the Sahir House volunteers have who supported this years World AIDS Day. From: staffing reception, photocopy, folding, staffing stalls, welcoming the public, making hot drinks, giving out red ribbons, carrying out fundraising collections, selling raffle tickets, stewarding, making cakes, selling cakes, dressing windows, guest speaking, staffing the charity shop. We couldn t have had such a successful World AIDS Day campaign without your help. And, for all those who have been involved in any fundraising activities we have a running total at: ! Well done everyone, we couldn t do it without you, Serena Welcome to new volunteers! Sahir House gives a warm welcome to its latest new volunteers who have completed a grilling weekend course to be here to help, with a smile! Cathy H, Cal L, Denise C, David H, Elton K, Frank K, Lottie B, Melanie R, Omar S, Sally J and Viv T 3

4 Information Sahir House Christmas/New Year Office hours information Please note that Sahir House will be closed the week beginning 26th December and will reopen Tuesday 3rd January Service users annual Sahir House Festive Feast All service users are invited to join us on Wednesday 21st December at 1pm in Sahir House to celebrate the Christmas season. Please let us know if you are attending so that we can get enough food in for the buffet. This is a great time to meet up with everyone before the end of the year as we will not be holding the usual support groups in December. See you on 21st Merry Christmas HIV Long Term Survivors Awareness Day It has been 35 years since HIV was identified on June 5, It is 20 years since Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) was introduced. Did you know June 5th each year is HIV Long Term Survivors awareness day and each year a theme is chosen to set an intention and create an action. This year s theme is Moving Forward Together. There are two main goals for 2016 and they are to raise visibility of Long-Term Survivors and to put HIV and aging on the front burner. Sahir House supports these actions and to raise awareness want to trail a group space to support and encourage lead by our local long term survivors. If this message speaks to you, and you identify as a LTS we hope you will come to our next meeting 21st December at 11am 12.30pm (please stay on to attend the #StillHere 4

5 Sahir House Walking Group 2016 saw the creation of a monthly walking group to enable people to get out and about socially, providing moderate exercise whilst discovering new places. We got to visit different aspects of Liverpool including parks, gardens, and woodlands. Walking lead is Kathleen Charters, look out for new walks next year. Thanks to all who attended regularly, a pleasure getting out and about with everyone. 5

6 Information 24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline Violence against women is a global problem and it requires global action. Sahir House supports the United Nation s 16 days of Activism because they shine a spotlight on the issue of violence against women. They are a moment to create public awareness about what needs to change to prevent it from happening in the first place at local, national, regional and international levels. Liverpool s latest campaign, Women s Aid, was designed to raise awareness about how people could support friends and relatives by helping them to speak out. Women s Aid website - which acts as a one stop shop in providing information and details for support and advice for those suffering domestic violence. If you know or suspect that a family member, friend or work colleague is experiencing domestic violence, it may be difficult to know what to do. It can be very upsetting that someone is hurting a person you care about. Your first instinct may be to want to protect your friend or family member but intervening can be dangerous for both you and her. Of course, this does not mean you should ignore it. There are things you can do to help make her and any children safer. If you should witness an assault, you can call the police on 999. It is helpful to remember that: Domestic violence is a crime it is unacceptable Specialist Domestic Violence Courts now operate in 25 courts with a conviction rate of over 70% (CPS survey 2006) Domestic violence is very common. One woman in four experiences domestic violence at some point in her life and an abused woman may live with domestic violence for years before she tells anyone or seeks help Domestic violence is very dangerous All women have the right to live without fear of violence and abuse The abuser is solely responsible for his abusive behaviour. The woman is not to blame; violence is a choice he makes So what can you do to support her? Talk to her and help her to open up. You may have to try several times before she will confide in you Try to be direct and start by saying something like, I m worried about you because.. or I m concerned about your safety Don t tell her to leave or criticise her for staying. Although you may want her to leave, she has to make that decision in her own time. It is important to remember that research shows an abused woman is at most risk at the point of separation and immediately after leaving an abusive partner 6

7 Services news Food needed Although Sahir House is able to give out food bank vouchers for Liverpool residents, we are often asked to provide emergency food parcels from our office store cupboard when people are unable to travel to the food bank or if they are closed. The winter months usually result in a higher demand and stocks are running low at the moment. How you can help Please think of donating some items to our cupboard in the build up to Christmas its like giving a present to everyone that needs one and will leave you with a lovely warm glow of happiness! What we need Basic supplies such as tea, coffee, long-life milk, cereal, beans, soups, pasta, pasta sauce, tuna, rice, cans of potatoes, veg and tinned stews, curries and chilli etc. Don t forget dessert items such as canned fruit and rice puddings. We also need toiletry items such as soap, toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo don t forget those unwanted Christmas presents! Thank you very much! Free Christmas dinner, at venues across the city, for those who would otherwise be alone. Helpers still needed too. Contact info on flyer. See the posters in Sahir House for more information and book early. If you would like to submit an article for the next newsletter please contact Gill Lewis info@sahir.uk.com Deadline for next newsletter is 28th December 2016 Disclaimer Articles in this newsletter are sometimes the opinion of individuals & do not necessarily reflect the opinions & views of Sahir House 7

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