March 2009

Dear Friends,

Let’s hope you have enjoyed the snow, the ice and the really cold weather and are ready for the month that announces spring, March.

The first women’s evening was a very
productive evening as it resulted in a new initiative: 'Chai and a chat'. With ‘Chai and a chat’ we want to offer women (however they identify themselves: lesbian, bisexual, queer…) a cosy space to meet other women, to have a cup of tea (chai) and a chat. This may lead to themed evening
discussions around topics, to evenings where a speaker is invited to give
information around a chosen subject, or just to an evening that gives women the opportunity to socialise with other women. What will happen is decided by the women themselves. Carrie, Eveline or Agnes will be facilitating the group which will meet
fortnightly, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7-9pm at the Terrence Higgins Trust office in Inverness.

Volunteers wanted

Are you interested in sexual health and LGBT issues? Do you have some free time and would you like to do some
volunteering? If your answer is yes to both questions, then please do not
hesitate to contact us. We always
welcome volunteers.

In Highland we are particularly looking for people who would like to do reception and administration work, a coordinator for health promotion activities at this year’s festivals, and people who are
interested in outreach.

Please email agnes.boes@tht.org.uk
for more information and to receive the
application pack.

Free condoms by post!

If you’re interested in this free service, just get in touch and let us know what you need. And if you’re not exactly sure what to order, call us to discuss it, or just ask for a variety pack!

Social gatherings

T Group
For those who identify as Transgender
— in all its variety. 11 March 7-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

LGBT Caithness Social Group
All LGBT people welcome. Contact John on 07749 517826 for more information.
Thursday 12 March 7-9pm
Community Learning & Leisure office
Princess Street, Thurso Caithness

MEN EVENING A social group for men who identify as gay, bisexual, queer ... Wednesday 4 March 7-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Hep C Positive Support Group
A group to meet other people who are HepC+, whether on treatment or not.
Tuesday 3 March 5pm-6.30pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

LGBT LOCHABER SOCIAL GROUP
Group meets every other month. Contact Agnes on 01463 711 585 for more
information No activity in March

HIV positive support group
Friday 27 March 12noon-2pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness
WOMEN EVENING: Chai and a Chat
A social group for women who are
lesbian, bisexual, queer
Tuesdays 3 and 17 March, 7pm-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

THE PINK CASTLE PHILOSOPHY CLUB This month: Walk and talk
It's a walk for those terrified at the prospect of climbing a Munro. Sunday 8 March at 3pm meet at the Dores Beach car park and we do a 1 hours gentle walk around the Torr.
After the walk we talk while taking tea in the newly revamped Dores Inn. Question: 'What good comes from
being gay?' For people who might not have transport, please call 07745 930383. Lifts can be organised.

MOVIE EVENING: Fire
1996, Canada, Deepa Mehta
Powerful family drama and the first
Indian film to deal explicitly with
lesbianism. Despite generating a storm of controversy, it's actually an even-handed portrayal of two women's search for freedom in contemporary New Delhi
Wednesday 25 March 7-9 pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

February 2009

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the February newsletter.

Lat month it was great to see so many people turn up for the new groups. Our sitting room was filled with people
discussing and having a great time at Pink Castle and at the social group for men who have sex with men.. I hope that these new activities will continue to flourish. It is too early to comment on the women’s social group as it meets completely at the end of the month, after this editorial is written.

Argyll and Bute has now its own online social groups and we are sure that they
will be as successful as the ones in
Highland. They are really great for people to get in touch with each other and to create a sense of community in rural
settings.

Further we would like to encourage
everyone to attend the LGBT History events. Let’s remember, get to know our own history but also let’s broaden our
horizons and look at what it means to be LGBT in the developing world.

Have a great month, Agnes and Katrina

LGBT Storytelling

To celebrate LGBT History Month, we hope you’ll join us for an evening of sharing our
stories as lesbians, gay men bisexual men and women and transgendered people. 6 older speakers will share their experiences and then others will be invited to join in. High Tea will be served and an opportunity to discuss possible future events or plans for intergenerational LGBT work. If you are an older person who requires transport please let us know.
Thursday 26th February, 6 - 9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Dangerous Living

At our monthly film evening we’ll be screening Dangerous Living: Coming out in the Developing World - the first documentary to explore the lives of gay and lesbian people in non-western cultures.
25 February 2009 at 7pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Complementary Care at THT

At Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, it is
our aim to provide our service users with an holistic sexual health service. This
includes complementary care.

A group of qualified practitioners are
offering acupuncture, dietary advice,
massage, metamorphic technique,
reflexology and osteopathy at THT, 34
Waterloo Place, Inverness.

Sessions are available every day of the week. For more information please ring Agnes Boes. Sessions last up to one hour. For each session a donation of £10 is
welcomed. Appointments can be made by phoning 01463 711585. Cancellations need to be notified 24 hours in advance.

Argyll & Bute

A&B now has three online groups - for LGBT people, people living with HIV and people living with Hep C. Check them out—they’re a fantastic, easy way of
keeping in touch if you’re geographically isolated - they’re quiet just now as they’re new, so as Agnes says, get involved and make them bubble! Later in the year we’ll have some real-life events in A&B, so why not join the online communities now to discuss what you’d like to see happening. You can find the web addresses for the groups on the middle pages.

We’ll soon be offering screening for
Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea by post
and in community settings. To begin with, it’s particularly aimed at young men aged
15-24, but anyone can test, so if you’re interested in a postal test, get in touch!

Online groups

We have increased our online peer social / support services with groups for people living with HIV and / or Hepatitis C and for the Transgender community. Join these groups and reap the benefits: create contacts, communicate, share your concerns. These groups are here for you:

People living with HIV http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HighlandHIVpos
People living with Hepatitis C http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HighlandHepCpos
Transgender community http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HighlandTransgender
LGBT community http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lgbtnorthscotland
Information blog http://thtscotland-highlandservices.blogspot.com
LGBT Argyll & Bute http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/argyllandbuteLGBT
HIV Argyll & Bute http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/argyllandbuteHIV
Hep C Argyll & Bute http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/argyllandbuteHepC

Sexual Health

FREE : CONFIDENTIAL : ANONYMOUS
We are now able to offer you a much greater variety of testing and sexual health services:

STI screening: Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea
and Syphilis
Hep B and Hep C testing with direct
referral to Hep C clinic
Hep B immunisation
Fastest: HIV test results in 20 minutes
Prescribing of oral contraception
Pregnancy testing
Emergency contraception

Testing
Drop-in Monday—Friday 1.30-4.00pm
Tuesday 1.30-7.00pm
(Appointments only 01463 711585)
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Needle exchange
Monday to Friday 1.30pm-4pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Drop-in for sex workers
Mondays 2 and 16 February 3.30-5pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Social gatherings

T Group
For those who identify as Transgender
— in all its variety. 11 February 7-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

LGBT Caithness Social Group
All LGBT people welcome. Contact John on 07749 517826 for more information.
Community Learning & Leisure office
Princess Street, Thurso Caithness
Thursday 12 February 7-9pm

MEN EVENING A social group for men whether they identify as gay, bisexual or not. Wednesday 4 February 7-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

Hep C Positive Support Group
A group to meet other people who are HepC+, whether on treatment or not.
Tuesday 3 February 5pm-6.30pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

LGBT LOCHABER SOCIAL GROUP
Group meets every other month. Contact Agnes on 01463 711 585 for more
information No activity in February

HIV positive support group
Friday 27 February 12noon-2pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness
WOMEN EVENING A social group for women whether they identify as lesbian, bisexual or not.
Wednesday 18 February, 7pm-9pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

THE PINK CASTLE PHILOSOPHY CLUB New monthly club! Talk, stretch your mind within an atmosphere of peace and fun. Topic of the month: Are my feelings my friends?
Tuesday 10 February 7-9pm.
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness

MOVIE EVENING Dangerous Living:
Coming out in the Developing World
This is the first documentary to deeply explore the lives of gay and lesbian
people in non-western cultures.
Wednesday 25 February 7-9 pm
THT, 34 Waterloo Place, Inverness