July is upon us already… just where does the time go? With many of our thoughts turning to the summer holidays and sunny beaches far from these shores the THT Scotland newsletter is back with all the sexual-health related news that counts in the Highlands and Argyll & Bute.
Firstly, it is with a degree of sadness that I have to tell you that Agnes Boes has left her role as Health Promotion Specialist for the Highland Region. In Agnes’ place, THT Scotland have appointed me, Alexander Howarth, to the role. I have been with Terrence Higgins Trust for around eighteen months, previously based in Oxford. I’m really happy to be here in the Highlands and am very much looking forward to meeting everyone over the next couple of months.
It really has been non-stop since I arrived, culminating in the recent Rockness Festival. For those of you who didn’t make it to the event itself, three volunteers and I were tasked with the distribution of twenty-five thousand condoms to revellers! The volunteers and I also distributed Safeness goodie-bags, torches, hand wipes, bottled water and banter as well as helping a number of ‘confused’ individuals. I’d like to say a massive thanks to Sarah, Jo and Phil for all their support over the weekend!
Changing tack, here in the Highlands we are always on the lookout for volunteers. Volunteers play a vital role in everything that we do from delivering services to helping with admin. Everyone who volunteers is valued beyond measure and it’s a great way of developing new skills — being able to put Terrence Higgins Trust on your CV is a real bonus!. If you or anyone you know of is interested in discussing this further please do not hesitate to contact us . We are particularly keen in recruiting people able and interested in supporting some of the groups which we have running, especially in the Highlands.
Finally on behalf of me, Katrina and the rest of the team here, we’d like to wish you all a very happy summer. All the best!
Alex and Katrina
Complementary Therapy
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. Sessions are available every day of the week. Sessions last up to one hour. For each session a donation of £10 is welcomed. Cancellations need to be notified 24 hours in advance.
For more information and appointments, telephone Alex on 01463 711585.
Counselling
We at the Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland also offer a counselling service. Our team of counsellors can help you to reflect upon your life; help you to consider alternative ways of doing things and support you in making the changes that you feel you need to make. Our counsellors are trained, experienced and are flexible in being able to apply a range of models to suit the needs of our clients.
This is a fully confidential service and self referrals are welcome, so if you are interested in having a consultation please get in touch with us here at the Inverness office.
Contact Alex on 01483 711 585 for more details
HepC+ support
In the past a group to meet other people who are HepC+, whether receiving treatment or not has run. Due to lack of numbers this service has been suspended. If anyone is interested in this group restarting please let us know.
Contact Alex for more information on 01463 711585.
‘T’-Group
For those who identify as transgender —in all its variety. Meetings held in Inverness.
The ‘T’-Group generally meets every second Wednesday of the month, next group meeting scheduled for Wednesday 8th July For more information telephone Alex on 01463 711585.
LGBT Caithness Social Group
All LGBT people welcome to join Jon and friends at this open event held in Thurso. Meet new people and make new friends at the next meeting on Thursday 9th July, 6:30pm - 9pm.
Contact Jon on 07749 517 826 for more information.
The Pink Castle Philosophy Club
‘Walk ‘n’ Talk’ Event, 3pm on Sunday July 12th: ‘A life beyond sex?’
Meet outside the Village Green store and coffee shop in Cawdor. The group will walk for approximately one hour before finishing off with refreshments, again at the Village Green store.
For further info contact Morgan on 07745 930 383 or 01463 751 258 or morgan@tramstop.org
Research
Simon Taylor of Scott Porter Research [Edinburgh] will be at THT Inverness on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th July to gather views of gay men [scene and non-scene] about a proposed campaign to combat HIV infection among MSM in Scotland. Cash incentive offered.
If you would like to take part, please contact Simon on 0131 553 1927.
Chlamydia Screening
We’re now providing an exciting new postal and community Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea testing service in Argyll & Bute, aimed at young men under 25. About 1 in 10 sexually active young people have Chlamydia, but most have no symptoms. If it's left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems, but luckily it's easy to diagnose and treat.
It's really easy to use the service and you can get your result by text, phone or email.Check out www.tht.org.uk/free to order your testing kit and read more, or get in touch with Katrina (details overleaf). We’ll also be out and about in the community asking guys to take the test—look out for us down your way!
Homophobia Workshop
We would very much like to run the following workshop for our LGB friends in the Highlands:
‘Challenging Homophobia’
We are looking at Saturday 22nd August 10am – 4pm. If you are interested in attending please let us know on 01463 711 585. Minimum number of eight required.
Consultation Event
‘Tackling isolation amongst the LGBT
Community in the Highlands’
We are looking to run the above consultation event on Saturday 15th August at the Inverness office, 12pm to 4pm. This will be an opportunity for our LGBT friends to help us define and better address the issues facing the community in the Highlands. We are looking to invite around a dozen people with a range of backgrounds to this event.
If you are interested in supporting the development of our services please contact Alex at the Inverness office for further details.
