“I didn’t think I deserved support.”

When I was first diagnosed with HIV, I didn’t tell anyone. Not my friends. Not my family. I shut down, pretended I was fine, and got really good at smiling when I wasn’t.

I didn’t think I deserved support, and honestly, I was scared of what people might think if they knew about my diagnosis.

Then someone told me about Gay Men’s Project, run by Positively UK. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I turned up to a group.

And something shifted.

It was the first time I sat in a room where I didn’t have to explain myself. Where people just got it. We laughed. We talked. Sometimes we sat in silence. No one judged. No one asked for more than I was ready to give.

It gave me my voice back

Over time, I started to speak up. I shared things I’d never said out loud before. I realised I wasn’t broken, I’d just been carrying something alone for too long.

The project helped me forgive myself. It helped me understand my HIV in a way that made it feel less like a burden and more like something I could live with, not just survive, but actually thrive.

Earlier this year, the Gay Men’s Project had to pause because of funding cuts. It is awful to think someone else might go through what I did, without that space.

So we’re asking for your help.

Together, we are raising £10,000 to bring the project back.

If this space mattered to you, or someone you love, or if you believe that no one should face HIV alone please donate today.

Let’s bring back support for HIV+ men!