Body Positive Dorset

Body Positive Dorset is a support centre that offers a safe, relaxed, confidential and friendly environment for anyone affected by HIV or Aids and include not just the person but their family/ partner too. They are a registered charity run by a team of dedicated volunteers.

They currently have over 260 local people registered. Their facilities and services include a daily drop in centre where they offer: peer support, professional counselling, help with health, housing and income support issues, Internet access, back to work training and a range of complementary therapies, the list goes on and on.

They are open:
Monday - Thursday:- 13.00 to 19.00
Friday:- 10.00 to 16.00

Out of hours they have a 24 hour manned help line: 01202 311166

The local hospitals or doctors refer most of the people who use their service, people can self refer and if they do they must be able to prove their health status. Since 1990 the average rate of people being diagnosed each year has been 2,600 with a total of around 43,500 cases (figure recorded in 2002) in the UK. It is also predicted that there are 10.000 people who are infected but do not know.

But it is projected that over 6000 people will be reported as having tested positive for HIV last year. That is the highest figure ever recorded. If this rate of increase continues, we can expect, by 2006, to see between 65.000-70.000 people living with HIV in the UK compared with the 43.500 now.

 

Web: www.bodypositivedorset.org