Community Events The LGBT HERO Positive Pub Crawl | Thursday, 12 May 2022 Date: Thursday, 12 May 2022 Times and venues: 7-9pm, Soho, London Dress code: Red TIMES & VENUES:King Arm's - 23 Poland Street @ 7pmDuke of Wellington, upstairs bar - Wardour Street @ 8pmComptons - Old Compton Street @ 9pmDress code: Wear red (if you feel comfortable). MEET UP GROUP: www.meetup.com/plusfriendslondon/events/285244678 Facebook group: https://fb.me/e/2mC9qaQGO The LGBT HERO Positive Pub Crawl is back! Yes, it's been over two years since we last ran the Positive Pub Crawl in London. Our last event was in December 2019! A lot has happened since then but we now feel the time is right to bring this once great community event back... but this time with a few changes. What's changed: First of all some of you who previously attended would have known this as 'GMFA's Poz Pub Crawl'. Why is it now known as LGBT HERO's Positive Pub Crawl? Well pre-pandemic, LGBT HERO was simply known as GMFA's parent organisation but since then we have evolved as an organisation focused opening our services to the wider LGBTQ+ community while expanding on the issues facing our community. This means we are know mainly known as LGBT HERO with GMFA a brand we use to develop specific sexual health information for gay men. In the past the Positive Pub Crawl was mainly attended by gay men living with HIV but we feel this group should benefit the wider community as we know isolation and loneliness is a big problem. So let's open it up and bring our positive family together. When does it take place: The LGBT HERO Positive Pub Crawl will take place every two month in LGBTQ+ venues in London. We will try and diversify the venues based on what people want to let us know if you have any suggestion. We hope to expand it outside of London so keep up-to-date with this page for future events. So why are we doing it? HIV has changed in the UK since we first began the Positive Pub Crawl in the early 2010s. The original idea was to make gay men living with HIV visible in LGBTQ+ venues to break down stigma. This is a super important reason why this space needs to exist. However, we now know that those living with HIV are more likely to feel isolated or lonely. Creating a space where LGBTQ+ people living with HIV can come together a build a stronger community together is important. Nobody should feel isolated or lonely. So let's build that community and have a good time while doing it. Who will be running the event? The fantastic, Tom Hayes, or as some of you might know on social media as @PositiveLad, will be hosting the events. Tom previously ran the Positive Pub Crawl before we had to stop. He's lovely and will make sure you feel welcomed and included. You can contact Tom on [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns. Why should I wear Red? We want this to be a fun, casual, social event. So, without having to build an attendance list and know exactly who's coming, we need a way of identifying each other. We chose red because we thought it was a colour that most people would have something of in their wardrobe but not so common that we'll struggle to identify each other. You don’t have to wear red to join us, but we will be much more visible if you do. What's next for this event? We won't be stopping with the LGBT HERO Positive Pub Crawl, very soon we hopefully will be launching Positive HangOuts - an online space for LGBTQ+ people living with HIV to come and meet each other in an online safe space. Check back here for more details. Do I have to book? Nope. Just turn up. Look or ask for Tom and he will bring you into the group. If you are worried about anything beforehand simply email him and Tom will support you. I have other questions? Great! Email us on [email protected] and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Otherwise see you there!