The HVA organises events both on Zoom and in person. Also, you could join an in-depth online course called “Assurance Day.” Get herpes support from the experts! Or just chat with others who are living with it. See table below for details.
Zoom sessions are twice a month. London-based events (in person) are on the first Saturday of the month. Plus other events, look down the page…
See TABLE OF DATES below.
To register for a Zoom event, email us at [email protected] and write ‘virtual event’ in the subject line. Let us know what date you are interested in. We will send you Zoom link prior to the event and answer any questions you may have. These events are open to everyone, you don’t have to be a subscriber. There is no obligation to speak or show your video during the call, but rest assured, it is confidential and others on the call will be in the same boat as you.
Zoom session testimonials:
“It was one of the few perks of the Covid situation for me. You moved the meetings to Zoom so I was able to join the support group online! It really was very useful and such a massive relief to finally meet other people in the same situation (other than the ex). I know such people exist, but meeting you makes a whole world of difference, you know?!”
“Don’t sit battling your feelings about herpes on your own, come and join our Zoom meeting and meet others, who have the same diagnosis, and chat and share your experiences or just listen. It’s not so scary, honest.”
“It’s given me a new confidence having met with lovely people from different backgrounds and different parts of the world who have the same condition as I have and are coping with it. We discuss our fears, feelings, symptoms and medication and how we have told partners. The HVA team are down to earth and honest and have put myths to rest. It’s helping me to feel normal… As we all are by the way. Oh, and we can also have a laugh as well.”
“I entered ‘how can I get herpes support?’ and yours was the listed third. I am so glad I’ve found you as you have really helped me get my head around it.”
TABLE OF EVENT DATES These are all free, unless a price is shown.
| Date | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 17 April, Wednesday | Zoom with herpes expert – £15 | 6.30-8.30 pm |
| 4 May, Saturday | Atrium Lounge, President Hotel, Russell Sq. | 3 pm to 6pm |
| 4 May, Saturday | All Star Lanes – main bar (not bowling!) – see below | from 7 pm |
| 5 May, Sunday | Zoom chat | 10 am to 12 noon |
| 18 May, Saturday | on Zoom – The Assurance Day – see below | 10.30 pm to 5pm |
| 21 May, Tuesday | Zoom with herpes expert – £15 | 6.30-8.30 pm |
| 1 June, Saturday | Atrium Lounge, President Hotel, Russell Sq. | 3 pm to 6pm |
| 2 June, Sunday | Zoom chat | 10 am to 12 noon |
| 13 June, Thursday | Zoom with herpes expert – £15 | 6.30-8.30 pm |
| 6 July, Saturday | Atrium Lounge, President Hotel, Russell Sq. | 3 pm to 6pm |
| 7 July, Sunday | Zoom chat | 10 am to 12 noon |
| 23 July, Tuesday | Zoom with herpes expert – £15 | 6.30-8.30 pm |
Meetings in person in London
Next one: Saturday, 4th May, 1st June, from 3 till 6 pm. Join us! We have found that we can discuss ‘it’ in public without hotel staff or guests being aware we are a herpes support group.
To get to the President hotel, turn left out of Russell Square tube, take the first left into Herbrand Street, and the President is ahead. Inside, turn right to the Atrium. Marian or another volunteer will have yellow ‘SPHERE’ sign on the table. Full address: 56-60 Guilford Street WC1N 1DB. Just walk-in and join us, no appointment necessary.
Expert talk
You will have a one hour presentation by a herpes expert. This PowerPoint will equip you with everything you need to know. The second hour will be questions and answers, so you can ask about your own particular situation. It might be more details about what has been covered in the presentation: treatment, transmission, talking to a new partner. pregnancy. To sign up, send a £15 ‘donation’ on the herpes shop page. And be sure to put the date that you want in the ‘Order Notes (optional)’ box.
1 June, Saturday – a meet-up – an event for all
Mix with others from the Facebook herpes groups in the main bar (not the ‘Lodge Bar’) of the All Star Lanes, Bloomsbury Place, London WC1B 4AD – under Victoria House, 4th June, from 7 onwards. We don’t plan to bowl! Just to mingle, meet, talk… It’s a good venue. You will be given a lapel sticker on arrival and you can chat to others with stickers. Find Marian in a bright pink blouse to get your sticker. Bring others if you like, as long as they know what the group is about!
Assurance Day – on 18th May 2024
Our hugely popular in depth online course on how to feel confident again, learn about herpes from the experts, defeat the stigma and talk to a partner with ease, equipped with the facts.
Course duration – one day
Cost: £40 for our subscribers. You have to subscribe before you can join this event. See https://herpes.org.uk/shop.
Assurance Day timetable:
10:30-11:15 – Managing recurrences, treatment and why it is so common.
11:15-11:30 – Q&A with HVA director, Marian Nicholson.
11:45-12:45 – Knowledge is power: History of the herpes stigma with herpes expert Nigel Scott.
12:45 -1:30 – Lunch break.
1:30 – 2:30 – How to talk about it to a partner: with helpliner, Louisa, including” How partners usually react.“
2:45 – 3:15 – The psychology and what you can do about it.
3.30 – 4:00 – ‘When to? Where to? How to?
4:00 – 4:30 – Partner notification role play (optional).
5:00 – 5:30 – Open session and recap.
Assurance Day testimonials:
- “Definitely worth attending! Even if you think you know all about herpes – it helps you to feel more positive.”
- “Do it sooner rather than later!”
- “Well worth the money. Very good. You must do it.“
- “I wish I had signed up sooner. I think I would have had a more positive attitude towards sex, etc. over the last few years”.
- Prior to attending the Assurance Day, I did not have had the guts to talk about this with my new girlfriend. She’s since become my soulmate. The HVA’s Assurance Day is life changing stuff!”.
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This page was last updated on 17-4-2024.