Tagadere Wednesday Club

Registered Charity 1129416

Tagadere

The Tagadere Monthly Wednesday Club

For almost two decades Tagadere has been known in Nottingham’s HIV circles as ‘the drop-in’.

As our autonomy evolved we decided that the term ‘drop-in’ should really only be attributed to the no appointment needed access to the professional support workers whom we invite to attend.

However, as support needs within the local and global HIV community change we understand that we have to continue to adapt, grow and subsequently restructure Tagadere to address those evolving requirements.

With these factors in mind we know that the longevity of Tagadere holding an independent peer support gathering remains vital for Nottingham’s HIV community.

As we receive no local authority funding, we selected the sensible option of focusing on the endurance of having a Tagadere peer support gathering.

We have sagaciously adapted to meet the changing support criteria of the many people whom Tagadere have supported over the years and therefore with these factors considered, from January 2016 we will meet on the last Wednesday of each month to replace weekly meetings.

Professional support workers from Places for People will continue to attend the new monthly meetings.

It is important to reiterate that Tagadere is an independent group which is not dictated to or controlled by local authorities, councils or any professional bodies.

We are completely volunteer-run and therefore we make the decisions. Us, the local HIV positive people who value the service which Tagadere continues to provide on a voluntary basis.

Our first gathering of 2016 will be on Wednesday 27 January.

Welcoming and supportive

In our welcoming and supportive atmosphere we offer many things; the focal point of our day is the healthy, nutritious meal which is prepared and cooked by members. Sitting and eating together is an important and basic human activity which generates a feeling of togetherness and belonging which is the whole point of Tagadere.

We decided to remove the emphasis on the term ‘drop-in’ to describe the social aspect of what we do and to focus more on why people come to Tagadere which is to gain peer support in an uplifting and energising environment.

When you arrive you’ll be greeted warmly at the door by one of us and also by the smell of freshly percolated coffee wafting amongst the aromas of the weekly meal being cooked.

We have an assortment of teas, freshly brewed coffee, soft drinks, fresh fruit, yoghurts and also a variety of the daily newspapers. We never know who will arrive bearing contributions; fresh fruit, flowers for the table, home baked bread, cakes, biscuits, chocolates and assorted snacks.

Confidentiality within the group

We don’t have a specific membership subscription and we don’t keep a database of names and contact details which assures that we won’t telephone to pressure you or send you information through the post.

Everything which is said at the Tagadere Wednesday Club is confidential amongst the group; in other words ‘What’s said in the room stays in the room’. We request that we all respect each other’s right to confidentiality.

Contributions to the day

As Tagadere is an independent, self-funded community group we request that a small donation towards the cost of the meal and the associated beverages is made.

Along with the ingredients for the meal plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, newspapers et cetera, we have to pay for the hire of the premises and associated relevant insurance.

This means that any contribution is welcome and even if you’re unable to visit the Tagadere Wednesday Club it’s still possible to securely contribute via the PayPal button on our Donate to Tagadere page.

Donating to Tagadere can easily be made via PayPal which means that you will receive a receipt of your donation from PayPal along with a thank you receipt from us at Tagadere.

All contributions go directly towards ensuring that Nottingham continues to have its unique and valid independent HIV peer support group. Please enjoy reading the testimonials which we’ve received over the years in our Positively Speaking section.

We encourage an affirmative outlook about being HIV positive and certainly don’t subscribe to ‘doom and gloom’ and ‘why me?’ victim attitudes. We support one another to live as optimistically as possible following an HIV positive diagnosis and utilise our combined experiences of living with HIV to help, support and direct when an issue arises which an HIV positive person feels unable to deal with on their own.

Our fabulous fundraising Tagadere Raffle

At the Tagadere Wednesday Club we also have our fabulous monthly fundraising raffles containing donations which come from within the group and from the many generous people who support and believe in Tagadere. Some of the contributions produce comments of ‘what on Earth is that for?’ On one occasion an unusual contribution to the raffle produced the remark ‘You know, I had one of those once but the legs fell off after a week…’

Very often someone will have their eye on a particular item and it’s not uncommon that when someone else winning that item will then present it as a gift to the person who was ‘hanging their nose over it’.

Mutually supportive friendships are made which extend far beyond our weekly gatherings which are a great result and testimony to our togetherness. At Tagadere we have seen romance blossom which has resulted in two weddings and been delighted when ‘Tagadere-ers’ bring their new arrivals to our community meetings.

We also organise successful World AIDS Day Craft Fairs which importantly raise awareness of HIV to the wider general public at a time when HIV education seems to have been sidelined.

Easy access to professional support workers

A valuable and successful aspect of the Tagadere Wednesday Club is that we continue to provide a relaxed drop-in facility which enables access to professional support workers. We have separate rooms available for more intimate and confidential consultations with the support workers. This easy approach to accessing professional support has proven to be popular for many years.

A friendly, safe environment

Our community group is a friendly, confidential and safe environment where we welcome people who are HIV positive - regardless of sexual orientation, race or religion - to meet for social and emotional support from other people who are HIV positive. Partners, spouses and carers are also welcome.

We have a the use of a private semi-covered and spacious outdoor area where when the weather permits, chairs are taken to from the main hall for conversations to continue in the sunshine and fresh air. The area becomes a sun trap in fine weather which means that conversations still remain discreet as we relax and regenerate in the sunshine.

Tagadere embraces everyone from the local (and not so local) HIV population and despite allegations from certain quarters, it is most certainly not a gay club: far from it! The culturally diverse mix of people who come to Tagadere Wednesday Club has often prompted the remark ‘It’s like the League of Nations here!’

Breaking down social barriers, not creating them!

Some years ago we began to hold specific meetings in the form of the Women’s Group and Gay Men’s Group but it was rapidly expressed that this wasn’t a welcome idea. As we’re all united by HIV it was unanimously agreed that splinter groups weren’t considered to be in keeping with the united, inclusive ethos of Tagadere. We break down social barriers and boundaries, not create them.

Facilities

Amongst our facilities are free wi-fi internet access and laptops which are for everyone to use. To accompany these we have a laser printer if there is a need for forms to be printed and also a scanner for document copying and printing.

Although we live in a technological world, many people are still unfamiliar with computers and therefore we provide individual tuition for members who are not computer literate. We also give assistance with letter writing, form filling and the creation of CV’s for those who wish to return to work.

Tagadere also give presentations on a wide variety of subjects including health and HIV treatments, housing and welfare benefits, budgeting and debt advice, energy saving, healthy eating and weight management.

The Tagadere Wednesday Club operates from 10.00 a.m. until 4 p.m. On the last Wednesday of each month at a one-level wheelchair accessible venue which is situated on the outskirts of Nottingham City Centre. We don’t have banners or flags advertising where we are as a level of anonymity is crucial to the the confidentiality which we provide.

There is ample on-street parking and a regular bus service from the city centre has stops close to the premises.

Family facilities

As we often have mothers with babies and children present, a children’s playroom is available, complete with a variety of toys; however we have to issue a gentle reminder that children are the sole responsibility of the parents, guardians and carers at all times.

Please note that there will no longer be

Tagadere Wednesday Club

social meetings until further notice.

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