More to Me Than HIV

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More to Me Than HIV

First published in Gscene July 2020 For last years World AIDS Day I put together a public project of work joining other people living with an HIV+ diagnoses at Jubilee library.For last years World AIDS Day I put together a public project of work joining other people living with an HIV+ diagnoses at Jubilee library. For the project I spoke openly about my journey having being           Read more

More to Me Than HIV: GScene post Aug 2020

More to Me Than HIV is a project that aims to breakdown the stigma that has historically been attached to this virus.  When I saw my piece in last months Gscene to promote the More to Me Than HIV project, I was extremely proud, but a small part of me was filled with anxiety; but why should I feel this way? I have been on effective antiretroviral therapy since the Read more

More to Me Than HIV: first published in GScene July 2020

For last years World AIDS Day I put together a public project of work joining other people living with an HIV+ diagnoses at Jubilee library. For the project I spoke openly about my journey having being             diagnosed HIV+ 32 years previous. Back then there was no treatment and a lot of fear and misinformation concerning how HIV was transmitted. As such stigma was rife, Read more

getaway

Alternative Holiday Getaways

With the recession biting its teeth into the ever shrinking family budget, more and more people are looking at alternatives to get away during Easter and the summer months to come. With petrol rises hiking up the price of even the budget airlines, the idea of a holiday in the UK is becoming more and more popular. However, even a weekend break in a hotel can quickly bite into saving, so what other alternatives are there? Here are three alternative suggestions.

Camping.

Despite the unpredictability of the British weather, camping continues to grow as a real alternative to bed and breakfast. Of course there is the expense of a tent and camping equipment within the initial outlay to take into consideration, but once these items have been bought then the first whiff of a warm weekend and you and your family will be ready to go. To ensure your camping adventure is a positive one consider these Six top tips.

  • Decide what kind of camping experience you are after. Camp sites can range from the extremely organized with power points for camper/caravans, shop, showers and toilets, right to the other end where the only amenity is a water standpipe.
  • Do buy an inflatable mattress, the choice of self inflating (thin but less time-consuming, or manual inflating (bulky but home from home comfy) is down to personal choice. This is particularly important if your camp site is a scrap of land.
  • Save money on sleeping bags and take your pillows and duvet instead.
  • If possible set your tent under some shade, like a tree. Tents (especially family sized) can get very hot, particularly if one of your brood needs an afternoon rest.
  • Most camping shops and a few of the larger supermarkets stock portable gas cookers. A must have investment, along with a kettle large enough to make a brew for everyone in the morning
  • Think ahead with your meals and be prepared. For a weekend trip away throw together a pot of spaghetti bolognaise and serve with chunks of bread. The last thing anyone wants to be doing is slaving over a stove during their holiday break.

Yogurt rooms http://www.yoghurtrooms.com/

The Yogurt Room is camp site with a difference. Deer Wood Yurt, ten minutes drive from the town of East Grinstaed can make you feel as if you are much further away from all the hustle and bustle of city life, but still close enough should you wish to visit the local pubs or restaurants.

What makes this camp site so special is the unique yurt accommodation. These circular tents, are both extremely roomy, high ceilings with central wood burning fires making them an ideal getter away for all seasons.

There are three yurts, two accommodating six people and one accommodating eight, all available to higher, for a minimum of two night,.

Each yurt is surrounded by woodland, with room for additional pitching of tents. The larger yurt is set in a beautiful Orchid, with enough room for 80 tents making it an ideal setting for a wedding or large celebration. It should also be noted that a each yurt has enough space in-between to ensure privacy for each party.

Each Yurt is also supplied with cooking equipment, bedding, blankets and pillows making the getaway all the less stressful. And a large wash area with hot showers makes staying at the yogurt room complete

Prices do vary depending on what time of year you are going. A weekend break in high season will cost £200. For two nights, but when that is divided between 6 people, at just over £16. Per person per night.

For big events, the Yogurt Rooms also have a catering van on offer serving extremely good vegetarian/vegan cooked breakfasts, lunch and evening meals.

Holiday House Swap.

Holiday home exchange is nothing new, but for many families it is proving to be a very cheap way of getting away from it all but still having many of the home comforts.

The first thing many people worry about is letting their home out to complete strangers, but as you in turn are staying in their home, all worries that your home will be treated with respect should be put aside. There are a numbers of companies offering a home swap service, with the advice being shop around and see which company you like the best. Each company will have different pricing policies, depending on the range of houses that are on offer.

So, how does home swap work? After finding a home swap company you like, you are then offered a one to three-year contract. For example, HomeLink (a higher price agency) offer a one year contact for £115. For this they will set up a page for you on their site, where you can upload up to twenty photos displaying the best aspects of your home, with your homepage translated into sixteen different languages. You in turn then have access to their large database of home swaps all around the world.

Five top tips on Home Swapping.

  • Invest in new bedding and towels, this simple touch will make a huge difference to your guests.
  • There is no need to load the fridge and freezer up, but do ensure you have the basic to make a cup of tea for when your weary travelers arrive.
  • Put together a folder of local places to visit and where the nearest shops are.
  • Check out the local pub and restaurant for yourself. You may have walked past these amenities for years, but never been in. By doing so you can give a positive review, or make suggestions for places to eat a little further afield.
  • Everyone will big up the best aspects of their home, but there is no point saying your home has original Georgian features, if all it is a ceiling rose from B&Q. Such fibbing will only be flagged up by your visitors review.

So there you have it, three alternative suggestions for a break away, without tearing too much into your budget.

Posted on by Glenn Stevens in Brighton & Hove, Flash Blogs, Leisure, Outdoors Leave a comment