Shield is a South Yorkshire based local charity offering holistic support to people living with HIV and/or Hepatitis C. Shield not only offers assistance to the client but also to their friends and families. Shield offers client driven support at a pace that suits the individual.

At our centre in Sheffield, service uses can access social activities such as complementary therapies, counselling, ICT facilities and access to our food and clothing banks. We also offer one to one support for various issues depending on the clients needs and work in partnership with social support agencies with whom we have developed close links with.

The Sheffield centre also offers a modern gym with shower facilities where clients can improve their physical health in a safe and relaxed environment.  We will soon be offering one to one induction and personal training.


Shield also recognises the importance of group support and therefore hosts a Men's Group, Women's Group, Lunch Club and Hepatitis C Support Group. Through these,  clients gain peer support from others with similar experiences.


Social activities include pool, Nintendo Wii, line dancing, pamper evenings, outings and get together for special occasions.


Shield recognises that due to medical issues clients may not always be able to access our centres in person and therefore we have a trained support staff for home visits who can provide food and toilietries in order to maintain support levels to the best of our ability. We also assist clients to ensure their accommodation needs are met, which includes donations from our furniture and appliance bank.  Our staff are here to ensure  benefits are secured and their health and safety issued are addressed.

We view client integration into their local community as crucial and therefore can sign post them on to cultural specific activities and events. People living with HIV often feel isolated so we strive to creat a sense of community amongst our clients and staff.


Offering support is only one of the services Shield provides. We have an extremely successful Education and Awareness Programme which includes training statutory and non statutory health and social care agencies. Shield also delivers awareness sessions across South Yorkshire and the surrounding areas to young people in schools. Shield acts as the HIV social specialist on many educational and health orientated borough and regionally focused committees.


Fundraising takes place at Shield throughout the year, ranging from large scale events such as our annual World AIDS Day activities to more small scale year round charity events. We also receive funding through service level agreements with local councils and PCT's.

In the future Shield hopes to ensure it offers quality support services that allows clients to achieve independance and remain independant in good physical and emotional health. Shield Sheffield has undergone extensive renovation, with the end product being a modern centre for clients to access our full range of services.