As the number of people who are infected with the HIV virus in the UK continues to grow, reporter TOBY NATION looks at how one Bromley charity is helping residents live with the virus ...

Many residents in the leafy suburbs of Bromley assume cases of HIV, the virus which can lead to AIDS, are confined to poorer, inner city areas.

But HIV has dealt a blow to more than 30,000 people in Britain, 89 of whom live in the London Borough of Bromley.

Fortunately these people have a life-line in the shape of a drop-in support service called The Junction in Anerly, which offers help, support and advice to people with the condition, as well as families who are affected.

Tucked away behind a large Victorian house, The Junction radiates warmth and energy. The centre is run by Rita Hopper who, with a team of volunteers, provides practical and emotional support for five days a week.

The Junction welcomes about 20 people through its doors every day who come to use its services which include lunch, massage, reflexology, counselling and medical help from a specialist nurse.

Users describe the centre as "relaxing and homely" an atmosphere which centre manager, Rita Hopper, has not only worked hard to achieve but one she also feels is essential for the centre.

Many first-time users and visitors are pleasantly surprised to find talk does not focus on being HIV positive, but instead, deals with helping people get on with their lives.

She said: "HIV can be a very isolating virus. With cancer, people can turn to their families and friends. Often those with HIV can't do that because of the stigma attached to it, so we provide some of the missing support."

One user, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "I've been coming to The Junction for three years and having this support network has taken a lot of the stress out of living with HIV.

One of the key differences in the service offered by Rita and her team is the help they give to families and partners of people with HIV.

Aside from the daily drop-in service, twice a month it hosts a family night where children come to the centre. These nights focus on fun, and people try to forget about their HIV status, so as to provide parents with a valuable break.

Rita said: "Fortunately we don't lose so many people now thanks to combination therapies, but they do have to live with HIV everyday. We help them have a better quality of life."

The centre also supports HIV positive mothers, and thanks to medical help, two positive service users have had HIV negative babies.

Rita's fondest memory is of helping a woman, who for six months was afraid to attend the centre, overcome her fears. "I think for her, walking through the door, would have forced her to admit she was positive.

"But she did come and now she gets the benefits of being a regular service user."

To contact The Junction, call 020 8776 5588.

THE JUNCTION

The Junction was established in September 1996

Eighty-nine people in Bromley are registered as having HIV

There are 185 users of the centre, who are either HIV positive or are affected by the virus in some way

Users of the centre range in age from nine months to 72 years

Half the users at the centre are straight

There is a 50/50 split between males and females

The Junction must raise an extra £20,000 a year on top of its funding

WHAT IS HIV?

HIV is a virus which attacks part of the body's immune system

HIV can be contracted by intimate contact with an infected person including sexual activity, sharing needles and breast feeding

HIV cannot be caught through sharing toilet seats, kissing or touching infected people

The best protection against HIV during sexual activity is to always use a condom

Combination drug therapies have helped prolong the lives of people with HIV but there is no cure or vaccine

So far, 21.8 million people have died world-wide and 36 million people are infected with HIV

There have been 11,739 AIDS/HIV related deaths in the UK and 30,000 people are infected with HIV up to one third of whom are unaware of their status

This year there will be 5.3 million new infections worldwide including 2,500 in the UK