As Bloomsbury Network celebrates its 25th anniversary, we have been thinking not only about how far we have come, but also about what the Network should look like in the years ahead.
Earlier this year, we asked our community to help us do exactly that.
Our 25-year celebration survey was an opportunity to understand how people currently engage with Bloomsbury Network, what they value most, what they would like to see more of and where we could be doing better.
A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views. We received 492 responses, giving us valuable insight into what matters to our community and some clear priorities for the future.
What did you tell us?
One of the clearest findings was that there is still work to do to make sure people know that Bloomsbury Network – and the support, information and community it provides – is here.
Just over half of respondents (56.1%) were already aware of Bloomsbury Network, while 40.7% had not previously heard of us. Only 38.4% of respondents were on our mailing list.
For us, that's an important message. We need to do more not only to reach people, but to make it easier for them to stay connected once they find us.
Information, connection and support all matter
When we asked what people would like from Bloomsbury Network, there wasn't just one answer.
Regular newsletters were the most popular choice (29.9%), closely followed by social events (28.7%) and expert Q&A sessions (26.4%).
There was also strong interest in educational forums, help accessing services and peer support groups.
It tells us something important about the role Bloomsbury Network plays.
People want reliable information about HIV and the services available to them, but they also value opportunities to meet, talk, learn and feel part of a community. That balance between information, practical support and human connection will remain at the heart of what we do.
Keeping our events accessible
You also gave us a very clear message about how you want to take part.
Almost half of respondents (46.7%) said they would like a combination of online and in-person events. Overall, 71.1% valued access to online events and 60.6% valued opportunities to attend in person.
That flexibility matters. Online sessions can make it easier to participate when health, mobility, geography or other circumstances make attending in person difficult, while face-to-face events continue to provide something incredibly important: the chance to connect with other people.
Wherever possible, we therefore want to continue offering a mixture of both.
You want to get involved, too
One of the most encouraging findings was the potential for more people to become actively involved with the Network.
More than a quarter of respondents said they would be willing to volunteer, while 38.6% said they might consider volunteering in the future.
As we celebrate 25 years of Bloomsbury Network, we want to make it easier for people to contribute in ways that work for them – whether that's helping at an event, sharing skills or ideas, contributing to our communications or becoming more regularly involved with the Network.
What happens next?
The survey wasn't simply about collecting feedback. We want it to influence what we do next.
Based on what you told us, our priorities include:
• making Bloomsbury Network more visible and reaching people who may not currently know about us;
• improving our website and keeping it regularly updated with news, events and useful information;
• making it easier to join our mailing list and stay connected;
• developing more regular and useful newsletters;
• continuing a mixture of online and face-to-face events;
• providing more of the social events, educational sessions and expert-led content people told us they value;
• creating more flexible opportunities to volunteer and get involved; and
• finding better ways to reach younger and currently underrepresented members of the community.
These priorities reflect the recommendations made following the survey, including greater investment in the website, newsletters, hybrid events, social media, volunteering and wider outreach.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years
The survey also reminded us of something we already see every day: Bloomsbury Network is about much more than any single event or service.
It brings together people living with HIV, peer supporters and clinicians with a shared commitment to holistic, person-centred support.
As we celebrate 25 years of the Network, we have an opportunity to build on that foundation – retaining what people value while finding new ways to reach, involve and support our community.
Thank you again to everyone who completed the survey. Your feedback has given us plenty to work with, and we'll continue to keep you updated as those ideas turn into action.
Here's to the next 25 years of Bloomsbury Network.