Our services

Since 2013, GMI has been bringing rapid HIV testing directly into the community—meeting people where they are, through trusted partnerships and strong relationships with venues across London. Our work is proudly supported by the London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP) and, during campaign periods, HIV Prevention England (HPE).

We provide fast, confidential HIV antibody testing alongside SHL STI screening in a range of accessible settings, including:

• Partner organisations’ testing sites

• Outreach venues where privacy and safety can be assured

• Community events where on-site testing is available

What sets GMI apart is our innovative testing model. We use a self-test coaching approach that empowers people with the knowledge and confidence to take control of their sexual health. Using HIV self-testing kits and STI self-sampling kits, our team demonstrates the process step by step, offering guidance and reassurance throughout. Where appropriate, we also provide Point of Care Testing (POCT).

Our HIV testing uses the BioSURE HIV Rapid Test, which detects both HIV-1 and HIV-2 and delivers results in just minutes—quick, reliable, and stress-reducing.

Through our partnership with SHL, we also offer screening for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhoea, alongside our HIV POCT service. (Please note: STI screening is available in locations with easy access to a lavatory.)

Testing is only the start. For anyone who needs follow-up care, treatment, or additional support, GMI’s dedicated team is on hand to help navigate health services and connect people with the right support quickly and smoothly.

GMI’s testing services are available to London residents aged 16 and over—confidential, inclusive, and focused on empowering healthier futures.

GMI’s regular outreach service is open to gay and bisexual men who live, work, or socialise in London, as well as trans men and other men who have sex with men—whatever their HIV status. Our outreach is supported by the London HIV Prevention Programme

At every outreach session, our team takes a holistic, non-judgemental approach. We:

• Assess individual needs and levels of risk

• Share clear, up-to-date information on HIV prevention and sexual health

• Provide free condoms and lube

• Connect people with partner organisations and wider London services when more complex support is needed

Where appropriate, we also offer one-to-one support following an initial assessment. This can include follow-up contact and supported referrals, using well-established pathways into partner agencies and other specialist services across London.

Our outreach takes place in a wide range of community settings, with a strong focus on spaces where sexual health risks are known to be higher. We prioritise venues and events in the following order:

• Sex-on-premises venues (including saunas and bars or clubs with known public sex spaces), as well as bars and pubs

• Large club nights

• Special events, depending on identified risk (such as fetish events) or wider reach and visibility (such as Pride)

Since GMI began, we’ve worked with over 100 venues across London. The strength and success of our outreach programme is built on the trust, collaboration, and support of LGBT+ venues city-wide—and we’re proud to work alongside these community-driven spaces to promote healthier, more informed lives

Everything GMI does is powered by our volunteers. They are at the heart of our work—helping us deliver high-quality HIV prevention, awareness, and support services, alongside clear, trusted sexual health information for our communities across London.

We currently work with over 50 active volunteers who play a vital role in delivering outreach and testing services. Volunteers are recruited through GMI and our partner organisations, and supported through a centralised training and development programme designed to build confidence, skills, and leadership.

Our volunteers receive regular training in:

• Outreach and inclusive communication skills

• The latest HIV prevention, testing, and care information

• Sexual health education

• Chemsex awareness and harm reduction

• Applied research skills and other role-specific topics

We also run a Lead Volunteer programme, creating clear pathways for progression and leadership. Lead Volunteers support service delivery by coordinating outreach sessions and managing shifts. Before stepping into this role, volunteers gain hands-on experience by working multiple sessions under the guidance of senior staff or existing Lead Volunteers, demonstrating strong engagement, communication, and organisational skills.

Just as importantly, we believe in celebrating the people who make our work possible. Our dedicated team regularly organises social events to bring volunteers together, build community, and say thank you. Past activities have included go-karting, bowling, pub quizzes, park picnics, and plenty more—often shaped by what our volunteers want to do.

Under the London HIV Prevention Program, free condoms and lube are available for all GBMSM at a range of LGBTQ+ spaces across London. Below is a list of venues where you can access them. This list is added to regularly, so please keep checking in.

1. The Admiral Duncan Pub, 54 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4UB
2. Clonezone, 35 old Compton street, London, W1D 5JX
3. Comptons, 51-53 Old Compton street, London, W1D 6HN
4. The Duke of Wellington, 77 Wardour street, London, W1D 6QE
5. London LGBTQ Community Centre, 60-62 Hopton street, London, SE1 9JH
6. Betty and Joan’s, 9 Hewson Wy, Elephant Park, London, SE17 1JS
7. Positive East, 159 Mile End road, London, E1 4AQ
8. Halfway to Heaven, 7 Duncannon St, London WC2N 4JF
9. The Common Press, 118 Bethnal Green Rd, London E2 6DG

If you wish to purchase Condoms and Lube,  you can visit www.exscondoms.com or www.freedoms-shop.com

Because GMI is deeply rooted in communities that are often overlooked or underserved, we’re uniquely placed to do more than deliver services—we help shape the future of sexual health. Through the trust we’ve built with marginalised communities, GMI and our partners are regularly invited to lead and contribute to bold, forward-thinking research that tests new prevention approaches, amplifies lived experience, and tracks how sexual behaviours and attitudes are changing in real time.

Our research doesn’t sit on a shelf. It drives innovation, informs policy, and improves how prevention and care are designed and delivered. Past projects include:

• Department of Health Time to Test national HIV testing pilots

• The PrEP Champion Project, supporting peer-led prevention

• A large cross-sectional online survey exploring sexual health needs and behaviours

• Sex During COVID-19, capturing how intimacy, risk, and wellbeing shifted during the pandemic

This work is ongoing. GMI is actively seeking new research opportunities and ambitious research partners who want to turn insight into action. Together, we aim to generate robust, community-led evidence that empowers individuals, strengthens services, and supports smarter sexual health decision-making—from grassroots delivery through to regional and national policy.

If you’re interested in collaborating on research that makes a real-world impact, we want to hear from you.