History

In the mid 1980’s, the late Rev’d Marcus Riggs, then a curate in a Brighton parish, realise there was a need for a meeting place for people with AIDS or who were HIV positive. This would provide informal counselling and practical help with food and laundry facilities.

At first Marcus and his partner opened his house as a meeting place where people could drop in.

By 1990 he was provided with a permament house in the Kemp Town area of Brighton which he made home and Open Door. It was renovated with a number of charitable donations from Crusaid, local pubs, gay groups as well as church commissioners, diocesan and parochial resources

By 1992 the small house in Camelford Street where Marcus lived had grown into a fully operational project: Open Door. In August 1992 four full-time project workers were in post.

A formal management committee was established in 1994. At present the project remains under the auspices of the Diocese of Chichester but it is the aim that the project will become a totally independent charity.

Today the project works closely with both the health authority and social services in meeting a range of needs set out in an annual contract.Users and volunteers hold regular meetings where concerns, needs and issues can be identified and addressed.