Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt

This quilt is a memorial for Terrence Higgins (known as Terry), the first named person to die from an AIDS-related illness in the UK. When Terry died at St Thomas’ Hospital in London on 4 July 1982, his death sparked the creation of a charity in his name that would alter the course of the HIV epidemic and save countless lives.

Terry’s quilt was produced to mark the 40th anniversary of his death and celebrate his incredible legacy through Terrence Higgins Trust. Each of the eight panels celebrate different aspects of his life, including as a Welshman, gay man and his time in the Royal Navy. Two of the panels explore his working life as a Hansard reporter in Parliament by day and his evenings spent as a barman and DJ in London’s Heaven nightclub.

Other panels celebrate friendship, LGBT+ Pride, and a personal tribute from Terry’s partner Rupert. The final panel was made by service users, volunteers, and staff from Terrence Higgins Trust to celebrate the huge progress made in the fight against HIV over the last 40 years. It features in blue stitching the stigma-busting message “Can’t Pass It On”, meaning that someone living with HIV and on effective treatment can’t pass it on to partners.

The project was overseen by the charity’s co-founders Rupert Whitaker OBE (Terry’s partner) and Martyn Butler OBE, as well as Terry’s close friends Linda Payan and Maxine Saunders, who worked closely with talented quilters from across the UK.

The quilt also celebrates four decades of Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity. Its life-changing work includes supporting people living with HIV, ensuring sexual and reproductive health are national priorities and fighting to make the UK the first country in the world to end new HIV cases by 2030.

For more information on HIV and the Terrence Higgins Trust visit tht.org.uk.