This panel is based on memories of Terry from his friends and his love of astrology. It was designed by Martyn Butler OBE, co-founder of Terrence Higgins Trust, and produced by Nigel Mansfield and David Morrish.
Friends of Terry’s, Linda Payan and Maxine Saunders, were driving at night while visiting Terry’s mother in Pembrokeshire when they each saw a spirit.
Terry had a keen interest in astrology and wrote a book The Living Astrology, which was published by Golden Hands in 1974. Terry’s zodiac sign was Gemini and the illustration used in his book has been recreated in embroidery by David and runs across the top two panels, as well as a red embroidered car.
Terry’s address when he died was Castletown Road in Barons Court, which has a W14 postcode. The street sign has been meticulously recreated by Nigel for this panel.
This panel reflects Terry’s identity as a proud gay man. It looks back to London Pride in 1980 and for this reason the original Pride flag is used. Clive Bruder produced this panel according to Martyn Butler OBE’s design.
The panel represents an incident with Terry and the police – Terry was on a float in the parade and saw the police harassing his friends. Terry jumped off the float and confronted the police, saying ‘How dare you bitches attack my friends’.
The ‘heart’ section of this panel has been made of leather by Richard Wilbraham to represent Terry’s involvement in the gay men’s leather scene.
The Gemini angel (top left) is matched with its twin from the adjacent panel and was embroidered by David Morrish.
This panel (on the left) represents Terry Higgins’ time serving in the Royal Navy.
It was designed by Lieutenant Commander Oli Brown who was diagnosed with HIV in 2019. Despite not looking like a traditional HIV activist in his naval uniform, Oli successfully challenged the ban on people living with HIV joining and serving fully in the UK’s Armed Forces following his own diagnosis.
The policy change came into force in June 2022, making it clear that HIV doesn’t need to prohibit you from a full career in the military.
Oli worked with Sara Sullivan from The Quilters’ Guild to produce this panel, constructed using cap tallies donated from different ships and submarines from the Royal Navy.
This panel (on the right) celebrates Terry’s Welsh heritage.
To mark 40 years since Terry Higgins became the first named person to die of AIDS-related illnesses in the UK, Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn was commissioned by Terrence Higgins Trust to produce a portrait of Terry which was unveiled in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).
The portrait is now on display in the National Museum of Wales and is based on a previously unseen photograph from Terry’s school days in Haverfordwest. It’s painted in the colours of the Welsh flag using heart-shaped stamps – the symbol seen in our logo.
Tim Cooper, a member of The Quilters’ Guild, worked with Nathan to incorporate his art into the panel.
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