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London Lighthouse was a centre for people with
The official opening of London Lighthouse took place in November 1988 with a plaque unveiling by the late
HIV/AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
. It was the world's largest centre for people living with HIV when it opened, and helped pioneer a patient-centred approach in HIV care, and housed a residential unit, as well as day-care and drop-in centre facilities.
The centre closed in 2013 and is now occupied by the Museum of Brands
The Museum of Brands is a museum in London that focuses on the history of consumer culture from Victorian times to the present day. The museum was set up as a registered charity in 2002, and is located at 111–117 Lancaster Rd., Notting Hill, ...
.
History
London Lighthouse was co-founded by Christopher Spence MBE (Chief Executive Director), Andrew Henderson (Chairman) and John Shine. Almost £5 million was raised in order to suitably equip a residential unit with space for up to 23 patients with AIDS which opened in September 1988.
The official opening of London Lighthouse took place in November 1988 with a plaque unveiling by the late Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II.
...
. It was also frequently visited by Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...
, both for public events and private visits. With the arrival of new treatments for HIV in the mid-1990s and a decline in funding, London Lighthouse reoriented towards lifelong support for people living with HIV, and its residential unit was closed.
In October 2000, London Lighthouse merged with another HIV charity, Terrence Higgins Trust
Terrence Higgins Trust is a British charity that campaigns about and provides services relating to HIV and sexual health. In particular, the charity aims to end the transmission of HIV in the UK; to support and empower people living with HIV, to ...
. In 2013 Terrence Higgins Trust decided to close the facility to cut costs and in 2015 the Museum of Brands moved into the space. The memorial garden, in which the ashes of many people who have died at Lighthouse are scattered, was preserved. In 2021, an initiative was announced to create a UK National AIDS memorial to be located at the former London Lighthouse building.
Archive materials relating to London Lighthouse can be found at the Special Collections and Archives at the Bishopsgate Institute
Bishopsgate Institute is a cultural institute in the Bishopsgate area east of the City of London. The institute was established in 1895. It offers a cultural events programme, courses for adults, historic library and archive collections, and a ...
and also on the MayDay Radio website, including interviews and printed materials.
See also
HIV/AIDS in the UKReferences
{{Authority control HIV/AIDS LGBTQ history in the United Kingdom HIV/AIDS in the United Kingdom 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom 1986 in LGBTQ history