Explore the Quilt

The collection of UK AIDS Quilts were made between 1989 and 1996 to commemorate friends, lovers and family members who passed away from an AIDS related illness during this time. You can zoom in to some of the specific details listed below.

The top left panel remembers Peter Randall and Friends from Body Positive. In a letter, Peter is remembered by his colleague from Body Positive, Nicola. Nicola comments that Peter was one of their best friends, and goes on to list all of their friends and colleagues also remembered on this panel, as well as some photographs of them. Peter included a letter on AIDS including a reflection of the ten years of work by Body Positive to support those living with HIV AIDS, he writes: AIDS “…is an issue that affects everyone. It horrifies me how little has changed in ten years. The press coverage – the misinformation – the prejudice and the ignorance.”

The bottom left corner panel remembers Michael with an image of two cats on a teal background square.

The top centre panel remembers Sean & David from New York. Around their names are the phrases: ‘New York’, ‘Fire Island’ and ‘Longtime Companions’.

The centre panel is a read rectangle with the word ‘LOVE’ in capitals, below this is the name of Colin Higgins and a typed paragraph reading: ‘Each person is different, never existed before, and never to exist again.’

The bottom centre panel is for Tom Dwyer, a photograph of him is included in the archive. Tom was an animal lover with his menagerie including fish, cats and turtles. He donated his fish and their tank to the hospital he was treated in after he passed.

The top right panel remembers Trade members, with the word ‘love’ in white below a black line drawing of a torso and head wearing a crown.

The bottom right panel features a yellow lifejacket with the word Help stitched across it.