Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is proud to host an exclusive exhibition displaying digital prints of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilts in memory of lives lost.
Launching on World AIDS Day, Wednesday 1st December 2021 until early next year, on the exhibition wall at The Refuge, this showcase of the memorable display is in collaboration with the hotel’s charity of choice George House Trust – a charity dedicated to inspiring
people living with HIV to live healthy and confident lives.
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilts are a precious artefact and this year marks 40 years
since the first reports of what is now known as HIV and AIDS. Each of the panels
commemorates lives lost to the AIDS pandemic during the 1980s and 90s. It is a
public naming of the names of loved ones lost, and a memorial for the many who
died and went unnamed too.
The UK Quilts are part of an international movement that sought to raise awareness of the impact of the AIDS pandemic, ensure that these lives would never be forgotten and are preserved by the UK AIDS Quilt Partnership.
This exclusive display honours the lives lost to AIDS and reminds us that HIV is still
with us today. It is a call to action to challenge HIV stigma, highlight what it means to
live with HIV in 2021 and support those living with HIV.
General Manager of Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Johan Scheepers, said, “We are
privileged to be able to display, for the first time, a digital print version of the UK
AIDS Memorial Quilts with our charity of choice, George House Trust, honouring the
lives lost to AIDS and a celebration of the lives commemorated at Kimpton
Clocktower. The quilts are a reminder of how far the UK has come in the fight
against HIV. It is our commitment to affect positive change, supporting our charity to
raise awareness about HIV; and break down the stigma that still remains in society.”
Chief Executive at George House Trust, Darren Knight, added, “It’s fantastic to be
working with the Kimpton to display the prints of the quilts in Manchester this World
AIDS Day. The stories told, the lives lost and the commitment to remembrance is
both the poignant and important purpose why we’re part of a network to preserve the
quilts.
As we take a moment on 1st December to reflect, it’s also important that we look forward with hope and work to ensure that everyone knows their HIV history and equally importantly, that HIV is a manageable illness and how they can play their role in knowing the facts and tackling stigma.”
Kimpton is also a proud sponsor of Pro-Manchester LGBTQ+ Committee collaborating together with George House Trust on HIV Awareness event, on Thursday 18th November, at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, ahead of World AIDS Day.
People can get involved on social media using the hashtag #AIDSQuiltUK
#40yearsofHIV
More information on George House Trust is available here.
