The story of HIV in the UK and Europe is rooted in Wales. Our namesake, Terry Higgins, was born on 10 June 1945 in Priory Mount Hospital, Pembrokeshire. He lived with his mother in Haverfordwest and attended the local all-boys grammar school. He eventually left Wales, having served in the Navy, to live in London. He was the first named person to die of an AIDS-related illness.
It was Terry’s friend Martyn Butler who, alongside Terry’s then-partner, Rupert Whitaker, and other friends, founded our organisation to help those affected by the HIV epidemic. Born in Newport, Martyn raised the first funding for Terrence Higgins Trust and gave his home phone number to be our first helpline. He spoke time and again in the press about the loss of Terry in November 1982 and the difficult subject of HIV.
Call THT Direct on 0808 802 1221 for support, advice and information or email us at [email protected].
We’re open:
10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
Our phone number is 0808 802 1221.
This is free to call from all UK landlines and most major mobile networks. It won’t appear on your telephone bill.
In March 2023, the Welsh Government released the final version of the HIV Action Plan for Wales 2023-26 which aims at creating an environment that can deliver zero transmissions of HIV by 2030.
Copyright 2024 © Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (reg. no. 288527) Company reg. no. 1778149 and a registered charity in Scotland (reg. no. SC039986). Registered office: 437 & 439 Caledonian Road, London, N7 9BG.
Website Proudly Built by Podium Design
We’re open:
10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday
Our phone number is 0808 802 1221.
This is free to call from all UK landlines and most major mobile networks. It won’t appear on your telephone bill.
We’re trialling a new live chat service to offer you support without the need to make a phone call.
The chat is open Monday to Friday at the following times:
Live chat is anonymous and confidential. We’re offering it alongside our phone helpline, initially at the times given above.
At the end of your chat session, you’ll be directed to an online survey about your experience. Please take a few minutes to fill this in as it helps us to understand how live chat is working. We’ll use this feedback to develop the service further.
