The Terrence Higgins Trust today announced that Lord Cashman CBE and Lord Black of Brentwood have become patrons of Terrence Higgins Trust.

As patrons of the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, Lord Cashman and Lord Black will take on the challenge of working towards ending HIV transmission and supporting people to live well with HIV in the UK.

The new patrons will join an eclectic group of current Terrence Higgins Trust patrons, including Stephen Fry, Tracey Emin and Dame Judi Dench.

Ian Green, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

“We are honoured to welcome Lord Cashman and Lord Black as patrons of Terrence Higgins Trust.

“We are excited and very grateful for the unique contributions that each will bring to the charity, and their commitment and passion in helping stop HIV stigma and end HIV transmission.”

Lord Black is the first openly gay Conservative peer and is a passionate HIV campaigner, championing the need for HIV prevention treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), to be available to people at risk of the virus.

Lord Black, who became a life peer in the House of Lords in 2010, said:

“I first became aware of the vital work of Terrence Higgins Trust back in the 1990s. The charity’s campaigning on HIV was crucial in the decade where huge advances were made in treatment. I was inspired by the wonderful care it provided - and still provides - to people living with HIV.

“Today, Terrence Higgins Trust’s work remains as vital as ever, though the challenges have evolved. The HIV story is far from over. Despite the incredible medical progress that’s been made, the biggest challenge we still face is stigma, which undoubtedly has an impact on rates of testing.

“Last September, I led a debate in Parliament on the elimination of the virus, and I will continue to support Terrence Higgins Trust and its work in Parliament, where we need to continue to keep the pressure up.”

More information is available here.

ENDS