Co-founder of Terrence Higgins Trust, Martyn Butler, dies aged 71
Martyn Butler (Andrew Matthews – Pool/Getty Images)
Martyn Butler, co-founder of Terrence Higgins Trust, has died aged 71.
Butler helped establish the charity in 1982 after the death of his close friend Terrence Higgins, one of the first named people in the UK to die from an AIDS-related illness.
Alongside Rupert Whitaker, he went on to build what would become one of the country’s leading HIV and sexual health organisations.
Over five decades, Butler campaigned tirelessly for people living with HIV and for LGBT+ rights, work that was recognised in 2022 when he was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II.
Tributes have poured in following his death, including from former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas, who called him a “trailblazer” and vowed to continue the fight in his memory.
Born in Newport, Butler later moved to London, where he met Higgins while working at Heaven.
Friends and colleagues say his determination, compassion and early efforts to educate the public during the AIDS crisis helped shape the UK’s response to HIV — and his legacy will continue through the charity he helped create.
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