On a bright and sunny April morning, members of our LGBTQ+ community of Brighton came together to show their support and care for one of the city’s most poignant landmarks – the AIDS Memorial. Volunteers from the local queer scene rolled up their sleeves and donned their marigold gloves to scrub away the winter’s grime, leaving the memorial plinth gleaming in the spring sunshine.
Channelling his inner Kim Woodburn and leading the scrubbing was Billie Lewis from the Ledward Centre, a long-time pillar of Brighton’s LGBTQ support network. Billie was joined by Aggie/Eric from Brighton & Hove City Council’s LGBTQ+ Workers’ Forum and Mrs Overall/Chris Gull of the Brighton Rainbow Fund, working side-by-side with members of the community to restore the memorial to its former glory.
“It’s so important that we keep this space looking its best,” said Billie. “The AIDS Memorial is a sacred place for our community, a reminder of the loved ones we’ve lost and a symbol of our resilience. Caring for it together is a powerful act of solidarity.”
The Ledward Centre provided the necessary organic and animal friendly cleaning supplies, ensuring the volunteers had everything they needed to tackle the stubborn winter mildew. As the plinth was slowly scrubbed clean, a sense of camaraderie and purpose filled the air, with passers-by stopping to offer encouragement and gratitude.
“Seeing everyone come together like this is truly heart-warming,” remarked Sid, a local business owner. “The LGBTQ+ community in Brighton has always been there for each other, and this clean-up is another example of that unbreakable spirit.”
After the final touches were put on the memorial, the volunteers turned their attention to the adjacent Friendship Bench, which stands as a tribute to the late James Ledward, a towering figure in Brighton’s queer activism. They also planted some seeds sourced from the Pavilion Gardens in the bare earth behind the bench to support the garden space. With the whole area gleaming, the community basked in the satisfaction of a job well done, secure in the knowledge that this sacred space would remain a welcoming and uplifting haven for all.
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