The 2014 Terrence Higgins Trust Auction catalogue

Dear Friend,
I am delighted to welcome you to The Auction
2014. This year we have some wonderful Lots
on offer and we are thrilled that tonight you
are showing your support for people living
with HIV.
HIV has always been a difficult cause for which
to raise money and it takes a special kind of
person to get involved and donate. Many people
are indifferent to the needs of people living
with HIV and are reluctant to support us - we
need you now more than ever before. The fact
that you are here tonight speaks volumes - we
are incredibly grateful.
At Terrence Higgins Trust we are committed to
getting as many people as possible with HIV
diagnosed and onto treatment. In the UK
around a quarter of people with HIV do not
know they have it and this group is driving
the majority of new infections. Early diagnosis
has two main benefits. People can access
treatment as soon as they need it - meaning
they can expect to live a near-normal lifespan
- and as a result they are unlikely to pass on
HIV. You can read more about our dynamic
approaches to HIV testing later on in the
catalogue.
I would like to take this opportunity to say
some very special thank you’s:
• To our fantastic sponsor Prudential plc for
their ongoing support of our work.
• To the extremely generous individuals and
companies who have donated Lots for
tonight’s event.
• And to Christie’s, our hosts this evening.
We are indebted to their continued support.
In particular to Jussi Pylkkänen, President
and Chairman of Christie’s Europe, Middle
East, Russia and India and Tom Best, Junior
Specialist, Impressionist and Modern Art.
Jussi and Tom will be our auctioneers for
the evening.
• Thank you all for being here. Putting it
simply, without you there would be no
Auction.
I would also like to pay tribute to the work
done by our Committee, who have been
formidable in using their powers of persuasion
to secure a dazzling smorgasbord of Lots.
They have worked tirelessly to ensure we also
have a glittering and generous audience who
understand the work we do and want to
support it publicly.
And I would also like to recognise Terrence
Higgins Trust’s Gala Events Team, in particular
Rob Holley, Jane Barron and the volunteers who
have given up their time to help this evening.
Finally, thanks to you for supporting us and
enabling our vital services to continue.
Everybody here tonight is an advocate, not just
for Terrence Higgins Trust but for people living
with HIV in the UK. Your support means that we
can continue our efforts to reach and diagnose
those who are unaware of their HIV status. It
also means that we can keep providing support
to people who have been diagnosed with
HIV – whether soon after diagnosis or many
months or years later.
Please be as generous as possible as your
support makes a huge difference to people
who are living with HIV - whether or not they
are aware of it. We cannot tell you how much
we – and our service users – appreciate your
generosity.
In closing, as you may know, Terrence Higgins
Trust has a new Chief Executive. We are
delighted to welcome Dr Rosemary Gillespie,
who will be joining the charity in April. The
charity has always been a trailblazer for people
at risk of and living with HIV – something I am
immensely proud of. I am confident that under
Dr Gillespie’s leadership, Terrence Higgins Trust
will continue to provide fantastic services while
championing the rights of people living
with HIV.
I wish you a wonderful evening.
Chris Bones
Chair of Trustees, Terrence Higgins Trust
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