Ally Van Tillo, Founder of UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, Dies

Ally Van Tillo, the visionary behind the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, has passed away. Previously named Alastair Hume, he drew inspiration from the American NAMES Project to establish a British version, orchestrating the creation of numerous panels by mourning families and friends throughout the UK during the AIDS epidemic. The quilt honors over 600 individuals, comprising 335 panels, each measuring three feet by six feet, resembling a grave site, later assembled into larger twelve-foot blocks for display. In the early 1990s, Van Tillo showcased the quilt across the UK, culminating in its inaugural full exhibition in Hyde Park in 1994. Colleagues recall his humility, emphasizing the quilt's communal ownership. Siobhán Lanigan, chair of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership, commended his commitment. This month, the entire quilt will be exhibited in Scotland for the first time at Tramway in Glasgow, a tribute to Van Tillo's Edinburgh roots, accompanied by a public program honoring him. The UK quilt is part of a global initiative started by Cleve Jones in San Francisco in 1985 and has been preserved since 2014 by seven UK HIV support charities within the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership.