The donation helped BAHM achieve its required goal for the construction of the AIDS and HIV Memorial
Airbnb has donated £30,000 to the Birmingham AIDS & HIV Memorial (BAHM) to support his campaign to erect a commemorative sculpture in the city’s southern quarter.
The donation means BAHM has now reached its required goal of £210,000, giving the Memorial the green light to build this winter.
A cause close to the hearts of the Airbnb team, the company has chosen to donate to BAHM’s efforts following a partnership with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. As part of this collaboration, Airbnb has launched The Airbnb Birmingham 2022 Legacy Pledge to preserve, celebrate and showcase the cultural gems that make the West Midlands unique, including a commitment to help complete the BAHM Memorial Sculpture.
Officially titled Birmingham Aids & HIV Memorial (BAHM), the six-meter-tall sculpture with two intertwined heart-shaped ribbons will honor those lost and still alive in the wake of the 1980s AIDS epidemic.
When and where will the sculpture be unveiled?
It will be placed in the Hippodrome Square, currently under construction, in the Southside neighborhood, known for its support and celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community and which already has high-profile donors.
Now set to be unveiled on December 1, World AIDS Day, the six-meter tall sculpture will be permanently installed in the city center.
Inspired by the Channel 4 hit series ‘It’s a Sin’ and his own personal experience of the AIDS epidemic, local businessman and monument designer Garry Jones first set out to create a dedicated space in Birmingham to remember those they loved and lost to HIV. With the support of co-founders Andrew King and Phil Oldershaw, he began drawing up plans for a memorial sculpture.
The innovative memorial, made by Luke Perry, will feature two intertwined red ribbon hearts positioned to represent an “embrace”. As we age, one of the heart ribbons will corrode and rust, representing the millions lost to HIV; meanwhile, the other will be painted red to symbolize people who are currently living longer and healthier lives with the virus.
Who else supported the memorial?
Having received the initial planning permission in September 2021, BAHM announced that a total sum of £210,000 would then have to be raised to complete it. A host of businesses, charities and organizations from across the region and beyond quickly pledged their support: Galliard Apsley Partnership donated £40,000 and Court Collaboration pledged £20,000; to Birmingham City Council with a contribution of £25,000 in kind and to the Pride of Birmingham with a donation of £17,000.
What did Airbnb and BAHM say about the memorial in their own words?
Commenting on Airbnb’s donation, Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb, shared: “As part of our commitment to creating a legacy for the Commonwealth Games, the city of Birmingham and the incredible people and communities of the West Midlands, Airbnb is proud to support BAHM and the project to build a commemorative sculpture in the city. We hope it beautifully remembers those who are lost, educates those who live, and celebrates those who live healthier, longer, and fuller lives with HIV.
BAHM co-founder Phil Oldershaw added, “We are so grateful for Airbnb’s incredible donation. The staggering sum means that we have now officially reached our fundraising goal and the memorial will be erected in the heart of Birmingham. On this World AIDS Day, December 1, we plan to unveil this moving tribute to remember all the lives lost in the past and to shine a light on the thousands of people in our city who are currently living with HIV. . Thank you to all the businesses, organizations and individuals who have donated to our campaign so far – this simply wouldn’t be possible without your support.
Visit the BAHM website for more information on the sculpture, here.
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