We're thrilled to announce our Chief Executive Richard Angell has been awarded the Leadership Award at the Proud Scotland Awards.

Richard is recognised for his leadership on HIV and sexual health campaigns. In particular he worked tirelessly with support from Glasgow's Pride to ensure that people living with HIV who had chosen not to disclose their status to their GP were still able to access priority COVID-19 vaccination without compromising their confidentiality. This was a cross-nation campaign which was successful with all the UK national governments.

Throughout his career, Richard has fought for the rights of the LGBT+ community he belongs to. Whether fighting to end the gay blood ban – which saw him donate for the first time after being refused almost 20 years before – to advocating for global LGBT+ rights as a former trustee of human rights charity Kaleidoscope Trust.  

This commitment and passion remains a clear priority as he works to tackle the sexual health inequalities of LGBT+ people as the new Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust. As part of this, he has ensured a permanent base for the charity in Glasgow’s Merchant City, to play an integral part in ending new HIV cases in Scotland by 2030 - a goal new First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has strongly committed to. As well as this, Richard has committed to putting Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland services in the heart of Glasgow such as testing, sexual health promotion and HIV support.

Richard Angell, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said: 'This prestigious award is not about an individual – I dedicate this award to the amazing staff and volunteers at Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland and National AIDS Trust, our partners at Waverly Care and everyone in Scotland living with HIV. We are in a time of hope like never before. Ending new cases of HIV is in our grasp. Not only could we do it by 2030, Scotland could be the first country within the UK, better still, the world to do it. This is an opportunity we cannot let pass.

'We have got to build on the amazing work of Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland and our partners to ensure testing is accessible, peer support is on hand for the diagnosed and everyone living with the virus is on treatment and that we smash HIV stigma. Time is ticking for the Scottish Government. We urgently need A&E opt-out HIV testing in cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh, a nationwide postal PrEP service for all and an end to waiting lists in sexual health services. Together – and only together – we can be the generation to end this epidemic. But we can only do it everyone plays their part.'

'I want to dedicate this very special award to the wonderful staff of Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, our partners at Waverley Care and National AIDS Trust, and every single person living with HIV in Scotland. Whether you are out and proud about your status or whether it is a closely kept secret between you and your HIV doctor: We love you, we care for you and we are here for you every step of your journey to help you do whatever you want to do with your life.

'Proud Scotland, I want to share three positive messages and reasons to be cheerful. Firstly, we have come a long way in 40 years. When Terry Higgins died of an AIDS-related illness in 1982, we didn’t even have a name for the virus, let alone a test. Now we have treatment that is so amazing that people living with HIV, taking their treatment, literally cannot pass on the virus. And if you take one thing away, take that away.

'Secondly, we have every tool we need to end the ongoing transmission of this virus. And if we do it, we can do it by 2030. And if we do it, Scotland could be not only the first country in the United Kingdom to do it; not only the first country in Europe to do it; but the first country in the world to make it happen. We are the generation that can put this epidemic behind us. We cannot miss that opportunity.

'The third bit of hope is Emma Roddick MSP, the Equalities Minister, who is here with us this evening. Before she was appointed as Minister, she hosted our photocall on World AIDS Day, so she doesn’t need me to remind her of the things that we need: we need opt-out testing in all of our hospitals here in Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh and Glasgow, so that if you turn up to an emergency department, you get an HIV test. We need for everyone in Scotland to have access to a postal PrEP service. And we need to smash the stigma. We have great allies in all our political parties in Holyrood and we need to press our advantage and make those changes.

'The final thing I would say is that, working in HIV, everyone is fascinated by the idea that there is a "patient zero" or a "super-spreader". Know this, the super-spreader of HIV is homophobia, transphobia, racism and stigma. We won’t stand for any of them. Terrence Higgins Trust will be here until we smash it away. We are going to end the epidemic and be here for the last person living with HIV who needs us. Thank you Proud Scotland'.