Memorial Unveiled for Students Infected with HIV and Hepatitis at Treloar's College

A memorial has been installed at Treloar's College near Alton, Hampshire, to commemorate pupils who were contaminated with HIV and hepatitis through medical treatments at the school. The bronze sculpture, created by Tom Murphy, depicts two pupils embracing, symbolizing the camaraderie and support formed among students who endured the scandal.

Several former pupils attended the unveiling, sharing their experiences and the significance of the memorial. Adrian Goodyear, 55, who was infected with hepatitis and HIV while at the school, stated that the memorial is crucial for keeping the scandal in public consciousness and honoring those who died. He recalled being given a grim prognosis in 1985, with doctors informing him and other boys that they had HIV.

"We left school with death sentences," Goodyear said. "When we were here we made promises… they died in front of us, one winter we lost five boys. I made promises to them, as did the other lads here today, that we would never give up. We would find out what happened."

Gary Webster, 61, who contracted HIV and hepatitis C between 1975 and 1983, emphasized the memorial's role in remembering the past and ensuring such events never reoccur. Steve Nicholls, 59, who attended from 1976 to 1983, described the memorial as a representation of the boys and their bonds during their time at the college.

"It resembles the comradeship and the bonds that were formed at the college at the time," Nicholls explained. "I have known the majority of these boys for 50 years. We became like brothers. We've stayed in contact throughout the years. We feel incredibly guilty for surviving it and getting through it when many of our friends didn't."

Richard Warwick, a pupil from 1976 to 1982, views the memorial as a symbol of "comradeship, friendship and support." The memorial includes a plaque stating: "Remembering 122 haemophiliac pupils of Treloar's. Infected as children, victims of unethical research. 'This disaster was not an accident.' Sir Brian Langstaff 20.05.24."

During the 1970s and 1980s, pupils at Treloar's received medical treatments that utilized contaminated blood products, leading to widespread infections among students with hemophilia. The event has been described as a disaster, with a report by Sir Brian Langstaff noting it was not an accident.