Olly Alexander becomes patron of HIV charity The Sussex Beacon
As patron, the pop-star and actor will help raise awareness of The Sussex Beacon through fundraising efforts and introduce the charity to new audiences
By Eve Ellis
Olly Alexander is stepping up his HIV activism once again, having been named a patron of The Sussex Beacon.
The singer and BAFTA-nominated actor, widely recognised for his role in It’s A Sin, will now take a more formal role with the Brighton-based charity which provides specialist care and support for people living with HIV.
The partnership began last year when Olly joined Team Beacon for the Brighton Half Marathon – the charity’s largest annual fundraising event raising over £1m every year.
“The beacons work is so vital to the community. I’m excited and deeply proud to be supporting them” – Olly Alexander
“I feel so privileged to be a patron of the wonderful Sussex Beacon. I’ve truly fallen in love with the amazing team and the service users I’ve met,” Olly said in a statement.
“The beacons work is so vital to the community. I’m excited and deeply proud to be supporting them.”
As patron, the pop-star and actor will help raise awareness of The Sussex Beacon through fundraising efforts and introduce the charity to new audiences.
“We are delighted that Olly has become a patron of The Sussex Beacon” – CEO Rachel Brett
His appointment feels like a natural fit after Alexander’s in It’s a Sin – a series which followed a group of young gay men during the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980’s London, brought the crisis back into mainstream media.
Rachel Brett, CEO of The Sussex Beacon welcomed the appointment stating, “We are delighted that Olly has become a patron of The Sussex Beacon.
The power of his role in ‘It’s a Sin’ should not be underestimated; the series shone a powerful light on a terrible injustice to people who were diagnosed with HIV and dying from AIDS-related illnesses.”
“With patrons such as Olly, The Sussex Beacon can continue to lead the way in providing inclusive and affirming care, to those who are the most marginalised in our communities,” Rachel Brett added.
Alongside Alexander, Jill Nalder, the inspiration for award winning series It’s a Sin, has been patron of the charity since 2021.