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That sound you all heard was historians of HIV/AIDS wincing at this. https://twitter.com/thattimwalker/status/1352914766440894464
The Terry Higgins Trust, the precursor to THT, was founded in November 1982. They raised money for AIDS research to be carried out, because so little money was available from 'official channels', and in doing so began spreading information throughout London's gay community.
When a public meeting was arranged in Manchester by gay activists in 1984 above the Thompson’s Arms, they couldn't get advice or money from central government. They relied on local doctors, funding from Manchester City Council and, crucially, on Tony Whitehead from THT to speak.
Even after 'Thatcher's' 'Don't Die of Ignorance' campaign, which was pushed through by Norman Fowler despite, not because of Thatcher, grassroots activism remained necessary to demand inclusive and accessible information and resources.
Two years after 'Don't Die of Ignorance', AIDS activists in England were still 'dying for money' (to quote a Pink Paper front page headline from 1989). Activists across the country had to continue lobbying for resources from central government well into the 1990s.
