Sadiq Khan is “hoping” that naming one of the London Overground lines Mildmay will encourage people to learn more about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Mayor of London announced on 15 February that, for the first time ever, each of the capital’s six Overground lines will soon be represented by a new name and colour.
Each seeks to celebrate the city’s diverse culture and history, with the Mildmay honouring the Shoreditch-based hospital of the same name.
During the 1980s, it played a pivotal role in helping patients during the earliest stages of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, eventually helping to tackle stigma in society thanks to several high profile visits from Princess Diana.
Speaking to GAY TIMES on the day of the announcement, Khan said: “I’ve got friends who are from the LGBTQ+ community and some of the stories they tell me, it just breaks my heart.
“I lived through this, but obviously I wasn’t a recipient of the hatred, the animus, the prejudice, like they were. But, if we’re not careful, you can regress, and we’ve always been impatient with the lack of progress, but we’ve seen across the globe how sometimes you can regress, so we’ve got to tell these stories.
“We’ve got to make sure we educate people, we’ve got to make sure we understand our history, but also recognise those heroes, not just Lady Diana, but those who work in the Mildmay.
“Can you imagine the prejudice and stigma of those nurses and practitioners and clinicians who worked in Mildmay during the 1980s? We’ve got to salute them and recognise them.”
The rebranding of the Overground is set to take effect by the end of 2024
The names of all six lines were chosen after consultation with customers, stakeholders, historians, industry experts and local communities.
Mildmay, which will be represented by blue parallel lines on the map, will encompass trains running from Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction.
Meanwhile, the Lioness line that covers trains from Euston to Watford Junction and is represented by the
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