Freddie Mercury died of AIDS related causes in London on 24th November 1991. Immediately the remaining members of Queen and Jim Beach, their manager, took the decision to raise money and awareness for AIDS in his memory. The Mercury Phoenix Trust was founded to distribute the money raised by the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness, which took place on 20th April 1992.
Since 1992 Queen have been responsible for donating more than £4 million in the fight against the AIDS crisis to over 100 different charities in countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and America.
Collaboration has been realised with groups as far removed as the World Health Organisation to grass-root organisations run by voluntary workers in Uganda, Kenya and India. The Trust is supporting the UK based skin disease charity START, with special research into ichy folliculitis, and is working with the Royal Marsden Hospital in London on research into Karposi's Sarcoma. Medical supplies have been shipped to Mother Teresa's sisters of charity in Calcutta. Also the Trust works with various fan-based charities around the world in co-ordinating their local AIDS fundraising activities.
