UKLGIG wins Community Group of the Year award

The UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG) has won the the Stonewall & Barclays Community Group of the Year Award.

UKLGIG was founded in 1993 to assist same‑sex, bi‑national couples win the right for foreign partners to remain in the United Kingdom on the basis of their relationship. The work of the group resulted in the first ever legislation in this country giving rights to lesbians and gay men.

From 1997 the group achieved increasing steps towards equality and with many of its recommendations being included in the Civil Partnership Act, immigration equality for same‑sex partners was finally achieved in December 2005.

Since 2004 UKLGIG has shifted its focus towards the problems faced by lesbian and gay asylum seekers. Every day, the group receives calls for help from lesbians and gay men seeking the protection of the UK, because they are persecuted in their home country.

There is currently very little support available for them and the group’s asylum work is a vital lifeline - a place to meet others struggling with similar issues, a source of quality legal advice, of support and importantly of hope.

UKLGIG said:

After fighting for over 10 years for the immigration rights of same sex bi-national couples to achieve equality our work now focuses on helping lesbians and gay men who face persecution in their home countries just because of their sexual orientation. Since the asylum work started in 2004 we have supported hundreds of lesbians and gay men who have come to the UK from more than 40 countries including Cameroon, Jamaica and Iran to seek asylum.

This award comes as recognition of the work that we do in supporting lesbian and gay asylum seekers but also as a sign that the lesbian and gay community in the UK is not indifferent to the issues that they face.

UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group is honoured to have received this prestigious award and very grateful to Stonewall supporters who voted for us and to Barclays for their generosity.