On 26 November 2013, The Boys’ Brigade in UK and Republic of Ireland was invited to attend the All-Party Parliamentary Group known as “Connecting Communities.”

The invitation followed a number of letters written by members of The Boys’ Brigade to their MPs as a result of the difficulties encountered by young people and other Brigade members wishing to come to the UK in August 2013.

Matthew Smith, Chair of the Brigade Executive, told the assembled Parliamentarians that plans to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Global Fellowship, the international fellowship of which The Boys’ Brigade is a member, had been severely affected by the refusal of the UK Border Agency to issue visas to many Brigade members from Africa. Although every person who had applied to come to the event from outside of Africa had obtained a visa, more than 90% of those from Africa were refused entry to the UK.

Those denied entry included the President or National Secretary of The Boys’ Brigade in Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Young people who had been granted visas to enter the UK on previous occasions were turned down this time. If this development went unchallenged, there was a real risk that no truly international gathering of young people could take place in the UK in future.

Others present shared similar experiences. Anglican Bishops from Africa have been refused UK visas notwithstanding an invitation from the Archbishop of Canterbury. A long-standing local exchange between communities in Wiltshire and The Gambia suddenly found all but one of the Gambian young people denied a visa last year. The Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council now has fears for youth events planned to take place alongside the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Chair of the Parliamentary Group, Lord Goodlad, agreed to submit a written question to the Home Office. Depending on the response, Brigade President, Lord Griffiths, has offered to seek to stage a debate on the floor of the House. Thank you to everyone who has helped us get the voice of young people heard on this important issue.