Visa fundraiser to bring my Fiance to the UK.

Hello. I am Paul and this is our story:

I met Jonas online in January 2018. As soon as we started chatting, I felt he was so different to other people I have talked to over the years. In February we applied for a visitor visa so he could come and visit the UK but we were turned down. I then decided to visit him in the May and we got engaged in front of his family members.

In October 2019 I returned to get 'Married'. Although there is no same sex marriage in the Philippines, our relationship was 'blessed' by the Rev Agbayani Jnr (from the Philippines LGBT Church) in front of 60 members of his family. A full Catholic marriage ceremony. So romantic and special.

Then, Covid hit and we lost Jonas's mother. Very sad as she was an amazing lady and was so happy for us. J couldn't go to the funeral because of a travel ban.

Then after a 3-year gap, I returned to be with him in October 2022. 3 weeks flew by. The family gave me a welcome home party. An amazing day.

Over the last few years, I had managed to save the money for the visas. However, due to two severe typhoons over two years, most of the family’s homes were destroyed. We made a joint decision to re-build them and wait to be together a bit longer.

I suffer from PTSD derived from a memory that resurfaced 5 years ago of a brutal assault on my person by a gang of fellow Royal navy ratings. This has affected me very badly and I am now registered disabled and suffer from both mental and physical issues. I am only able to work 2 days a week and I survive on two small pensions, a small wage and PIP.

I have been offered treatment by a veteran’s charity but can't face going through the process without J by my side.

I left the Navy in 1984 because I was afraid of being ‘found out’. Pre 2000 it was illegal to be LGBT in the Armed Forces. If caught they sent you to prison and dishonourably discharged you.

I started to work in the Life Assurance industry. This was at the time HIV hit the UK. I worked for four companies; all were very homophobic. Because of this I kept in the closet but lost two jobs when I ‘came out’. In the early 90’s I decided to move to Edinburgh and never to hide my sexuality again.

I got a job working part time for Gay Scotland magazine. This opened up a whole new world of traveling round the country reviewing venues, interviewing celebrities and campaigning for LGBT rights. Four years later I ended up owning the publication.

I then got an offer to move to Leeds and take over the running of APN magazine. After 2 years and a name change, to NOW UK, I turned it from a regional 32 page, 25,000 copies per month into the largest circulating LGBT publication in the UK. 96 pages and 72,000 copies per month. I did a lot of TV and radio appearances during my seven years in the LGBT press world, campaigning for the age of consent to be lowered to 16 from 21 and the lifting of the ban on LGBT Armed Forces personal.

I left that industry to become a full-time care for my elderly disable mum and aunt. Sadly I lost them within 6 months of each other and also in the same time lost my father who had re-married and lived in Spain.

I have a 45-year history of volunteering, was a special constable for two years and in the Royal Navy for six years (1978-1984). I won the Volunteer of the year in Harrogate in 2016 and was runner up in 2018, at the Harrogate Volunteer Oscars. I have been to two Buckingham Palace Garden parties as a reward for my years of helping others. I have met the King and Queen and talked to them both.

Sadly, in October 2020 I had to give up my last volunteering post. I was Lead Volunteer at an addiction charity for five years. I was the service user lead, did addiction counselling, organised VIP events and did a monthly groups brochure.

3 years ago, I set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme for my area and a Community Action Group. This has resulted in the sharing of information between neighbours, getting the council involved in doing repairs in our area and the cutting of Crime and Anti-Social behaviour by 50%.

I also do two fundraising garden displays a year. One in the spring/summer and one Christmas. Over 4 years I have raised just under 3,000 pounds for charities.

Jonas works in a shopping mall in Cebu city. He works 6 days a week and takes home £55. With both our wages we just can't afford the visa and travel fees and I feel I can't be alone any longer.

The breakdown of the sum we are trying to raise is as follows: Fiancé Visa £1846, NHS Fees £1872, Spouse Visa £1846, Flight to collect him £968, Jonas’s flight £453, transferring his goods to family home £100, TB Test £111, Total =£7826.

If, after reading our story, you would like to help, please make a donation. This would be very gratefully received. If you could also share the link on your social media, that would be amazing. God bless you.

This is the first time in my life I have asked for help.

If, after reading out story, you feel you could help, we would be ever so grateful.

God bless you all.