The Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Lady Emma Barnard, hosts a Restorative Action Ceremony for LGBT veterans in Chichester

Transcript

00:00It means a huge amount to me today to be able to be with you both, and indeed with those

00:07you love, to represent His Majesty and be able to preside over this restoration ceremony.

00:16I've obviously read the Efferton report, it is appalling reading, and I'm so glad it happened

00:25because it seems to me that the vicious and aggressive and absolutely repulsive policy

00:31under which you both suffered, and indeed so many like you, had to be called out.

00:37And thank God has been called out.

00:40It is just a step forward, I suggest, in the marching towards the light, if I can put it like that.

00:52What you have suffered, what so many like you have suffered, is absolutely unimaginable,

00:57and it's so shameful that it happened so recently.

01:00I can't even imagine the consequences and what you have had to bear over the years.

01:08I hope that today, I really hope that today, will be perhaps a new page that you can start to put this behind you.

01:17I am very aware, and I'm under no illusion, that you can't just rub out what you went through.

01:25I'm so glad that ceremonies like this are starting to happen.

01:29By heavens, they are starting to happen.

01:31And I'm very honoured to be able to say this to you.

01:35I say it from the bottom of my heart, I really, really wish you well.

01:39We all wish you well. Thank you.

01:41Thank you for what you did for your country.

01:44Thank you for being here today, because I'm aware that it must be quite a very emotional and probably very difficult occasion for you.

01:55And I just welcome you from my heart. All I can say is thank you.

02:00And may you march into the light, and may you march with courage.

02:05That, of course, is all the rest of it.

02:10I'm sure you'll have the joy of saying thank you.

02:14That is your badge, and that is your wonderful box.

02:20Thank you very much. Thank you for your kind words.

02:23Really very emotional.