Gloucester schoolgirl sells badges to support veterans

Gracie has created badges to help support The Commonwealth Veterans Eight Campaign

A 10-year-old girl is selling her handmade badges to support eight commonwealth veterans fighting for their rights to remain in the UK.

Gracie wants to help the campaign as her veteran father failed to get permanent UK residency.

Her badges were shown to the public during a demonstration in Gloucester on Tuesday.

The Home Office said it will "consider" how it can offer flexibility to veterans and their families.

Commonwealth veterans, who were not born in the UK, currently do not have a right to remain and have to pay a fee of £10,000 to apply for permanent residency.

Supporters of the Help The Commonwealth Veterans Eight Campaign want a judicial review launched with an aim of abolishing these fees.

Money raised from sale of the badges will go towards funding the review.

Gracie's father, Etuate Bakaniceva, who is divorced from her mother, could not afford the residency fees and as a result moved back to Fiji in 2013 and has not had contact with her.

She said: "I felt bad that I could stay here but my dad couldn't. It makes me feel good to know that I’m doing something positive with my badges.”

The 10-year-old's mother, Esita Tuimanu, said: “It doesn't just affect the servicemen. I don’t want any other families going through what we had to go through.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Office and Ministry of Defence work closely with our foreign and commonwealth recruits to make sure they are aware of how they and their families can settle in the UK, and the costs involved.

“The Ministry of Defence will be launching a public consultation in due course, that will consider how they can offer greater flexibility for these individuals and their families in the future.”