IT’S TEN YEARS this month since the first civil partnerships for same-sex couples in the UK.The first couple to benefit from the new legal recognition for their relationship were Chris Cramp and Matthew Roche from West Sussex, on 5th December 2005. Yet when images from the first UK civil partnerships appear in the media to accompany stories about same-sex relationships and marriage equality, it’s not this couple you see.They had the privilege of being first, some two weeks before it was possible for other couples, because Matthew was terminally ill, so the register office waived the mandatory 15 day waiting period between requesting and registering a civil partnership.Within 24 hours of their ceremony, Matthew died with Chris at his side. Chris believes Matthew held on long enough to see the day they could become partners in law as well as in life. You can read their story here.

Source: A momentous decade – Reflecting on ten years of UK civil partnerships | A brave faith