West Sussex couple were among UK’s first same-sex civil partnerships

The couple originally met in a nightclub in Brighton in 1994, becoming “really good friends” first before becoming partners.

Chris says he has met a new partner and they plan to get married next year.

Speaking about how he plans to spend the anniversary, he said: “My partner and I, we’re planning to go down the cemetery where Matthew has been buried and lay flowers and look at the photos of our wedding.

“My partner Damian is so supportive. He loves hearing about Matthew. Then we’ll probably treat ourselves to a takeaway or something in the evening.”

On 5 December 2005 the BBC reported three same-sex couples arrived in the early hours of the morning at Brighton Town Hall to be among the first in the UK to register their intention to form civil partnerships.

Debbie and Elaine Gaston, Gino Meriano and Mike Ullett, and Roger Lewis and Keith Willmott-Goodall were waiting when the register office opened and were some of the first to enter civil partnerships in the country on 21 December, after a 15-day waiting period.