A PUBLIC meeting is being held to help the 50,000 non-British EU citizens living in Hampshire.

They face an uncertain future under Brexit even though many have lived here for decades.

The meeting, called Hampshire Welcomes EU! has been arranged by Kerstin Reiners, at Winchester Rugby Club, Abbotts Barton on Sunday at 7pm.

She said: “Being a non-British EU citizen myself, I understand the uncertainty we are facing while Brexit negotiations take shape. I’ve not had a good night’s sleep since the referendum in June last year.

“We want to bring the many EU citizens across Hampshire together to receive an update by a lawyer from the European Law Monitor, (an Eastleigh-based information service) and first hand reports from individuals outlining their experiences.

“Brexit has created an environment of hostility. People are unsure what the situation is.”

The meeting will be non-partisan and is self-funded. It aims to outline the current situation and highlight where the government is allegedly in breach of laws over permanent residency and citizenship applications.

It will offer advice for people whose legal situation is currently uncertain.

Ms Reiners, from Winchester, added: “It is really important to bring EU citizens and pro-Europeans together to better understand what we need to do to be heard, from letter writing and reporting, and so forth. We are currently not doing it.

“We would also like to form a quasi lobby to gain support from Hampshire council and local bodies. This is absolutely not a political event and the forum is intended to be positive and constructive in nature.”

The Mayor, Cllr Jane Rutter, will open the event and Claire Bradley, managing director of European Law Monitor, will speak.

There will also be examples of experiences from EU citizens living in Hampshire.

While their legal status is currently unchanged, their rights beyond Brexit are not guaranteed.

As a result, many are worried for their future, and seek permanent residency and citizenship.

Ms Reiners, who is married to a Briton and has a daughter aged two, has been searching for long-forgotten documents to support her claim.

She has been in Britain since 1993. The photo shows 21 years of evidence of her residing here pinned up in her home.