A group opposing same-sex marriage in Bermuda claims its support base has grown to almost 200 people, after a meeting last night.

Preserve Marriage now has 198 volunteers committed to ensuring that homosexual couples cannot legally tie the knot on the Island.

The organisation believes marriage in Bermuda should “continue to be defined as being between a man and a woman”, while its online petition (which can be found at www.preservemarriage.bm) has reached more than 7,400 signatures.

Yesterday’s event featured talks from retired principal Dr Melvyn Bassett, Pastor Gary Simons from Cornerstone Bible Fellowship and Mark Hall, regional director of Word of Life Caribbean and Bermuda.

Dr Bassett insisted that the group’s stance was both “uncompromising” and “loving”, and predicted that its numbers would continue to swell.

He added: “We will not be intimidated, nor will we participate in or support any verbal bullying or derogatory remarks by either side. We all have a right to express our views in a respectful manner as mature adults.”

Pastor Simons stated that Preserve Marriage members comprised a broad cross-section of the “concerned” community, including religious and non-religious people.

“All of whom were present at the meeting are ready and excited to serve,” he added.

Mr Hall revealed that the group would roll out initiatives “designed to strengthen marriages and families within Bermuda” in the coming weeks.

He also spoke about the prospect of engaging in “respectful conversations with the LGBT community”.

Preserve Marriage argues that husbands and wives who have children “bring separate, distinct and irreplaceable parenting dynamics to the life of a child” and is campaigning to allow Bermudians to vote on the issue, rather than leaving it to the legal system.

For further details on the movement, e-mail preservemarriagebda@gmail.com.