Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT) is a charitable and youth organisation based in the United Kingdom that seeks to raise awareness of the fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOTs) by promoting their culture, history and bio-diversity. As an educational charity, it facilitates visits to BOTs for mainland British students, and has also pledged to alleviate certain financial constraints faced in the UK by students from the BOTs themselves. Such efforts are supported by regular fundraising activities, as well as through the backing of several prominent British politicians.
Founded in Leeds by sole Chief Executive, Philip Smith, in 2013, FOTBOT has since been consulted by various national media organisations on articles regarding British relations with its dependencies. At least two university associations have been founded in assistance of the organisation's objectives.
The organisation was founded in 2013 by Philip Smith, predominantly as a vehicle to foster ties between the young people of the United Kingdom and the sparsely located British Overseas Territories (BOTs), a group of 16 dependencies under the ultimate sovereignty and jurisdiction of the UK, having been former colonies of the British Empire.[2][3] Its headquarters are currently based in Leeds, a city in Yorkshire.[1]
Established foremostly as a youth organisation, FOTBOT have oriented much of their activities toward educating young people, a motivation that has facilitated short excursions for British students to BOTs, as well as for students from the BOTs themselves to visit other dependencies and study in the UK without undue financial burden.[14][15][3] In this vein, FOTBOT was partnered in a project headed by geographer Stewart McPherson, 'Treasure Islands', which "aim[ed] to showcase the wildlife, cultures and history of all of the UK Overseas Territories" by dispersing educative materials across the UK.[16]
As an organisation, FOTBOT host regular ticketed events that range from formal functions to round-table discussions surrounding the cultural and political situation of the BOTs; past committees have explored the possibility of BOT representation in the UK Parliament, as well as the challenges of day-to-day governance in British protectorates.[17][18]
Yorkshire
