Their wounds stretch thousands of miles and span decades of hurt and abuse. But Honoria Goldberg and Hugh McGowan hope the return trip they have made to Britain may help heal the pain of the past. They are just two of the 60 or so former child migrants invited “home” by Gordon Brown to hear the Government apology that will be made tomorrow for the programme that delivered vulnerable children into care homes and unpaid work on the other side of the world.

The Prime Minister stated in November, that “the time is now right” to say sorry on behalf of the country for the treatment of children like Honoria and Hugh. As well as the apology, he is expected to make an announcement about future support for those affected. Britain is estimated to have sent around 130,000 children in care to Australia, Canada and other British Commonwealth countries between 1920 and 1967. Many were exiled without parental consent, falsely told that they were orphans when often they had been placed in care by single mothers or impoverished families.