Newport's shame - Travellers' Times

Travellers’
Times
The national magazine for Gypsies and Travellers
34
ISSUE
Winter 2008
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
SITE SCANDAL
Newport’s shame
TRAVELLERS’TALK
NERVOUS BREAKDOWN 4
Learning to cope
PICTURETHIS
CHILDREN’S RIGHTS
Petitioning the PM 8
2

Newport’s national scandal
COUNCIL AND POLICE MOVE TRAVELLERS TO DESPAIR
Until last Christmas Tom and Sarah
Hendry and their daughter Rhiannon
lived in their trailer on land
belonging to Newport Council.
It was illegal, but it was safe. There are no
legal sites in Newport. “We try and keep things
as clean as we can, but there’s loads of
rubbish, lots of it left by other Travellers
passing through,” says Tom who pays £20
a time to take his rubbish to the Council tip.
In November the Council gave the Hendrys
14 days to leave.
Web alert:
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
UNHAPPY NEW YEAR
Traveller Sara Rout spent Christmas on
the side of the road with her four young
children after intimidation forced her
from a council-run site in Bridlington.
Sara and her children aged seven, six, three
and two were bullied into quitting East Yorkshire’s
Woldgate site in Bridlington. Management at the
site broke down when a rogue family moved in.
“It used to be a nice site, but there was gorjas
coming on to the site, dealing drugs and driving
people away,” says Sara. “This woman said to
me: ‘Get off the site by 7.00 in the morning or
“We moved them from the land,” explained
a Newport Council spokesman, “because there
was going to be some works going on.”
Mr and Mrs Hendry pulled onto land at a nearby
industrial estate, but Gwent Police moved the
family on after a neighbour complained.
“The police talked of an Anti-Social Behaviour
Order (ASBO) on us for being there,” Tom told TT.
“What can you do? I work here, my child was
born here and I’ve got grandchildren born here.”
By Christmas the Hendrys had been forced onto
the side of a busy Newport road. “It’s too
dangerous for the children,” said Tom, who
recently argued with a van driver, speeding past
the trailer. “He said we shouldn’t be here: he’s
right, but what can you do? I can think of at
least 30 stopping places which have been
closed in the last year.”
Newport Council told TT there was “a joint
protocol with the police for dealing with them
[Travellers]” while Gwent police insisted they
we’ll set fire to your trailer.’ I was scared for
my children’s life.”
Sara’s children were in school. “They’re not in
school any more,” Sara told TT. “To be honest
I’ve put a housing application in. I don’t want
to go in a house, but I don’t want to go through
this again. What can you do?”
were “sympathetic to the needs of travellers”,
pointing out that Newport lacks a site.
“The family were required to leave by police
because unfortunately they had returned to an
area within their three month time limit and
because they were obstructing an open and
used junction. They were told that they could
be committing an offence under the Highways
Act if they stayed.”
The Minister for Gypsies and Travellers in
England, Iain Wright, in an interview with TT
(Issue 33) condemned evictions like these as “a
waste of public money”. Yet the Welsh Assembly
Minister for Social Justice, Brian Gibbons,
refused to condemn them. Or to talk to TT.
TT did not approach the Hendry’s local MP,
Labour’s Jessica Morden, for a comment. She
has actively campaigned against Travelling
people staying on unauthorised sites – even
though her constituency still lacks a single site.
The Welsh Assembly is to spend
£1.7m on improving nine Welsh
Traveller sites. And they are to force
councils to find more sites just as
English councils are obliged to do.
go to www.travellerstimes.org.uk for full details on those site improvements and
comment from Newport Borough Council and Gwent Police on the Hendry fiasco
1 square mile –
it’s all we need
PHOTO: Hilary Smallwood
Just under a quarter of Gypsies and Travellers
living in caravans have nowhere legal to stay. Yet
it would take less than a square mile to solve the
problem in England, according to the Building and
Social Housing Foundation. See a summary of
their latest report, Out in the Open at
www.travellerstimes.org.uk
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
Right to sites
The Government is giving English
councils £97 million over the next three
years to take Gypsies and Travellers off
the roadside and onto proper pitches.
Iain Wright, the Minister for Gypsies and
Travellers, said the funding would “help councils
deliver more and better sites for Gypsies and
Travellers, reducing the £18 million annual
enforcement bill, and help improve the health
and education prospects of one of the most
socially excluded groups in the country.”
The new cash comes after publication
of The Road Ahead, from the
Government’s Gypsy and Traveller
Task Group. The report calls for:
councils to find emergency
stopping places to cut down
dangerous, roadside camps;
88 . . . 53 . . . 15!
The strange case of the
disappearing Travellers
When Chichester District Council started
counting the Gypsies and Travellers on their
patch in 2006, they reckoned an extra 88
pitches were needed to meet future demand.
All English councils must do a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation
Assessment, a GTAA. When Chichester did theirs in June 2007
they decided on 53, not 88. This was, explained Chichester’s
Louise Gibbons, “a reasonable assessment of total need, including
latent demand and concealed families.” But now they’ve
downgraded the number again – to just 15.
The Council blames the South East of England Regional
Assembly, SEERA.
“SEERA requested that all GTAAs should go through a
‘benchmarking exercise’. This raised questions about double
counting and methodology with the result that the site provision
for the District is now based on 15 pitches,” say Chichester.
But SEERA’s planning director, Catriona Riddell, says they have
independent consultants from Birmingham, Salford and Sheffield
Hallam universities to check the figures. “People will have an
opportunity to comment on proposals in 2008, which is followed
by a thorough testing process.”
Greg Yates, who took Chichester Council to the High Court over
site provision, said the figures were ridiculous. “If they came up
with a figure of 53 they should stick with that, unless they bring
reasonable evidence to show why the new figure is correct.”
Lucy and Megan Lamb, from Cambridgeshire,
have picked up a BT award for helping to
make a difference to their community.
The Government has pledged to secure
the future for young Travellers like these.
councils to tackle anti-social behaviour
where “Gypsies and Travellers are either the
victims or perpetrators”;
regular meetings with Gyspy and Traveller
leaders on housing and planning;
better reporting on Gypsy and Traveller
issues to Parliament.
Sir Brian Briscoe chaired the Task Group.
“The challenge is to get sites on the ground to
meet the need for 4000 pitches, so that
NEWS BRIEFS
Gypsies and Travellers can have secure homes.
It is crucial that Government regularly monitors
progress, to ensure that there is no slackening
of the pace in securing better lives for the
children and young people of this small but
important ethnic minority.”
The report, The Road Ahead, is available at
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/
Taskgroupreport or from the Department of
Communities and Local Government:
✆ 0207 944 4400
WHO’S THIS TASK GROUP? AND WHAT DO THEY WANT? Go to www.travellerstimes.org.uk
Worcestershire
Worcestershire claims the
fourth highest number of
Gypsies and Travellers in England
and yet 20% live on illegal sites.
Now a group has been set up to
campaign for change. The
Worcestershire Gypsy and Traveller
Support Group has published a
booklet, The Forgotten Minority –
Gypsies and Travellers highlighting
the issues confronting
Worcestershire Travelling people.
At the launch 17-year-old teaching
assistant Kathleen Jones told
delegates: “I’m a Gypsy and I’m
proud of it. But what our
community needs is more sites.”
The new Support Group is backed
by police, local councils, Travellers
and David Walker, the Bishop of
Dudley. Rooftop Housing
(70 High Street, Evesham,
Worcestershire, WR11 4YD
✆ 01386 420800) have copies
of the booklet.
The Council insisted the problem on the site
had been sorted out now. “We have had recent
COVER: Sharon
problems in respect of anti-social behaviour of
Kefford checks out
The East of England Regional Assembly has been first past the
a very limited number of site residents and
the best bags at
some criminal damage to Council property and
post in coming up with final figures for new pitches in England.
Selfridges
residents' trailers. The Council took legal action
They estimate 1190 new pitches will be needed by 2011. The
Read London’s Irish Conference
to remedy the situation and order has now been
See page 12
Report at www.travellerstimes.org.uk
TT 2
Government will finalise the figures for England next year.
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS restored on the site,” said their spokesman.
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
Greg
Yates
u
Telling it how it is: teaching
assistant Kathleen Jones shows
the Bishop of Dudley, David Walker,
around the site where she lives.
Lincolnshire
q
PHOTO: Lyndsay Wilson
Lincolnshire’s Gypsy Liaison
Group (LGLG) has launched
a ‘floating support service’ run by
the Travelling community to tackle
issues like planning, health,
education, accommodation and
discrimination. The service will be
line-managed by the Derbyshire
Gypsy Liaison Group, the first time
that a Gypsy organisation has taken
on a supporting role in this way.
“Our thanks to all concerned,”
says LGLG’s Ryalla Duffy
✆ 07507 558359
Hull
q
Hull GATE (Gypsy and
Traveller Exchange) has a
new address: The Community
Enterprise Centre, Cottingham Road
(Old Grammar School), Hull, HU5
2DH, ✆ 01482 441002 (Ext
205) or elaine.sb@ourcomms.org
q
TT 3

TRAVELLERS’ TALK
The hurt that doesn’t show
Twelve-year-old ‘Rose’ tells TT
about the day her Dad fell ill
GUEST EDITOR
Mary Horner of
Romany Road
PEOPLE& PLACES
From my album
I first knew something was wrong when my
Dad would go to work at six in the morning,
come home, have no tea and just get straight
into bed. Then the crying would start. He just
couldn’t help himself.
My Uncle took him to the doctors. “You have a
nervous breakdown” she said. She gave him
some pills and sent him home. When my Uncle
broke the news, we all started crying! I didn’t
know what was going on.
Later that day my dad was in bed. Me and my
family was in the other trailer having our tea.
Then all of a sudden my dad came stumbling
out and shouted: “I had an overdose.” My Aunt
made him drink salt water so he would be sick.
Then I had to watch the strangest man I knew
be taken to hospital in an ambulance.
During that day we got a phone call saying he
will be fine. I felt happy. My Nanny and Grandad
came over to stop the night because Mam and
Dad was staying at my Aunt’s house. It hurt me
to think that my Dad wanted to be dead.
Mam and Dad had help to get in touch with the
Crisis Team (a local mental health team).
The Team started coming out twice a day. My
sister’s birthday had arrived it was all going
great. We went out for lunch and everything.
But then my Dad started thinking things. He
was shaking, sweating, crying. Then all of my
Dad’s family came. They tried to calm him
down but they couldn’t. Then it came to the
crunch whether he wanted to go in the mental
home or not. They said they would look after
him and visit him every day. We took him cakes
and sweets and even drink as time went by. He
even started having home visits with a member
of staff. But it didn’t seem to work.
We’ve cried so much
I think we ran out of
tears at one point
At New Year’s Eve we all tried to enjoy ourselves,
but it just wasn’t the same without Dad.
The only thing that kept us going was we made
a pact that the New Year would be a better
one. People came to see us and then they left
but there was nothing they could do, just be
there for us and a shoulder to cry on. We just
wanted our Dad back the way he was.
He started to come home again for one hour,
then two, then three and then the big one
came – a whole day. Then two days. We had
to do things really slowly, but it was so hard.
It was like walking on egg shells if you said the
wrong thing or made too much noise it would
upset him. But Mam said to me you’ve got to
be yourself show him what he’s been missing,
reality of life and his family.
This was the start of a very long couple of years
for us all. We’ve cried so much I think we ran
PHOTO: Pictoreal
out of tears at one point.
He is still with us now. Some days good, some
bad. He’s not quite the Dad he was but we still
love him. None of us really understand my
Dad’s illness but now we know that things that
hurt don’t have to show.
Through the good times and bad we’re all here
for each other.
‘Rose’ (not her real name) wrote her story with
help from the mental health team. If you want
more help on mental health call the
MindinfoLine ✆ 0845 766 0163
Traveller suicide rates are four times the
national average in Ireland, according to an
article in Voice of the Traveller which is running
a series of articles on mental health.
voiceofthetraveller@natc.ie
Soldier Sam: Photographed standing right with his
unknown mate in Bournemouth, Samson James
was one of eleven children. He served in the army
in the First World War, but was sent home when
he was wounded in France. The son of Samson
James Senior, and Kate James (nee Collins),
Samson was probably born at Heavenly Bottom,
Parkstone, Dorset. Samson Senior and Kate later
lived in a big wagon at Rossmore near Parkstone.
In World War Two Samson Junior worked on
munitions. He never married and died in the 1960s.
Top: Ambrose with his mother.
Below: Ambrose (far right) by the fire.
Lisa Stanley (above) also lived at the lovely
named Heavenly Bottom near Parkstone.
She features in a recent issue of Romany
Road, the newsletter of the Romany history
group (www.romanyroad.co.uk). Thanks to
Jean Matthews for the picture.
Farewell
“We need to redouble our efforts and support those policies which will
eventually lead to full recognition of our right to equality, both morally,
and under the law of the land, with safe and healthy sites and places to
stop for those who continue to travel, and proper recognition of our status,
even when housed or on site. Happy Nevi Bersh to all.”
The New Forest’s Len Smith and his New Year message in 2004. Len died in December
last year. Other campaigners who reached the end of the road in 2007 included the Scottish
storyteller Duncan Williamson, lawyer Diana Allen and planning experts Ron Stainer and
Brian Richardson. They are remembered at www.travellerstimes.org.uk
TT 4 TRAVELLERS’ TALK
PEOPLE& PLACES TT 5

MAKING HISTORY
June will be National History Month for
Gypsy, Roma and Travelling people.
The idea comes from the National Association
of Traveller Teachers and the Advisory Council
for the Education of Romany and other
Travellers (the Travellers’ champion, Lord
Avebury, is their president). The Children’s
Commissioner, Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, is
supporting the idea: “Gypsy, Traveller and Roma
children face discrimination and are not yet
achieving their full potential,” he told TT.
“National History Month will provide an excellent
opportunity to challenge that discrimination,
deepening knowledge of their history and
dispelling myths, ignorance and prejudice.”
Do you have a historic photo of your family?
Send a copy to Travellers’ Times for our
special feature, In Our Time.
TT 6
reviews
ARTS& CULTURE
Carys Gwilym and
Carwyn Jones in
Remembering Johnny
REMEMBERING
JOHNNY
Huey Delaney (11), Nelina McCann
(11) and Chantelle Purcell (13), above,
were in the audience at Wrexham.
They remember Johnny well. Huey, Nelina and
Chantelle live at Ruthin Road Caravan Site and
attend St Joseph’s in Wrexham. Chantelle, who
recalls Johnny as “happy, kind and helpful”
said the play was “good, but sad”.
Nelina explained: “The reason the actors
brought the play into school was to show
people not to call other people names.
It’s a good thing for other children to learn.”
Chantelle didn’t think the performance went
far enough: “More people should see it:
they should do a DVD.”
Heroes by Ann Perry
MODEL WORKER
21-year-old Irish Traveller Shirley Joyce
is a community development worker for
Southwark Travellers Action Group
(STAG). “I’m also a model,” explains Shirley.
“I was picked to go to China to be Miss Irish in
2007, I’ve done a catwalk with Kate Moss, and
have appeared in films with famous people like
Danny Dyer.” STAG, which produces its own
magazine, The Southwark Traveller Times with
the local Traveller Education Service, has
brought out a New Year calendar with photos
taken by Syntia and Monalisa Waskowska,
Natasha O’Brien, and Breeda Corcoran. Call
STAG’s Ann-Marie O’Brien if you want a copy
✆ 020 7639 1823.
It’s not too late to order your 2008 Derbyshire
Gypsy Liaison Group calendar with plenty of
colour pictures and horse fair dates. Send £10
to Robert Dawson, 188 Alfreton Road,
Blackwell, Alfreton, DE55 5JH or email
bob@robertdsawson.co.uk
ARTS& CULTURE
Johnny Delaney died after
he was attacked in May
2003. Late last year the
Welsh theatre company,
Cwmni’r Frân Wen, toured
their play, Johnny Delaney,
around schools in north
and mid Wales.
“Johnny’s story is a lasting
reminder of how racial
intolerances, which still
prevails in today’s society,
can lead to acts of
mindless violence,” says
Cwmni’r Fran Wen.
PHOTO: Wynn Jones
FINE FOOTWORK
Thirteen-year-old Lee Smith from the
Blackwell site in South Cambridgeshire
is in his second season with the
Cambridge Musketeers. Now he has told
his story, along with Jenny Webb of Willingham
and Tom Webb from Cottenham, as part of the
Faces of the Fen Project. The three ‘digital
stories’ – a voice-over with film and photos –
have been recorded on DVD. Details from Amy
Wormald at the Cottenham Village College
✆ 01954 288944 amy@start-arts.org.uk
Heroes (Barrington Stoke www.barringtonstoke.co.uk, £5.99) is aimed as a quick read for older
readers. Ideal for new readers with a reading age of around eight. Mandy Allen, a volunteer with Hull
GATE organises Saturday Youth Sessions. She checked it out for TT: “The book has two stories, the
first set in the First World War and the second story in Afghanistan. The first story was very easy to
read and I really enjoyed it. The second story was harder because there was lots of big words that
I've never come across. I’d recommend this book to men but it's not really a women's book.”
GUEST EDITORS
The children from
Priory Learning Centre
Guest editors for this Young
Times page are the young
people from Priory Learning
Centre in Pembrokeshire, seen
here checking out the stories
and choosing their favourites.
Breaking Boundaries
Levi Smith joined South Nutfield Cricket Club at the
end of 2006 showing enormous promise and a very
quick arm, writes Lucy Donavon.
His first match was against one of
the tougher teams and he rose
to the challenge, batting at
number five and scoring a
rapid 22 runs, including
the only six of the game.
His bowling was just as
lethal, taking two wickets,
with devastating accuracy.
Lee is totally committed
to the game and always puts
in 100%.
He is one of the best fielders in the club, strong as an ox and
fast! Nothing gets past him, and he has never dropped a catch!
“Lee has been a breathe of fresh air to our club. We are proud to
have him playing for us and he has a bright future ahead.”
YOUNGTIMES
Family Fun
There was fun and frolics for these young people at Blackwell in Kings Hedges, Cambridge
last autumn when, for Family Learning Week, Maria Lam worked with mums to make
knight’s shields, princess hats and plenty of healthy food to eat with the children.
YoungTimes
Dressed for the Fair: sisters from
Southampton snapped at last
autumn’s Stow Fair by Joanna
Jacobs.
Tae Kwon
Do champs
I’m Leanne from Pershore and I
would like to tell you about my
son Kevin Smith and his cousin
Craig Hall, both eleven. They started
Tae Kwon Do in March 2003. Kevin has
won the ITF British Championship Fight Night.
He got his Black Belt in June and Craig is
trying for his any day now. Their trainer Leo
Withers has been kind and helpful: we are
Travellers, but he treats us all the same.
Above, Kevin with Craig, Shady Hall,
Harry Lock and Leo Withers.
Congrats to former Brynteg
pupil Shannon Treharne
from Bynea, Swansea on
passing your Grade 1 violin
Becky Price from
Pembrooke’s Priory
Centre checks out the
last TT. But it was
Kirby Jones who
spotted our missing
caption on page 3.
Sorry Kirby. Just for
the record: Pupils from
the Priory Learning
Centre visited London last
summer to visit the theatre,
shop at Harrods and see the Crown Jewels too!
Savvy
Chavvy?
Are you into
Bebo, Facebook
or MySpace?
A new website where
all young Gypsies and
Travellers can share
their lives, music,
pictures and films has
been set up to help
young Gypsies and
Travellers across
Britain keep in touch.
See what's online
so far at:
www.savvychavvy.com
For many years
Travellers took the jeers
And kept them deep inside.
‘You tramp, you tinker,
You Gypsie, you minger’
Was all they would ever call
But they never knew us Travellers,
No, not at all.
For we are human just like you’s
And we will stand and shout
our views.
For we are proud of who we are
And we will shout it near and far
Because God shall be one with
the final say
And he’ll never say the Travellers
are to blame
Because we are all the same.
Nan Joyce
YOUNGTIMES
TT 7

Make Roma Day a national holiday
Thirty-six Traveller children
from Kent converged on
London on November 20 –
National Children’s Rights
Day – to petition Prime
Minister Gordon Brown.
The children themselves
came up with the idea for
the March and the different
petitions. One asked the
Government to make
National Roma Day, April
8, a public holiday. Another
called on the Prime Minister
to set up more sites. And a
third called for the country
to celebrate National
Children’s Rights Day.
Angie Jones, one of the
arrangers, thanked all the
schools who helped the
children to take part. “It
was a very successful day.
The police were really nice
and helpful, but the
weather was a nightmare –
the children were all like
drowned rats.”
The Prime Minster has
promised to pass their
concerns on to his
Ministers.
A family affair, Henry Hilden on his
cousin Charley’s shoulders with
George Harber and Genty Redworth
PICTURETHIS
Petitioning the
Prime Minister,
Amy Lee
Holding the banner, Amy Lee, Libby Goldsmith,
Shannon Turner and Shannon Herring
Johnny Hilden,
12, on National
Children’s Rights Day
We need sites! Shannon, Libby,
Shannon, Josh, Charlie and Lena
Libby and
John Boy
Goldsmith,
Johnny
Hilden, Blue
and Bridie
Jones outside
Number 10
Photographer Olivia Woodhouse has
worked on press and documentaries
for the last seven years. “I work in the
south of England and am based in both
London and Bristol,” says Olivia. “I try
to take photos that give a voice to the
people I am photographing.”
TT 8
PICTURE THIS
PICTURETHIS PICTURETHIS TT 9

LETTERS& EMAILS
Letters & emails
Flood alert
Stop and Protest
I was interested in the Minister’s comments (Issue 33) regarding
the last bastions of racial hatred focused upon Travellers.
I am fortunate to have a top-class education thanks to my parents, and
fortunate to marry a fine woman who holds a Masters degree. We are both
from good Romany stock, have never forgotten our upbringing, and have
never lived in anything else but a trailer.
But looking at the facts I think we are still no closer to our objectives of
trying to explain to Government, county councils, district councils, parish
councils, ministers and lobbyists that our needs are great and at crisis point.
For God’s sake, we are living in the year 2008 and still being put down as
our ancestors were 100 years ago.
It would be interesting to see if Travellers were prepared to make a stand
and fight for our rights. I admired that truck driver who blocked the
motorway over fuel pricing policies.
I wonder if Travellers would be prepared to do
this? Imagine three to five thousand cars and
caravans together at one time in one place.
It would cause pandemonium. Cushty Bok.
Don't loose heart: we are on the right side.
James Adams and Family
Can we say thanks to the staff, site
manager, Laurie Rooney, and residents
of Gapton Hall Traveller site in Great
Yarmouth, Norfolk in the wake of severe flood
warnings last November? The site had to be
evacuated, but, despite the upheaval, the
families were pleased to be safe. And a special
thank you to them all: their temporary site was
left in an immaculate state, residents even
clearing away rubbish left by others as they
didn’t want their reputation besmirched.
Jonathan, NORFOLK
Tasty dishes
Riding Out
Traveller trades
Visiting relatives at Dale Farm, Essex recently I was
disappointed to hear the usual stories of tradesmen
not coming onto site to repair washing machines, cookers and all
those things that eventually go wrong. Do other sites suffer from
this predjudice? How have others got round it? Can this be
challenged? We are in grave danger of slipping back to the overt
racism that my parents suffered in the 1960s and 1970s. I’d urge
any parents to try and train their son’s in these trades: imagine
the workload from these sites alone. And how comforting to be
helped by a Traveller, as many women have found for themselves.
Candy Sheridan, NORFOLK
Kent Traveller John Vine had to prove planning
permission before EDF would provide him with power –
read all about it at www.travellerstimes.org.uk
Follow your dream
My husband agreed with Dominic Reeves’ comment
on the Sexiest men at Stow. There is so much more
going on at the fairs that would be of more interest! And I’d like
to say to Marylou Crawt (‘Will I be accepted?’ Issue 33): Keep
on going, follow your dream and don’t give up! What fantastic
information and knowledge you are going to be giving them.
Hold on to your heritage and keep it alive.
Lori
Don’t forget Sheffield!
I think you should write more things about Sheffield. We get
nothing written about us. Us young ‘ens don’t get no help 2 get
a job or nothing, not like all the other places.
Bonnie, SHEFFIELD
In August Jimmy Smith, (my Dad), organised a drive out round
the New Forest. Travellers came from all over Hampshire with
their horse and carts. We are having another drive in June 2008.
Rosemarie Smith, NEW FOREST
Tasty dishes: there’s nothing like home cooking, say the women from the Sussex
Traveller Women’s Health Project. They produced their own recipe book full of tasty
meals like rabbit stew and shackles. The group (left) was set up by Brighton-based Friends,
Families and Travellers (www.gypsy-traveller.org) who believe that “all members of society
should have the right to travel and to stop without constant fear of persecution because of their
lifestyle.” Buy the book (£4.95 plus p&p) from Susanna King on ✆ 01273 234796.
Reading the signs
Where does a Gypsy or Traveller who
is deaf or hard of hearing go for help?
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST TO DELIVER
SUPPORTING PEOPLE SERVICES
Nottinghamshire County Council on behalf of the
Nottinghamshire Supporting People Partnership and Nottingham
City Supporting People is seeking expressions
of interest from suitably qualified and experienced service
providers to tender for the following support contract:
GYPSY AND TRAVELLER
FLOATING SUPPORT SERVICE
PEOPLE& PLACES
Ref 0616
Housing Related Support service providers are required to
offer floating support services to people from the Gypsy and
Traveller community throughout Nottinghamshire County and
Nottingham City. 48 units of support averaging approximately
2.5 hours of direct support time per person are required.
It is anticipated the service will commence in June/July 2008.
The closing date for submission of tender (0616) is 03/03/08
Tender documentation can be obtained from
Nottinghamshire Supporting People Partnership by emailing:
nottssupportingpeople.org.uk
www.nottssupportingpeople.org.uk
Diane signs the
word for Gypsy
PHOTO: Hilary Smallwood
Diane’s interest started when she learned sign
language – “Because you use your hands and
face when signing you have to show your
emotions: it’s a beautiful language.
At first she had no one to practise on, “but
then we got a deaf postman visiting our site:
at last I had someone to talk to.”
If you know someone who needs help and
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Joining forces
Traveller Stephen Thomas is serving as
a Police Community Support Officer
(CSO) with West Mercia Police in
Kidderminster. “I come from a settled
Traveller family who moved into a house when I
was born. I passed nine GCSEs at school then
left to start employment.
“I’ve worked for the police for two years as a
CSO and I am currently applying to become a
police officer,” says Stephen. “I have been open
about my background and accepted well within
the force, sometimes being asked for advice by
fellow officers and partner agencies.”
Diane Jones, a Traveller who has been working
with the Worcester charity Deaf Direct, wants to
West Mercia Police have a Gypsy and Traveller
find out. “There’s just nothing around on the
advisor, Sergeant Allie Webster. “The
problems deaf Gypsies and Travellers face. We
relationship between police forces and the
don’t even know the extent of the problem.”
Gypsy and Traveller communities has not
always been an easy one, but many police
Yet, she says, being deaf can be isolating.
forces are helping to break down the barriers
“People often cover up their deafness and just
between these communities and the police, by
try to get by. They don’t realise there’s often 710 870 destiny-di1@yahoo.co.uk
Supporting_People_Ad_V2 11/1/08 14:42 Page 1
AlphaTalk_Ad_TT33_V2
appointing
27/9/07
people
15:10
to carry
Page
out a
1
role similar to
help available.”
mine,” says Allie. He’s on ✆ 01905 747077
• Advertise on van or business cards
• Also available to mobile:
- 0845 local rate numbers
- 0207 & 0208 London numbers
- 0161 Manchester, 0151 Liverpool numbers
- Many more local codes available
For instant connection today call:
0800 781 0123
www.alphatalk.com
TT 10
LETTERS& EMAILS
PEOPLE& PLACES
TT 11

TT TEST
Kate Moss is rumoured to like a Mulberry.
Government Minister Tessa Jowell likes a
Chloé. TT sent Sharon Kefford from
Leicestershire to check out the best
handbags at Birmingham’s Selfridges.
The Bracher
Emden
‘butterfly bag’
This bag was my
favourite – the silver
one was fantastic.
My friend and her
j
daughter both have
butterfly bags – the
large one for her and
the exact same one
only in small for the
little girl. They look
so cute.
PRICE CHECK:
£799
RIGHTS& ADVICE
Safe as houses
A new law will give council Gypsy site
residents the same tenancy rights as those
living in houses, reports Jake Bowers
Gypsy and Traveller campaigners are celebrating
victory after the government published
proposals to plug a legal loophole that has left
residents on Britain’s 350 Gypsy and Traveller
sites without tenancy rights. At present all a
local council has to do to evict a Gypsy and
Traveller family from a council-owned site is to
give 28 days’ notice and obtain a court order.
Unlike those in council housing, council site
residents currently have no legal defence
against such a move.
Four years ago this situation led to the British
Government being found guilty under the
European Convention on Human Rights of
breaching the rights of Gypsies and Travellers to
“respect for private and family life, home and
correspondence.” But if clause 272 of the Housing
and Regeneration Bill becomes law, Gypsies
and Travellers will gain new tenancy rights.
A decent
home is
important
to us all
Julie Morgan MP
f
Dolce and Gabbana
leopard print bag
If you want to stand out in a crowd,
this is the bag! It would look great
in the summer.
PRICE CHECK: £389
j
Juicy Couture bag
With silk bow tie it was very comfortable to carry and
would be perfect with a matching velour tracksuit.
PRICE CHECK: £176
Juicy Couture Baby bag
All the young mothers would love one of
these. My daughter-in-law and sister-inlaw
have one. They are so useable.
PRICE CHECK: £246
r
Labour MP Julie Morgan praised the Bill for
boosting the rights of Gypsies and Travellers.
She said the new law would help Gypsies and
Travellers living on council sites gain access to
better schools, jobs and health care.
“The lack of security of tenure that exists at the
moment means that site residents can be
evicted even if they have done nothing wrong at
all. It's grossly unfair that there has been this
disparity up until now.”
She said the Bill would undo a serious injustice
that has affected Gypsies and Travellers for far too
long. “To have a decent home is one of the most
important things for all of us. I’m very pleased
that the Government is now addressing this.”
The new law will be welcomed by many. Not
least the residents of the site at Romany Way in
Kessingland, Suffolk where an attempt to evict
a family under the current law led to those
facing eviction having their water and electricity
turned off.
Site manager Ian Real has mixed feelings about
the new law. “I’m all for equal rights for Gypsies
and Travellers,” he says, “but from a management
point of view I’m sceptical because there are
rogue elements within the Travelling community.
If you get a bad family moving on that is going
to upset the site, and if we have to follow all
the procedures that are being laid down, you
TT 12 RIGHTS& ADVICE
could lose control of the site quite quickly.”
TT 13

1402_TT33_V3 1/10/07 13:14 Page 1
Autumn 2007
PICTURETHIS
RIGHTS& ADVICE
NATIONAL& LOCALNEWS
EUROPE& THEWORLD
Czech
Mate
Recent court judgements reveal just
Jake
Bowers
how deep discrimination is towards the
Roma community of eastern Europe.
If you had to live in conditions like that,
you’d move west too, argues Jake Bowers.
This autumn was a good
one for the Czech Roma
community, but it stank
for its government. In
October, Roma Woman Elena
Gorolova won $260,000
compensation for being
sterilized against her will, leaving the way clear
for hundreds of other Roma women, deprived of
their basic right to have children, to do likewise.
Their musical
skills put ours
to shame
PHOTO: Elisabeth Blanchett
Just one month later, 16 bright and courageous
Roma kids from the same town of Ostrava also
celebrated, after their legal battle resulted in the
Czech government being condemned for
routinely sending Roma kids to special schools
for the mentally handicapped. Eastern Europe
is beginning to wake up to its shame, and its
judges are voting for change. But its Gypsies
with their shiny new EU passports have waited
long enough. They are voting with their feet.
From Gravesend to Glasgow they are arriving in
their thousands. Their arrival is a challenge to
all of Britain, but to Gypsies and Travellers too.
Let’s face it, 500 years apart has made us very
different. They are generally darker than we are,
more urban than most of us and do and say
things we can’t understand. We share words, a
culture and a history, but like very distant cousins
that pass each other at a funeral we look at
each other with interest and not a little suspicion.
“They ain’t proper needies!” I’ve heard people
say and I know they are thinking the same
about us. But why should we allow the years,
the miles and the borders to put a wedge
between us? Haven’t we all known what it’s like
to live in a land that doesn’t want you, your
kids or your culture? So next time you see a
Roma regard them as a cousin and tell them
who you are. Every British Gypsy or Traveller I
know that has done so has enjoyed what’s
come from it. Viewing the differences between
us as a threat makes us no better than the
gorgias that forcibly settled, sterilized and
segregated them in the first place.
But there’s a better reason for getting to know
them too. Many Roma from Eastern Europe
might not know one end of a horse from
another or how to be their own boss, but their
Romani language and musical skills put ours to
shame. We both have a lot to give and receive.
Given what they’ve come from, they are
probably here to stay. Seeing as what’s ours is
now theirs, shouldn’t what’s theirs be ours too?
You may also like to note that I am asking the
Government the following question: Whether,
considering the judgement of the European Court
of Human Rights in the case of AH and others v
Czech Republic concerning access by Roma
children to the ordinary state educational system,
they will review their policies so as to get more
Gypsies and Travellers into secondary education.
As you will appreciate, the case of AH and
Others turned on the inferior treatment of Roma
children in the Czech schools, and lawyers I
have consulted tell me its possible that it may
have implications for the poor educational
outcomes of our own Gypsy and Traveller children.
Unique survey
Almost 600 of you completed your
questionnaire in TT’s unique
survey of contemporary Gypsy
and Traveller life.
TT will bring you the results (and your
comments) in the Spring issue.
Meanwhile congratulations to John Rowntree from
Middlesex who wins £100 for being first out of the hat – and
thanks to Lord Avebury for selecting our winner.
SITE WARDEN
WANTED
Required. Family or
Warden wanted to run
a site in Devon. Free
rent plus free use of
site electric and water
etc. Just got passed
with full licence.
CONTACT ALF ON:
✆ 07879
065702
Travellers’
Times
The national magazine for Gypsies and Travellers
TT SURVEY INSIDE
YOU COULD WIN £100
33
ISSUE
Recruitment
TRAVELLERS’ TIMES
Photo competition
Times
Yellow Rose Award Winner
Travellers’
TRAVELLERS IN PRISON
The inside story
YELLOW ROSE AWARDS
TT’s a winner!
8
12
3
NEW
OPPORTUNITIES!
Advertise with us on our
updated and improved
website. It’s the best way
to reach the Gypsies and
Travellers and organisations
that work with them.
Services Events Products Tenders
Find us at www.ruralmedia/travellerstimes/opportunities
Call Clair now 01432 344039 or
Email: clairg@ruralmedia.co.uk
TT 14
Travellers’ Times
is published by
The Rural Media Company
Travellers’ Times is the national magazine for
Gypsies and Travellers, and people and
organisations who work with Gypsies and
Travellers. We are guided by our editorial
group and strive for accuracy and fairness.
CALL 01432 344039 to get YOUR
copy of Travellers’ Times.
CONTACT US AT:
Travellers’ Times
Sullivan House
72–80 Widemarsh Street
Hereford, HR4 9HG
Tel 01432 344039
Email
travellerstimes@ruralmedia.co.uk
www.travellerstimes.org.uk
The Rural Media Company is a registered charity
(number 1041335; in Wales 2732325)
Company limited by guarantee.
Editor
Bill Laws
Picture editor & co-ordinator
Hilary Smallwood
Features editor
Jake Bowers
Advertising & editorial
Clair Gough
Volunteer
Isabel Brunt
Design
Maria Dispirito www.dispirito.co.uk
THE RURAL MEDIA COMPANY
www.ruralmedia.co.uk
Travellers’ Times
is supported by the
Big Lottery Fund.
TT 15