Travellers’ School Charity Newsletter Summer 2005
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Kilroy – a week with the Gypsies
Channel 4’s documentary provides us with an opportunity to build bridges between different Traveller and Gypsy cultures. If you haven’t seen this piece of media, let us know and we can send you a copy on CD.
The half hour film can only serve to remind us what a long way we have to go, we can achieve more through campaigning together and taking on social divides united as not one people but a collection of people with similar aims. We have the right to live our lives without bricks and mortar but to claim that right we need to stand strong against the tidal wave of prejudice from those that think it’s the only way to be.
"they can't travel because there's nowhere for them to travel to"
The filming is a commendable effort from those Gypsies who bravely took part and allowed their lives to be captured on film. It’s a touching and historic moment to see the real human plight of pre-eviction trauma fuelling the desire to be validated as an exposition of wrongdoings and mis-spendings of public money.
Kilroy’s abuse of his powerful position in the media and his emphatic lack of understanding is offset by Janie Codona’s wonderful grace and humour and her husband’s moving expression of pride. Cliff Codona’s campaign for a quality of life is a measure for us all who can touch our true selves and remain unbroken.
| Festivals
TSC crew Kaye, Anna, Dave and the (5 kids) provided free swing-boats and an information stall at HES FES in May. A small amount of money was raised (£17) as well as generating interest and gaining new subscribers. |
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| The swingboats belong to Kaye who is now a member of ACES and has Showman's Public Liability for the Ride. The next festival planned to visit is the Big Green Gathering where a promotional stall is planned along with the swingboats and smooothie bar, raising money and awareness of current activities and issues. TSC will be in the Campaigns area. We would be glad to hear from anyone who is interested in donating some time to helping out on the stall at festivals during the summer. Funding has been provided to design and build a new information board. We're just about to begin this, so if you have some good ideas you or would like to contribute please let us know right away. We hope to complete the design by Solstice and have the finished article ready before the end of July ready for the BGG. Plans so far involve an all weather Perspex covered info stand with a small solar panel producing power for 50 LED's so it can be read at night. Psand and Bristolwireless.net provided a whole tent full of laptops to surf the internet, they were all Sat pros- very low spec machines but using the Linux server from one high spec laptop in the truck and running the ethernet cable into the marquee made it possible for all the children to access the internet simultaneously (using of course- the high speed Broadband internet access provided by Psand's satellite) Workshops also took place where desktop migration and community based freeware were investigated. Unlike Microsoft, though to use Linux requires access to the internet to access assistance, though it's freeware capabilities and non-corporate status make it very attractive for those who are prepared to invest their time learning how to avoid the Bill Gates monopoly. |
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Music workshop |
Psand & Bristolwireless prove what you can do with a bunch of old laptops and a satellite dish! |
Computer Classroom News Kaye's truck is hoping to stay in one piece long enough to complete the final year of the project. There are six training events left to facilitate and we hope to arrange them all so that everyone who wants to attend is able to do so. In Lincoln where one of the laptops is on permanent loan, a family are willing to host a training event on their land. |
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The University was built on the Swan feeding grounds and they are suffering due to having to scavenge for food in the city centre, populations have plummeted inspiring discussions with the University and Council to conserve and area for their needs.Funding applications are in progress to provide technical assistance and upgrades to all the laptops out on permanent loan once the project comes to a close in March 2006. |
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| In April on Telegraph Hill a well attended renewable energy training event took place. There was so much to cover with Sustainergy's comprehensive approach we hardly covered the basics on computers! There are still many people who have almost no knowledge and experience of computers and as technology takes another sweeping curve up beyond the reach of many Travellers the 'digital divide' is more apparent. |  |
Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition Conference
TSC attended the conference and were accepted as members of the Coalition.
The Coalition urged all who attended to spread the word and get as many Gypsies and Travellers as possible to join the Coalition as it has made such an impact on Policy in a short time.
The new needs assessment directive was discussed and this calls into process the need for people to stand up and be counted - if only to prove that they exist, unless the needs assessment is complied with ( and it does seem to be a big compromise) it seems that there will be no progress made in calling on Local Councils to identify possible areas where Sites can be developed. It is important to challenge Councils' slack attitudes and the Coalition is set up to help us do that, with a Coalition we have a chance, there are far too many NIMBY's and they outnumber us, we will only win if we fight together, so come on all you people who are parked up in limbo land not quite sure how long you'll be able to stay - define your future and demand the right to be a Traveller, help us all make sure there is a right to exist as a culture and celebrate our diversity with pride. Fight for a site even if you don't need it now, the future may force you somewhere worse if action isn't taken to prevent it. The new Police Powers resemble the military rule of North America, we will be rounded up and put somewhere if we don't stand up and resist now..
“In the last two years we have achieved so much. There is often a danger that we don't appreciate perhaps all that we have achieved but we have moved along way forward. We have got responses ok maybe they're not as much as we would have hoped for but at least Gypsies' and Travellers' are on the political agenda.
Michael Howard try to make political gain out of talking down Gypsies' and Travellers' then you know that he's worried because he wouldn't be worrying about Gypsies' and Travellers' unless Gypsies' and Travellers' were worrying him and you keep worrying him, you keep worrying Tony Blair, you keep worrying his government until you have what you want.
Human Rights, basic human rights, a place to live, a place to rear your children, a place to be yourself and that's all your asking for and don't stop until you get it. That's what this conference should be and take that message away from here. Worry them, worry them, worry them and we worry them by getting together in bigger and bigger numbers and showing them that they no longer ignore Gypsies' and Travellers'.
Let us keep building, keep walking together hand in hand, no differences. United together we stand and united together we will get what we want and that's the message that must go out from here today. United as one. “
The Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition won the Liberty Human Rights Award.
To join the G&TLRC and for more information contact Andrew Ryder:
c/o ITM Banderway House
156/162 Kilburn High Road
London
NW6 4JD
romanistan@yahoo.com
Tel: 07985 684921
Cornwall Inter-Agency Traveller Forum
'Promoting & supporting the rights of Gypsies and Travellers in Cornwall'
Conference
"Breaking Barriers, Shifting Cultures"
Headland Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall
29th June 9.00 - 4.00
Opening remarks ; The Rt Revd Bill Ind, Bishop of Truro
Keynote Speaker
Andrew Ryder
Coordinator of the Traveller Law Reform Coalition
Speakers include
Angus Murdoch Community Law Partnership
Maggie Smith-Bendall Romani Gypsy Liaison Officer
Acting Inspector Nick Williams Met. police Diversity Directorate
Jake Bowers Romani Journalist
Rebecca Holt Health Visitor for Travelling Families
The Gypsy and Traveller communities in the UK experience widespread deprivation, social exclusion and discrimination. The lack of provision of suitable site for Gypsies and Travellers is the root cause of most of the difficulties they face today.
This conference will bring together practitioners in the areas of law, planning, health, social services, education and racial equality who have National recognition to address these issues.
Workshops to improve quality of life.
In the afternoon there will be an opportunity for statutory agencies who work with Traveller communities in Cornwall to develop best practice and share their views. Conference fee; £50 Free to Travellers
Crèche facilities available if booked in advance. Enquiries to Ginny Harrison-White/Michele Lee
01726 77113
gharrisonwhite@cornwall.gov.uk
Afternoon workshop focus
planning
Racial Equality
Law
Policing
Needs Assessments & Consultation with Travellers
FREE RECIPE BOOKS
The Sussex Traveller Women's Health Project
Recipes chosen by volunteers from the Sussex Traveller Women's Health Project. They are a combination of traditional Traveller Recipes, some healthy alternatives, and some just simply old favourites.
A4 and in colour
free to Travellers, please write, call, email or send us a text..
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The Travellers' School Charity,
P.O. Box 2, Goodwick,Pembrokeshire. SA64 0ZQ
UK Registered Charity No. 327731