| | | | | | | | Welcome to the May edition of Spotlight | | | | Welcome to your May Spotlight! Read on to find out about our work over the last month and remember to follow us on social media for regular updates. X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok
| | | | | | | | Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As we move into the summer months, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the key developments in our work both the achievements and the challenges ahead.
In Manchester, our continued efforts to challenge discriminatory policing is making positive headway. The mass dispersal order affecting Romani and Irish Traveller children has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for full investigation, a welcome and necessary step towards justice and transparency.
We are absolutely delighted that the NHS has announced it will begin aligning patient ethnicity data with the 2021 Census categories for Romani Gypsies, Roma, and Irish Travellers. This long-overdue step is the result of nearly two decades of tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment and our sector colleagues and the Traveller movement. It stands as a powerful testament to our collective diligence, persistence, and the belief that equitable data collection is essential to achieving better health outcomes for our communities. (read more below)
We’re also looking forward to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, which is around the corner, a time to celebrate culture, identity, and resilience. We hope you’ll join us in marking the month, amplifying voices, and reflecting on the past as we continue to shape the future. We have a night of music song and dance June 25 where we hope to see many of you. (Full details below)
While we really pleased to see these positive steps forward, we’re also mindful of the work ahead. Three of our core programmes are coming to the natural end of their funding cycle this year. As a small charity, we’re now focused on securing new investment to sustain and grow this vital work. It’s a busy and challenging period, but we remain determined and hopeful.
Finally, we want to acknowledge the incredible contribution of Romani Cultural Arts charity and Isaac Blake, for over two decades, Isaac has championed Romani cultural expression and created vital platforms for artists across the UK and beyond. They were a key point of contact for many in Wales. We are deeply saddened to hear that this much-needed organisation is having to close its doors due to funding pressures. Isaac’s legacy is profound, and his work will continue to inspire us.
Warm wishes,
Yvonne MacNanamara
CEO, Traveller Movement | | | | | | | | | | This month, the Education Policy team has continued building momentum through key sector engagement and impactful research.
We attended Mission 44’s quarterly event as a part of the PEF Partner's Fund, where we explored and identified potential future collaborations with a diverse range of organisations committed to tackling issues in the education sector in particular around exclusions of young people. The team also attended Impetus’ launch event for their report, titled ‘Youth Jobs Gap: Exploring Compound Disadvantage’. This followed on from our earlier consultation with their senior policy advisor, in which our input helped shape sections of their report based on Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities ensuring that the correct language was shown and that the experiences of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people were meaningfully represented.
On our own policy work, our second report based on coercive exclusions is progressing well and is on track for publication this summer. Alongside this, our development of training resources aimed at tackling coercive exclusion practices is advancing significantly, so be sure to keep a look out over summer for these releases.
We have also seen success in terms of public affairs under the education remit. After working closely with key Peers we are glad to see our concerns about this Bill reflected in some of the proposed amendments by Baroness Whitaker Ahead of GRT History Month the Education policy team will be spotlighting the key policy papers and interventions we have been campaigning for over the years. We will also be visiting schools across the country to promote greater visibility of our communities throughout the month as well as participating in key webinars to spread awareness
Keep an eye on our social media for more details. | | | |
Criminal Justice Policy Update
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The Traveller Movement’s Criminal Justice Policy Team has been at the forefront of coordinated efforts to oppose the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-Sentence Reports) Bill, working in close collaboration with leading racial justice and criminal justice organisations across the sector. Together, we have united a coalition of over a dozen organisations committed to safeguarding equality and fairness in sentencing. This collective voice has been critical in challenging a Bill that poses serious risks of entrenching racial disparities and undermining the role of pre-sentence reports in promoting rehabilitation and proportionality.
Partner organisations include:
JUSTICE, The Howard League for Penal Reform, Women in Prison, Prison Reform Trust, Criminal Justice Alliance, Runnymede, Action for Race Equality, Level-Up and Race Equality Foundation.
The Traveller Movement worked closely with Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames to host a dedicated drop-in session for Peers. This cross-sector initiative brought together key civil society organisations to brief members of the House of Lords ahead of the Bill’s committee stage. The session served not only to inform Peers of the Bill’s harmful implications, but also to demonstrate the strong, united opposition from across the justice and equalities sector.
We are urging all our supporters to take action now. The Sentencing Guidelines (Pre Sentence Report) Bill will return to the House of Commons in the coming weeks. This is a critical moment to speak out. We’re calling on you to write to your local MP today ask them to oppose this Bill and instead support fair, evidence-based, and equitable sentencing practices that do not disproportionately target marginalised communities.
👉 Download Sample Letter to MP – Sentencing Guidelines (Pre Sentence Report) Bill
👉 Find your MP and their contact details here: https://members.parliament.uk/members/Commons
Together, we can help stop the passage of the Bill in its current format that threatens to undo hard-won progress on justice and equality.
| | | | | | Historic Victory for Health Equality: NHS to Align Patient Data with 2021 Census Categories for Romani Gypsies, Roma, and Irish Travellers | | After years of tireless campaigning beginning with our first briefing paper and meetings in 2012 after Romani Gypsies and Irish Travellers were included for the first time in the national census 2011 we are delighted to see a landmark recommendation from the NHS: health bodies across the UK are being urged to align patient data categories with those used in the 2021 Census, specifically recognising Romani Gypsies, Roma, and Irish Travellers.
This is a significant step forward in addressing longstanding health inequalities faced by our communities and ensuring we are no longer rendered invisible in data and health planning. It comes after a sustained and coordinated final push this year, including expert evidence submitted to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, where we acted as a core participant and successfully secured a key recommendation on this issue , followed by meetings with NHS. This achievement belongs to all Romani, Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller organisations and networks who have worked for almost two decades to make this happen. It is a testament to our collective resilience and commitment to justice and equity.
Particular thanks go to our outstanding legal team during the COVID-19 Inquiry Howe & Co –David Enwright and Aylin Howe, Chris Jacobs of Landmark Chambers, and Marc Willers KC of Garden Court Chambers whose efforts were instrumental in helping bring about this success.
This is a moment to celebrate and a foundation for further change. | | | | Women's Advocacy and Policy Update | |
We’re excited to launch our new mental health project, led by Sarah and Annaliase from our Partnerships Team. This initiative aims to explore and better understand the unique barriers that Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller communities face in accessing talking therapies. As part of the project, we’ll been collaborating with talking therapy providers across London to build awareness, improve cultural understanding, and help shape more inclusive mental health services.
If you’d like to get involved or learn more, feel free to reach out to Sarah on women@travellermovement.org.uk and Annalise on communitydevelopment@travellermovement.org.uk— they’d love to hear from you. | | | | Dignity Campaign - Stable Way
| | Filming is well underway for our short investigative film on the quality of living conditions on local authority sites across the country. We are delighted to be working with Charlie Doherty and Flexible Films on the production of this short film, alongside the residents of Stable Way, journalists, academics and other support organisations. .jpg)
| | | | Propel Pan-London Partnerships Project - Strengthening Policy and Community Engagement
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The Traveller Movement team have been very busy finalising preparations for our upcoming Pan-London Partnerships Event, taking place on 12th June at City Hall.
This event will bring together key stakeholders from across London to spotlight the work being done by boroughs to support their Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller communities. It will also provide a vital platform to discuss the persistent inequalities and systemic challenges these communities face and the urgent need for coordinated, culturally competent, and sustainable solutions.
At a time when trust in public institutions remains low among many marginalised groups, this event offers a unique opportunity to foster genuine partnerships, share best practices, and inspire collaborative action across local government, the voluntary sector, and community organisations.
For further details contact Phil on partnerships@travellermovement.org.uk
| | | | Parliament and Government Announcements
| | | | Opportunities to get involved in our work | | Advisory board ongoing recruitment – find out more here
TM are also recruiting for a new Intern for the Partnerships team. Find out more here. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone with an interest in film making, social media and/or digital design.
Have you ever thought about Volunteering? As we move in to Volunteering week, think about some of the volunteering opportunities that may interest you. These could range from Research skills, administrative experience, community development experience to public affairs. Find out more here. 
| | | | 🚨Important Update:Traveller Movements new replacement LinkedIn account🚨
Dear Followers,
Unfortunately, we have lost access to our original LinkedIn account, and despite numerous attempts, we have been unable to recover it. While this is frustrating, we’re not letting it slow us down!
We’re excited to announce that we’ve set up a brand-new LinkedIn account, and we’d love for you to reconnect with us there. By following our new page, you’ll stay up to date with our latest work, campaigns, and advocacy efforts.
🔗 Click here to follow us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-traveller-movement-tmofficial/
Your support means everything to us. Please take a moment to follow, share, and help spread the word so we can continue building a strong and engaged community. Let’s keep the momentum going! | | | | 🚨 Traveller Movement is now on Blue Sky 🚨
Social Media platforms are constantly growing, and the Traveller Movement have now joined Blue Sky. If you would like to follow us on there, a profile can be found here: https://t.co/iJn2ZM71Vy | | | | | |
30th May – Never Going to Beat You Online Training (Find out more about our training dates here)
1st June - ‘Kushti Cumpenia GRTHM event – Book here
10th June - University of Sunderland, Storytelling and Song online masterclass (recommended for pupil in years 4-6 years)
12th June - Know Your Rights: An Online Series on Single Justice Procedure Notices – Book here
14th June – The Museum of English Rural Life Gypsy and Traveller Heritage Day – Find out more here
21st June – Mass for Traveller Communities in Hemel Hempstead at 12 PM. Our Lady Queen of All Creation HP38PG
25th June - TM’s GRTHM event at Hammersmith Irish Centre – Book here
27th June – GRTHM City Hall Event - please keep an eye on their website for further information
27th June – Never Going to Beat You Online Training - (Spaces Available!!!!) - Book here
31st July – TM Summer BBQ – Book here
20th November – TM Annual Conference (Tickets on Sale from 1st September) | | | | Contact TM's Community Advocacy Caseworker on 07908433413
| | Contacts TM's Domestic Abuse Helpline on 07541637795
| | | | Follow our EventsBrite page to keep up to date on what Events we are holding | | Visit our Women's microsite for information and support for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller Women
| | Visit our Education microsite support Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Travellers in the UK to navigate Education
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