| | | | | | | | Welcome to the August edition of Spotlight | | | | Welcome to your August 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
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Dear friends and colleagues, I’m delighted to welcome you to our August newsletter. This month has been full of both celebration and reflection for us as a team.
First, I want to thank everyone who joined us at our recent office BBQ. It was a fantastic day of connection and community spirit, with over 60 service providers, community groups, elected representatives, and community members in attendance over the course of the day. The event was more than just a gathering; it was a real opportunity to strengthen partnerships and share ideas about how we can continue working together for positive change.
We also had the privilege of hosting a special Mass organised by our Partnerships Team with Fr. Fergal McGuire, Chaplain for Traveller Communities, with Fr Charales, and Father Rodger Redding from the local St Mary Magdaline Church Brent. It was a truly uplifting occasion, attended by people of all generations. Beyond the service itself, it became a lovely networking event a chance to share more about our work, enjoy a cup of tea together, and have the kind of conversations that build lasting community bonds.
Alongside these moments of celebration, we remain focused on our ongoing support for residents at Ver Meadows Traveller site. We know the challenges facing families there are urgent and complex, and our team continues to stand with the community , offering advocacy, advice, and practical support as they navigate difficult circumstances.
Last month, we also wrote to Angela Rayner to raise the urgent issue of the national shortage of Romani Gypsy and Traveller accommodation, and our serious concerns about the lack of fire safety on many sites across the country. We have since received a response from Lord Khan of Burnley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Levelling Up. While his reply acknowledged some of the challenges, there is still much more that needs to be done, and we will continue to push for meaningful action. You can read it below.
Finally, I want to share a note of transparency. Like many organisations in our sector, we are seeing the end of some of our funding streams. While this presents challenges, it also pushes us to be more innovative and determined in finding new ways to sustain and grow our work. We are committed to ensuring that our services, advocacy, and community engagement remain strong, and we’ll continue to update you as this journey develops.
Thank you, as always, for being part of this movement. Your support, partnership, and solidarity mean the world to us.
Warm regards, Yvonne CEO, Traveller Movement | | | | | | | | | |
Policy and Public Affairs Update | |
This month the Traveller Movement have released an updated briefing on Ethnic Monitoring. This briefing aims to encourage public bodies to push for accurate and specific ethnic monitoring within their institutions. This is vital, insofar as accurate data collection can effectively inform the approach of public bodies in both the commissioning and delivery of public services. Whilst all public bodies have some form of ethnic monitoring and data collection in place, data collection as it pertains to Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller populations is often insufficient compared with other ethnic minorities. This guide can be found here on our website.
| | | | | | Our Education Policy Team has been working hard this month preparing for the launch of our follow-up report to Fought Not Taught, which focuses on addressing coercive exclusions in education. Our original report identified the phenomenon of institutionally coercive exclusions, which describes how schools, either through action or inaction, create a persistently toxic educational environment, forcing children and their families to withdraw from formal educational environments. This exclusion may not necessarily involve formal expulsion or suspension but rather the creation of conditions that make it untenable or unsafe for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller children to remain enrolled in the school.
Its sister follow-up report will look at the policy interventions, school structure changes and reporting procedure which will make a meaningful change to the toxic educational environments faced by so many Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller children in the UK. We hope to work alongside partners in the sector, government and parliamentarians to implement the recommendations of our report.
We’re excited to announce that the report will be officially launched in Parliament on 23rd October, hosted by the Bishop of Lincoln. The launch event will bring together policy experts, community members and parliamentarians to identify and discuss practical policy reforms needed to address these inequalities. If you are interested in attending the event, please contact us at education@travellermovement.org.uk.
We are also continuing our work to support Baroness Whitaker’s amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is due to return to Parliament after the recess. These important amendments aim to ensure that schools have a statutory duty to record and centrally report incidents of racist bullying—a vital step toward greater accountability and protection for all pupils. | | | |
Criminal Justice Policy Update
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We are currently working on our upcoming report on policing and its impact on Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. If you have an experience you would like to share, we would be grateful to hear from you. The report will follow the events in Manchester and look at how antisocial behaviour legislation is often weaponised against our communities.
Please contact us at cjs@travellermovement.org.uk in confidence.
| | | | | | Equalities and Social Justice Unit (ESJU) - Service update and Strategic Focus | |
We remain committed to restoring our full casework capacity and are actively seeking renewed investment to ensure that Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller individuals continue to receive the advocacy and legal literacy support they need and deserve.
📩 To contact our caseworker: Email: esju@travellermovement.org.uk Phone: 07908 433 413
💼 Funders or supporters interested in sustaining this vital service are invited to get in touch at business@travellermovement.org.uk. A fully resourced advocacy programme is essential to tackling systemic inequality and holding public authorities to account. | | | | Women's Advocacy and Mental Health Policy Work - Expanding Empowerment and Access
| | Thanks to the Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller women who participated in our 1st mental health focus group last month.
Over the course of several hours, we identified some key barriers to accessing talking therapy services for Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller women – and heard community members speak on both positive and negative experiences of accessing talking therapies.
We will be hosting our 2nd focus group for Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller men on Wednesday 17th September between 6:30 – 8 PM at our office in Stockwell, London.
If you or someone you know is interested in joining the focus group, please email communitydevelopment@travellermovement.org.uk.
We will be providing refreshments, and all participants will be offered a £30 voucher as a thank you for their time.
| | | | Bringing Communities Together: A Special Mass for Travellers | | We were also pleased to host a Mass for the Travelling Communities at St Mary Magdalene Church near Willesden Green, Brent London last week. The Mass provided an opportunity for many Irish Travellers to come together, reflect on the issues facing their communities, and meet some of our Partnerships team. Hosting events like this Mass strengthens community bonds, creates a safe space for reflection, and allows organisations to connect directly with the people they serve. It fosters trust, provides a forum to discuss challenges, and reinforces cultural identity, all of which are crucial for meaningful support and partnership-building.
Many thanks to all who attended and to Fr. Charles, Fr. Fergal and Fr. Roger for their support. | | | | TM Summer BBQ & Networking Event – A Day to Remember! | |
On 31st July, The Traveller Movement hosted its annual Summer BBQ and Networking Event – and what a fantastic day it was!
Despite the weather starting off a little on the ropey side, the clouds soon lifted, and the sun eventually made an appearance. From start to finish, the mood was high, the conversations were flowing, and the sense of community spirit shone through.
We were delighted to welcome a brilliant turnout of community members, trustees, and partner organisations including LGTU, Irish in Britain, ICAP, Essex Countrywide Traveller Unit, Phoenix Futures and many more. It was a great opportunity to catch up, make new connections, and celebrate the work we do together.
The Office was open to view the work we have done, speak to the team, learn more about the history of the Traveller Movement, hear more about upcoming events and how to get more involved.
The food was delicious, the atmosphere was lively, and with music and a good sing-song filling the air, it truly felt like a celebration. Everyone left with smiles on their faces – a clear sign of a successful event!
A huge thank you to all who came along and made the day so special – we can’t wait to do it all again next summer!
| | | | | | Pan-London Partnerships - Strengthening Local Action
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We are currently finalising our report highlighting the lack of targeted interventions to improve outcomes for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities across the capital. The findings of the report were presented at our Pan-London Partnership event at City Hall in June. Make sure to keep an eye out for further updates on this!
| | | | Parliament and Government Announcements
| | The Justice Committee's latest inquiry seeks to examine how advice and legal services are adapting to secure access to justice across civil, criminal, and family law. It will focus on the scope for future innovation in the nature of services, funding, regulation and technology to support effective access to justice in England and Wales. They welcome submissions of evidence until 30 September.
The Women & Equalities Committee is welcoming submissions to their inquiry on reproductive health of women and girls. It is assessing progress in diagnoses, treatments and pain management of conditions including endometriosis, adenomyosis and heavy menstrual bleeding. You can submit evidence until Tuesday 30 September 2025.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights is welcoming submissions of Evidence to their inquiry ‘Human Rights of Children in the Social Care System in England’ they are accepting evidence until Monday 25 August 2025. | | | | | |
Author Spotlight: Lisa-Marie Ainley and Her New Book ‘Standing at the Edge of Ordinary’
This month, we’re celebrating a powerful new voice in Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Traveller literature: Lisa-Marie Ainley, whose new book ‘Standing at the Edge of Ordinary’ has just been released. The book is a Victorian romance about widow Harriet Blackthorn, who defies society’s expectations and finds love with a man whose past could destroy them both. A story of resilience, scandal, and courage in 1850s England. At the Traveller Movement, we’re passionate about amplifying Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Traveller voices, especially in the arts and literature where our communities are too often underrepresented. Lisa-Marie Ainley’s work is a testament to the strength of storytelling. Our Community Advocacy Caseworker, Liv Hammond, had the opportunity to ask Lisa-Marie some questions about her new book.
Read the full blog here
| | Opportunities to get involved in our work | | | | | | | |
20th August – TM Football Match 22nd August – NGTBY Training – 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 EventBrite 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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