| | | | | | | | Welcome to the May edition of Spotlight: Policy and Campaigns Bulletin | | | | Welcome to our 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
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The month of May has been one of strong external engagement alongside continued progress in shaping policy, strengthening partnerships and amplifying the voices of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities within national and local frameworks.
| | It has been a privilege to represent The Traveller Movement in several important forums and events. I recently had the honour of meeting the President of Ireland, Katherine Connolly, at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Ireland. | | | |
This event provided an important opportunity to highlight the shared challenges facing all Irish diaspora communities and the need for coordinated action and continued supported across borders. I also attended the King’s Garden Party and connected with sector colleagues from across the equalities and wider fields.
However, these conversations are taking place against a backdrop of growing national concern. The recent Milburn Review on Young People and Work is the latest in a long line of reports warning of a deepening crisis highlighting rising youth unemployment, increasing numbers of young people locked out of opportunity, and a system that is failing to provide accessible pathways into work. For Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities, this is not new. These inequalities have been consistently evidenced across health, education, employment and criminal justice for decades. The issue is not a lack of data or understanding, it is a lack of action. We do not need further reports to tell us what we already know. We need delivery.
Encouragingly, we are already demonstrating what action can look like in practice. In July, The Traveller Movement, in partnership with London Higher, will host a Youth Careers Fair on 9 July 2026 at Coin Street, London, bringing together employers, education providers and training organisations to create direct pathways into opportunity for young people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. This is exactly the kind of targeted, practical intervention needed to respond to the challenges highlighted in the Milburn Review.
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We strongly encourage funders, policymakers and partners to attend and engage with this work.
We are calling on government, funders and statutory agencies to move beyond acknowledgement of these issues and take decisive, sustained action. This means: The evidence is clear. The policy frameworks are already in place. Yet inequalities are widening, not narrowing. Without urgent and coordinated action, the risk is not only that these disparities persist but that they deepen further, leaving another generation behind. The Traveller Movement stands ready to work with partners across government and the voluntary sector to move from strategy to implementation, and from commitment to impact.
Yvonne MacNamara CEO
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Influencing National Policy Frameworks | |
The Traveller Movement have been delivering training sessions to two cohorts from The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland. The sessions focused on increasing understanding of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities, including: By supporting funders and delivery organisations to develop culturally informed approaches, these sessions are contributing to more equitable programme design and commissioning decisions, ensuring that future funding and services better reflect the needs of our communities.
Use the button below if you are interested in booking in for any of our trainings or would like to know more
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The Case for Targeted Health Needs Assessments: A Policy Imperative | |
Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities experience some of the poorest health outcomes in the UK. Inequalities in mental health, maternal health and chronic conditions remain stark.
The Traveller Movement’s recent Health Needs Assessment in the London Borough of Brent, delivered in partnership with Brent Council, highlights the urgency of this work. Community members identified mental health as a critical concern, alongside experiences of discrimination in healthcare settings and barriers to accessing services.
These findings reflect a broader national picture. Without targeted data collection, these inequalities remain underrepresented within mainstream systems.
Targeted Health Needs Assessments provide a practical solution—generating robust local evidence, centring lived experience, and supporting commissioners to design culturally appropriate services.
We are calling on Local and Regional Authorities to commission dedicated Health Needs Assessments as a matter of priority and to translate findings into meaningful service improvements.
The Traveller Movement can support Local and Regional Authorities to plan, connect and deliver HNAs in their areas. Use the button below if you want to know more or are interested in delivering your own HNA
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Have Your Say: Mental Health Strategy for England | |
The government has opened a once-in-a-generation consultation on a new Mental Health Strategy for England, closing at 11:59pm on 10 July 2026. Evidence can be submitted here.
The Race Equality Foundation has already commented on this, stating: "For a mental health strategy to effectively succeed, it cannot be 'race blind'" and "Structural racism cannot be addressed if left unseen." Read their full comments here.
Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities face significant mental health challenges driven by discrimination, exclusion and barriers to accessing appropriate support.
The Traveller Movement would like to work with health, equality, race and
other sector partners to collate a full response to ensure Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish, Scottish and Welsh Traveller voices are heard.
We invite organisations with relevant evidence to contribute to a joint submission and help shape a strategy that is inclusive and equitable. Please use the button below if your organisation has evidence to contribute.
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Together, we can ensure this strategy addresses the profound mental health disparities our communities face.
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Economic Inclusion and Youth Opportunity | |
Economic inclusion remains one of the most pressing policy challenges for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities, with significantly higher levels of economic inactivity and limited access to professional employment. These disparities are driven by systemic barriers including discrimination, school exclusion and lack of access to opportunities.
The Milburn Review on Young People and Work published this month, it highlights a national crisis, warning of a “lost generation” as youth unemployment rises and over one million young people are not in education, employment or training. The review points to systemic failures including declining entry-level opportunities and barriers within recruitment systems.
For young people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities, these barriers are compounded further. As part of our ongoing work in this field, The Traveller Movement, in partnership with London Higher, is delivering a Youth Careers Fair on 9 July 2026 called 'Shaping Tomorrow', connecting young people directly with employers, education providers and training pathways.
This work demonstrates how targeted, community-led interventions can translate national policy concerns into practical solutions.
| | We encourage Funders, Employers, and Policymakers to support inclusive employment pathways and ensure that national strategies explicitly include Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people.
If you are working with young people from the communities, we would love you to bring them along. You can book your place using the button below | | | | | |
If you are an employer, training provider, college, university or can offer young people employment (voluntary paid or internship) and want to know how you can exhibit at the fair please contact our Women's Outreach and Engagement Officer below
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Pan London Health Needs Assessment/London Health Equity Forum | | Building Trust, Partnership and Health Equity with GRT Communities in London by Riyadul Karim, Assistant Director, Community Engagement and Vaccine and Screening Equity, NHS England, London Region | | As we step in to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month this June, there is an important opportunity not only to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Romani Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, but also to reflect on what inclusion means in practice. History Month is a time to challenge stereotypes, raise awareness and | | | | amplify community voices. For those of us working in health and public services, it should also prompt a deeper question: how do we ensure that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are not only recognised, but genuinely heard, respected and better served? For me, the answer begins with trust. For many communities, particularly those who have experienced exclusion, discrimination or poor access to services, trust cannot be assumed. It has to be built patiently, respectfully and through relationships that recognise people as active partners in their own health and wellbeing. My role at NHS England, London Region, focuses on building partnerships between communities, the voluntary and community sector, local authorities, the NHS and wider system partners, spanning place, system and region. The aim is simple but important: to improve access, confidence and participation in vaccination, immunisation, screening, prevention and wider health services among communities who have too often been underserved.
To continue reading this Blog and others featured in Spotlight visit our News and Events page | | | | | |
Education Policy Team Update | |
This month, the SEND Reform Consultation closed. The Traveller Movement submitted a detailed co-produced response outlining the unique and intersecting barriers faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller children and young people within the education system. Our submission highlighted concerns including:
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Criminal Justice Policy Team Update | |
The Traveller Movement’s criminal justice policy work continues to expand this month, with a major research project now underway examining sentencing disparities affecting Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller people. The research will explore how systemic inequality, discrimination and institutional bias may shape experiences within the criminal justice system, particularly at sentencing stage. As part of the project, we are currently engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including: This research will inform future policy recommendations and contribute to improving fairness, accountability and outcomes within the criminal justice system.
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Operation Traveller Vote and Local Elections Update | |
May marked the conclusion of the latest round of our Operation Traveller Vote campaign with the local elections on 7 May. Throughout March, we engaged with community members, candidates and local stakeholders to encourage political participation and ensure that Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller voices were heard throughout the election period.
| | As part of the campaign, we hosted a series of hustings events which created opportunities for community members to engage directly with elected representatives and prospective candidates on the issues affecting our communities. | | | |
We would like to thank everyone who registered to vote, attended events and took part in the democratic process.
The local election results reflected a significant shift in the political landscape. Both the Conservative and Labour parties experienced losses across several areas, while Reform UK and the Green Party made substantial gains. Reform gained massively where the conservatives lost many of their councillors. In London, councils including Lewisham and Hackney which are areas where we have ongoing engagement and partnership work, are now under Green Party control. These changes may have important implications for local policy priorities, including housing, education, site provision, equality work and community engagement. We will continue to monitor developments and work with local authorities across the country to ensure Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities remain visible within local decision-making.
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The King’s Speech set out the Government’s legislative priorities for the coming parliamentary session, with a strong focus on economic growth, public service reform, infrastructure, policing and housing. While there was no direct reference to Romani (Gypsy), Roma or Irish Traveller communities, several of the proposed measures may have a significant impact on our communities in practice.
Housing and Planning The Government announced further planning and infrastructure reforms aimed at increasing housebuilding and accelerating development projects. For our communities, this raises important questions around authorised site provision, the protection of stopping places and whether local authorities will be held accountable for meeting Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs.
At the same time, concerns remain around the continued criminalisation of nomadic lifestyles and the disproportionate impact of enforcement powers on Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller people.
Policing and Criminal Justice
The speech also included commitments to strengthen policing powers and tackle anti-social behaviour. Given longstanding concerns regarding racial profiling and over-policing of our communities, these developments will require close scrutiny.
The Traveller Movement remains committed to advocating for fair treatment, accountability and culturally competent approaches within the criminal justice system.
Education and SEND Reform The Government also outlined plans for education reform, including changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system.
This is particularly important given the persistent inequalities experienced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller children and young people, who continue to face some of the highest exclusion rates and poorest educational outcomes in the country. We will continue pushing for reforms that recognise the specific barriers our communities face, including discrimination, mobility, digital exclusion and lack of culturally appropriate support.
| | Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month | |
Kushti Bok Dorset's favourite time of year, JUNE History Month | | Betty Billington Smith CEM speaks to the Traveller Movement. Betty is the Chair of Kushti Bok. Her work includes advocacy, community engagement, and representing Kushti Bok in discussions with local authorities and partner organisations. | | | |
What we did in 2025 or should I say what didn’t we do.
We started off in May when some of the team attended the Gate Herts Moving for change Conference. All listening, speaking and networking encouraging everyone to fight prejudice and persuade our Local authorities to change policies for our Travelling communities for sites and to be accepted, also talking about what we all planning for History month.
Then again in May many of us attended the Friendly Churches Conference, where I was asked to speak in Salisbury Cathedral, all about how we are working with the church who are promising water and Sanctuary to Travellers, hoping the church will provide transit sites for the Travelling communities. June we had our stand at the local Horsefair, it was great when a local Parish Councillor attended and I think by the time she left she thought differently about us, also a lot of people were helped by one of our Advocacy workers. It was a good place to advertise our History day and our Roma Holocaust service in August . Again in June we all attended the Dorset Council Gypsy and Traveller Forum, where a lot was learnt from both sides. Much time spent in advertising History month, and making sure the Romany flag was flying over County Hall Dorchester, Corn Exchange Dorchester, Bournemouth Civic offices, Kingston Maurward College Dorchester. We were so busy in June that we held our Kushti Bok History day on 7th July 2025.Then some of the team attended One World event showing many Romany crafts and again advertising GRTHM. Yes we start early and go on for as long as we can. There are so many things that Gypsies and Travellers can do, we must not be the forgotten people, we stand loud and proud. This year so much more planned.We started again in 22nd May 2026 taking the Kushti Bok stand to two 4 day exhibitions in Hampshire just on the Dorset Border. This has brought many requests to join us and many offering photographs and stories,lots in Dorset, and many now putting our Dorchester History day 13th June 2026 in their diaries.Some wanting to attend as visitors and some wanting to volunteer. Manylocal Travellers proud to know the Romany Flag will be flying over Christchurch Old Town Hall, Bournemouth Old Town Hall,Dorchester County Hall, Dorchester Town, and other venues. We have the Horse fair in Verwood on 20th June, then Beautiful World on 21st June. On the 17th and 18th we have funded Crystals Vardo to do four performances in four local schools, with other schools attending, so 10 schools in all will be able to attend and Kushti Bok members will be at each performance, talking to the school contacts about History month, and hoping to do some awareness training for staff and help with any Traveller children and parents who might need some support. We do have an extra performance of Crystals Vardo for any parent/teachers or local Travellers to attend on an evening . Then we have been working with East Dorset Museum to showcase the Travelling Communities, many exhibits about “HOMES”. Started in History month and will be on display for 6 months. They are looking at having a permanent place in the East Dorset museum. Every year we do more and put out the word asking others to get those flags flying and events happening.
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We have now just moved into June which marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month (GRTHM), an important opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities.
We encourage schools, councils, local authorities, employers and organisations across the country to actively recognise and participate in GRTHM through events, education, awareness raising and meaningful engagement with communities.
Representation and visibility matter. GRTHM remains an important opportunity to challenge harmful stereotypes, promote inclusion and celebrate the richness and diversity of our communities.
1st June – 30th June 2026 – Belongings & Belonging Social Media campaign - find here
13th June 2026 - Roma History Day - Celebrating Gypsy, Roma & Traveller Heritage - find out more by emailing Kushti Bok or phone them here
18th June 2026 – 6th September 2026 - Roaming Britain. Gypsy and Traveller Homes Exhibition - find out more here | | 18th June 2026 - Onwards with Hope at;
Haringey Learning Partnership, Commerce House, Commerce Road, London, N22 8DZ.
For more information email Gerry Robinson | | | | Opportunities to get involved in our work | | | |
We are always open to strategic collaboration, commissioning opportunities, and funding partnerships that advance equity for Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller communities.
We also offer a range of CPD-accredited training programmes, alongside bespoke and tailored packages designed to meet the specific needs of organisations, institutions, and sectors. All of our training and programmes can be adapted to context, ensuring relevance, impact, and practical application. To find out more about our training packages, click below. | | | |
Crucially, all of our work is grounded in lived experience leadership and co-production, with programmes designed and delivered by people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. This ensures authenticity, trust, and meaningful engagement, as well as direct relevance to the communities we serve.
If you are interested in collaborating, commissioning our expertise, or supporting our work financially, please contact Olivia Morrison below | | | | 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. For enquiries on this: | | | | | | | | | |
Never Going To Beat YOu Online Training - Available dates to book | | Our highly acclaimed online domestic abuse awareness training includes the viewing our film ‘Never Going To Beat You’ followed by a Zoom webinar training delivered by Traveller survivors. The training has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from service providers and professionals working across the women’s sector. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 | | View our catalogue of CPD certified courses
| | Visit our the Publications page of our website for all of our resources
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