Welcome to the January edition of

Spotlight: Public Affairs and Policy Bulletin

Welcome to our January 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

In the Spotlight

Welcome from the CEO

A very warm fáilte romhat to our first newsletter of 2026.

Yesterday we celebrated Lá Fhéile Bríde (St Brigid’s Day) honouring one of Ireland’s most enduring changemakers. St Brigid’s legacy reminds us that lasting change requires courage, compassion, and the courage to challenge unjust systems. She built institutions for the vulnerable and left a societal mark that outlives her.

Her example inspires everything we do at the Traveller Movement: advocating for Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller communities, challenging systemic inequalities, and driving structural and legislative reform.

In 2026, we remain relentless in pursuit of equality turning evidence into action, conversations into commitments, and policy into tangible change. Together, we carry forward the spirit of Brigid: building institutions, challenging injustice, and changing lives.

Yvonne MacNamara

CEO

January Updates

Legislative Advocacy: Opposing the Criminalisation of Nomadic Life

The APPG for Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Travellers is leading efforts to challenge Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which expanded police powers around unauthorised encampments and disproportionately criminalises nomadic life.

Traveller Movement, alongside sector colleagues including FFT has been supporting amendments in the House of Lords, advocating for the repeal of these measures and promoting rights-based alternatives. Coordinating evidence, messaging, and strategy across organisations highlights the value of collaboration and demonstrates how joint efforts can challenge entrenched policies.

Upcoming meetings with ministers and APPG co-chairs will continue to push for legislative change that protects Traveller rights, resists ethnicised criminalisation, and strengthens equality protections at the national level.

Influencing National Policy Frameworks

Engagement with major inquiries and consultations continues to shape education, youth employment, and national data policy. Contributions have been submitted to the Independent Inquiry into White Working-Class Educational Outcomes, the Young People and Work Review chaired by Alan Milburn, and the ONS Census 2031 consultation.

These interventions address systemic invisibility. Traveller communities are often subsumed under broad categories that erase ethnicity, masking inequalities in schools, workplaces, and public services. Early engagement in policy development pushes for:

Education policies recognising the specific barriers facing Traveller children
Youth employment strategies addressing discrimination, interrupted schooling, and mobility
Census reforms improving ethnic monitoring to ensure communities are accurately counted

Policy development is where disadvantage is defined and solutions are allocated. Representation at this stage is crucial without it, Traveller communities are absent from the frameworks that determine resources, protections, and rights.

Our report Fought Not Taught: Tackling Institutionally Coercive Exclusions continues to shape education policy. We circulated a parliamentary briefing to all MPs with Traveller sites in their constituencies, highlighting systemic barriers and proposing targeted solutions.

The Policy Team met with the National Association of Headteachers, invited to speak at their SEND & AP Sector Council, exploring the intersectionality of Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller identities with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Preparations for Operation Traveller Vote are advancing, aligning with our strategic aim to increase political participation and representation. Events are planned in London and Bradford in March, with briefings for MPs and local candidates, ensuring communities are empowered ahead of the May 2026 local elections. More information is available on our website here.

On 22 January, the Policy Team attended “The Young Review, 10 Years On” at the House of Lords, hosted by Action for Race Equality and Clinks. Despite progress over the past decade, systemic inequalities persist, including for Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller communities.

The report identifies key structural barriers, gaps in policy implementation, and recommendations to improve equity. For us, this underscores the importance of sustained advocacy, evidence-based interventions, and monitoring systemic reform a strategic priority for the year ahead

Where They Put Us: Launch at London City Hall

On 19 January, we launched our new film, “Where They Put Us: Traveller Sites and the Legacy of Environmental Racism”, as part of our Dignity Campaign funded by the Westway Trust.

The film exposes the unacceptable conditions of local authority Traveller sites, including Stable Way, situated directly beneath the Westway in London. Irish Traveller Charlie Doherty guides viewers through the legislative history and current impacts, speaking with academics, health practitioners, and residents.

The launch event, opened by Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development Tom Copley, featured a panel discussion with Professor Margaret Greenfields, journalist Katharine Quarmby, Nannette Youssef (Runnymede Trust), and Olivia Morrison (Traveller Movement). The discussion highlighted environmental racism, policy failures, and actionable recommendations, reinforcing our strategic push to secure equitable site provision nationwide.

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.

Upcoming Events

05.02.26 – Uneven Paths: Tackling Intersecting Inequalities Facing Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller Women TM Webinar with Women’s Budget Group – book here
27.02.26 – NGTBY Online Training contact business@travellermovement.org.uk for booking