And now Gypsy Kids – Our Secret World

I have been rather lazy this summer with regard to writing blog posts. No excuse! Well, now I hope to make up for lost time ...

When I found the theme for my first novel, published in 2008, people did not talk about Gypsies much. A secret world indeed! Occasionally we may have glimpsed a group that turn up briefly to set up camp in their trailers, only to disappear as quickly as they came. I know for a fact there were few books – apart from quite ‘chewy’ academic tomes;  these bibliographies can be found at the end of the printed versions of Gypsies Stop tHere and No Gypsies Served. The only Gypsy memoir I could find at the time was Dominic Reeve’s books which give an account of life on the road fifty years ago.

My research moved from text books to real life, going on sites, talking to Gypsies, Travellers, and people who work with them. I also found out more by going to events that displayed their culture, history, music, dance, food and wagons and knew I had found something different and I wanted to tell people about what I had uncovered – through a readable novel.

I was called upon to speak on BBC Surrey radio whenever there was a local issue concerning Gypsies as I had by then some understanding of the culture clash, the planning laws and so on. Before, I did not know anything about the council-run authorised sites and the reasons behind the more visible unauthorised sites that regularly upset local people.

Then a while later, came Channel 4’s My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding – wrongly named as it did not portray Romany Gypsies but in fact was about Irish Travellers. (See Gypsy or Traveller? 12 Feb 2010) The programme's main slant was one aspect of their lives, the over the top dresses and extravagant wedding days.  More important issues like poor health and education, shorter than average lifespan, and weary struggle to find a place to be, all the legislation that over the years has criminalised their way of life – such things hardly got a look in. See below for link to some of my comments.

I had put forward a proposal to the radio station for a programme to embrace the lives of Gypsies and Travellers in a more realistic way, offering my help in providing potential sources of information. I did not hear back but later Channel 4 came up with their series and I do wonder if there was some link. Had someone passed on this proposal which had by then been changed out of all recognition? I have no way of knowing.

Now we have Gypsy Kids – Our Secret World on Channel 5 and it is refreshing to hear these happy, healthy, articulate children talking to us directly about what it is like to be a Gypsy and how proud they are, one young man set on becoming a pilot. The immaculate appearance of their homes, the sites and themselves turns upside down any old-fashioned notion or prejudice that Gypsies are ‘dirty.’

Whilst some of us ‘Gorgas’ might not approve of certain aspects of their social norms – the limited educational and career opportunities accorded to girls even  in this day and age, for example – on the other hand you might say that it is understandable that they want to protect their culture of strong family with a male provider.  Women marry young, have children young and stay at home (or travel, of course) to look after them, with little independence. If everyone is happy with that – and it seems many of them are (perhaps not knowing anything different, some would say) it is hard to criticise. Arguably, some young Mums in the wider world, juggling work and under-fives might be a tad envious! By the way I apologise for getting into the ‘us’ and ‘them’ kind of narrative here – it’s hard not to sometimes.

What do you think?  Daily Mail article about Gypsy Kids

Links to some of my past blogs for further reading, if you are interested: 

What has Changed for Gypsies and Travellers since 2010? (7 April 2015)

Another Grumble on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings (7 Feb 2011) – this was one of three posts on the subject, the first few sentences of which gained a place in Letters to the Editor in The Guardian.

Two other posts were on 20 Jan 2011 and 11 Feb 2011 – my view changes as the series progresses. The 20 Jan and 7 Feb posts have interesting ‘comments’ from other people.

What has changed for Gypsies and Travellers since 2010?

I am choosing the year 2010 because that is when my second book No Gypsies Served was published. I cannot here include all aspects of life, such as education, health and wellbeing, although they are interconnected, but will focus on two: 

• finding a place to live
• and public perception

My first impression is that nothing has radically changed since I began exploring the subject around 2006, but let us look a little deeper. For helping me keep up to date, I am indebted to the Travellers Times edited by Damien le Bas.

On the positive side, many Gypsies and Travellers have written their own memoirs and stories, which is fantastic; you only need to do a quick Amazon search to see them. This signifies a gain in confidence and a pride in identity for some. Also, well-organised campaigns are under way whereby Gypsies and Travellers can both attract support and fight their own corner; and recently some amazing site provision has occurred!

Finding a Place to Live

If Gypsies and Travellers have a place to call home, then life gets better all round. Children can go to school, they can register with a local GP, spend more time earning rather than for days to be eaten up in finding a place to live. Travellers may travel, but not all of the time.  However, the coalition government did not delay in making site provision even more difficult.  Quote from Lord Avebury: 

‘Ministers say that Travellers must obey planning laws like everyone else; but they demolished the system created by the previous Government under which an obligation was imposed on local authorities to provide planning permission for Travellers' sites that would accommodate the number of Travellers in each area, as determined by an independent assessment of needs, buttressed by public inquiries.’ 
Taken from Lords’ Hansard, 24 January 2012. See more.

Indeed the Secretary of State mentioned, Eric Pickles, was recently found guilty of unlawful discrimination. What example does this set for the rest of society?

It is understandable that there is still a tendency for Gypsies and Travellers to hide their ethnicity. I attended a Surrey Gypsy Traveller Community Forum (SGTCF) last week and a policeman from Thames Valley, who happens to be a Romany Gypsy, said that many members of the police force are of his heritage but keep it hidden. Each individual tends to think they are the only one. He also represents the Gypsy Roma Traveller Police Association, set up to lend support to such policeman and bring them together. The same concealment goes on in many other professions, such as teaching, in government bodies and the ambulance service. Encouragement is being given to be open, be proud, to break down stereotypes and ‘put their head above the parapet’; this phrase often used in the meeting. However, I digress – it is easily done.

Planning applications, even though completely lawful, continue to be refused. To make matters worse proposals were put forward to change the legal aid system, which prompted the Nomadlaws campaign. Take a look at some of the case studies showing the hardship that comes from a lack of vacant pitches and eviction. This demonstrates how the Legal Aid and Judicial Review reforms are depriving Gypsies and Travellers of access to justice. There are times when there is a desperate need to challenge unlawful decisions. 

When Lord Avebury spoke up against detrimental changes in the law in January 2012 in the House of Lords Debate on the Effect of Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders’ Bill on Gypsies and Travellers, he had the full support of the House. ‘There was not a single contrary voice in the whole debate,’ he said.

Remember the opening line of Gypsies Stop there (2008)? 'People threatened with eviction, due to no fault of their own, being unjustly hounded out. It's mediaeval the way they're treated, don't you think?' The young activist, Natalie, is testing out the affluent village newcomer, Kay.

Well, perhaps there is some recognition at last of the need for transit sites. Damien le Bas wrote in February’s Traveller Times:   'A special meeting at the House of Lords has heard how fresh approaches to temporary stopping by Travellers can reduce tensions and save considerable amounts of money, compared with the traditional cycle of evictions from place to place.' 

Meanwhile many councils around the UK impose what amounts to a blanket ban on all sites, regardless. The town here is Harlow in Essex, not far from Dale Farm site from which hundreds of Travellers were evicted. Hardly a surprise. Inadequate alternative provision was made for them, I seem to recall. On the other hand there was one shining example where a  local authority near Bath  perhaps tried too hard. Is this what Gypsies and Travellers want? My guess is such expenditure is likely to be criticized in the wider community, and this plan did not allow the families to build their own homes more cheaply and according to their cultural needs. However, it does look good!

A Solihull Housing Association seems to have got it right.

If you have any comments or first-hand stories relating to site provision in the past five years, I would love to hear from you. This can be an information gathering process.

Public Perception

Racism goes on, indeed is allowed to go on. Why?

Felicity Hannah writes: ‘Ten years ago, the former chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, Trevor Phillips, referred to anti-Traveller sentiment as the "last acceptable form of racism". Yet some politicians are still describing Gypsies and Travellers with language that would be political suicide if it was used against any other group.’ See Jake Bower’s comments here too. Son of a Romani man, and well-known journalist, he is now candidate for the Green Party. If more of the Traveller electorate voted for supportive candidates, then this would be a significant way forward for them to be heard and defend themselves.

Marc Willers QC, Human Rights Barrister, writes about ‘Tackling hate speech aimed at Gypsies, Roma and Travellers’ He says ‘Politicians throughout Europe continue to use hate speech against Roma which in turn creates a climate in which racist violence is thought acceptable by offenders and, tragically, in recent years Roma have been the victims of violent racist attacks and murder.’

 

The Film Judgment in Hungary received 12 international awards, was screened in 25 countries, and appeared at 27 festivals.’ Judgement in Hungary: An Attack on Roma and a Search for Justice  by Eszter Hajdu: ‘In 2008 and 2009, Hungarian right-wing extremists committed a series of attacks on members of the Roma community. Six people were killed, including a five-year-old, and another five were injured. The trial of the four suspects lasted two and a half years; the verdict was passed in August 2013. Director Eszter Hajdú filmed the trial, which eventually became the documentary.’ 

Closer to home here in the UK, Damien le Bas writes in The Travellers Times about how some girls were refused entry to a bowling alley because of their 'nomadic' heritage. 

On a positive note, issues are being discussed more than before. I do not know the outcome of this meeting but they are held in Westminster quite regularly. Another meeting in London, held on 5 March, where the speakers, I am told, were excellent, addressed  ‘... the Social Exclusion of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities to Reduce Inequalities’. Ironically, there was a disappointing lack of attendees from the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller community, although they are extremely welcome and help is provided to encourage them to be there. Is this due to a lack of awareness or that old reluctance to be open about their identity in mainstream society?  Hopefully more will go along and take part in the future.

The ruling set out in Eric Pickles proposals (Daily Telegraph, 23 January 2015) where Travellers must prove they are ‘nomadic’ to get planning concessions may seem logical on the face of it, but this is not something that can happen overnight simply to comply with a law. In practice this would divide families and communities, causing great hardship. Family is the backbone of the Travelling community.

Land for Development is Scarce

I am going to digress now a little into the availability and value of land. It is fair to say that in Britain almost all land is owned by someone, earmarked for a specific purpose be it agriculture, forestry, industry, residential, business, National Trust, the Crown, local authorities, golf courses and so on. National parks, green belt and areas of outstanding natural beauty are protected from development and so-called ‘common land’, open for grazing for example, is a rarity. For the population in general, land is in extremely high demand and low supply.

We all know this. Any young person (say under the age of 40) trying to buy or even rent a home these days is hard pushed, even those in the well-qualified, higher-paid, professional bracket. I just mention this, to point out that Gypsies and Travellers are not the only ones with a problem, not the only adults having to share and double-up in cramped accommodation.I do not know if this will make anyone feel better or worse about the lack of provision, but I feel it is a point worth making.

Conclusions

It seems that in most areas, little has improved although, as we have seen, there are positive stories in places such as Solihull and Bath. The basic problem is that whilst the planning authorities had or have the remit to provide sites, the public always protest so they usually give up. Councillors and MPs inevitably listen to the wishes of the electorate or they will not win votes. If they are not in power, they are by definition pretty ‘powerless’. 

There is another way of looking at this, too as  Matthew Brindley of the Traveller Movement explains:

"We know that some politicians campaign on Gypsy and Traveller issues to garner votes. There are so many stereotypes about Gypsies and Travellers, and unfortunately a lot of similar coverage in the media; whether it's to do with crime, or public disorder, or rubbish dumping. Too often politicians play on these stereotypes and fears, and this is completely unacceptable in this day and age." 

The public protest against council-run or privately-owned sites in their locality because, rightly or wrongly, their perception is of a community that tends to make a mess. I say this only because it is what I hear from everyone I speak to. I am talking about public perception. Sometimes people refer to personal experience, or more often an impression gained from the media which is invariably from pictures of unauthorised encampments with no facilities. My experience of Gypsy sites is very different as I have seen tidy, orderly sites, each home a model of hygiene and cleanliness, part of their culture. I feel patronising even using such terms.

So the arguments, causes and effects, continue to swirl round in this perpetual cycle or circle. If those stopping in the unauthorised sites could make sure they clear up when they are suddenly moved on, difficult though this may be in reality, it would be a good starting point to halt this cycle. It must annoy other Gypsies and Travellers even more than it does non-Gypsies, for it tarnishes their reputation.

Note to the guilty parties (pass on if you can) : If in an unauthorised stopping place, you know it is temporary so can you put rubbish in bags as a daily routine, take those full bags to the nearest amenity tip? You have transport. Tell me, is there some reason why this is not possible? If the nature of your work – scrap metal, for example – means you have bits of fridges or whatever left over, then take the valuable stuff to your merchant, and dispose properly of the leftovers. Is this so difficult? I am sorry if I sound harsh and preachy, but ultimately such good practice could transform future relations with the general public, and therefore the chances of being accepted as close neighbours.

And, please, local councils, can more provision for rubbish disposal be made for people in this desperate situation? John Hockley QPM, Surrey County Council Traveller Site Manager, told me, ‘Increasingly, local authorities are being more proactive. For example, I visited a small unauthorised encampment in Hersham (Elmbridge) after the forum meeting last week. The Irish family present were clean and tidy and needed to be close to two hospitals where family members are undergoing serious long term treatments. Elmbridge council provided wheelie bins in the street they are parked in and as a result there is no mess whatsoever. The family actually want to be housed as they are fed up with being 'hounded on the road', but cannot get housing due mainly to rules that often disproportionately affect GRT applications.’

It is true that litter and fly-tipping is a problem everywhere. Look at motorway verges, shopping centres, back alleys, parks and other public places, Glastonbury, etc etc? Thoughtless people who drop litter in our local woods make me very angry indeed. So wouldn’t it be good if things could be turned around so people will say, ‘Do you know there were some Gypsies here for a while but you’d never know it; not a sign of anything. What care they take!’ Indeed that is exactly how it used to be when great pride in leaving nothing behind was part and parcel of the traditional way of life.

I want to end on a positive note.

A new way forward?

An interesting new approach is being tried in Surrey. I spoke to James Nicholls, a non-Gypsy who has socialised with Gypsies and Travellers all his life. He gave a talk on Checkatrade at the SGTCF meeting I attended. He has been a member of the Effingham Parish Council for 23 years and took on the planning role for the Effingham Residents and Ratepayers Association. He says, to the best of his knowledge, of roughly 2,000 general planning applications a year, about 60-70% were approved. Anyone from the Gypsy and Traveller community, however, was turned down and, over a period of 17 years, this amounted to a huge number of failed applications – apart from one! Gypsies and Travellers do not ask for more than other people; their requirements are different and modest, usually hard standing for a few trailers and permission to build an amenity shed.
 

James abhors this kind of resistance towards the Gypsy and Traveller community and is now trying to move things forward with a step-by-step plan that should keep everyone happy and, he hopes, provide decent accommodation and an answer to the planning problem. Keeping new pitches within the same area as existing legal sites, thus keeping families together, he recommends a softly-softly approach, adding no more than four or six pitches, taking one village at a time.
 

I guess each new set-up can prove itself and thus help gain approval from the local population. I wish James and all those involved the best of luck and hope that these families in need will be successful in their applications.

SOME EXCELLENT WEBSITES FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Travellers Times 

The Surrey GypsyTraveller Communities Forum (currently being 'rebuilt')

From the Information Pack – much about Gypsy and Traveller culture, history, lifestyle, values, education and problems. Also there are links to more organisations and websites you could visit.

For a view on everyday Travelling life:

Sweet, angry, poignant and humorous – dip into this Gypsy wife’s diary for something a bit different.  On Twitter  @rosatherose 

Last November, I looked back at my own posts on Gypsy and Traveller issues

 

 

 

Part 1 - Looking back at the Gypsy and Traveller world, from 2008 to now

Since the publication of my first novel, Gypsies Stop tHere, in the spring of 2008, surely there must have been changes in the Gypsy and Traveller world. The book, along with the sequel / prequel, No Gypsies Served, presents a snapshot of how things were, using a fusion of fact and fiction to weave a story. Romany Gypsies, Irish Travellers and people not from their communities have said lovely things about them – see the reviews on Amazon and more inside each one! But this post is not really about my books.

Firstly, as reminder, let’s take a look back at some blog posts I wrote a while back. You can pick and mix according to what catches your eye and takes your fancy!

My next blog post will take a look at what has gone on since and what is happening now. Have things improved, progressed for the better or do the same problems persist?

 ** Please click on green titles for links **

Sunday, 6 December 2009
 
How come Gypsies and Travellers?

This is what seems to intrigue people. I am not a Gypsy myself. How come I am writing a story with a theme that hinges on Gypsies and Travellers, their origins, culture and present-day problems?

At Yateley a few years ago

At Bourne Hall Museum event

Friday, 12 February 2010

'Gypsy' or Traveller'?

A simple question often asked. But how complicated the answer!!

This looks at terminology and ‘labels’ and how easy it is to unwittingly offend.

Sunday, 19 December 2010

Fiction Slips into Reality

It really is stranger than fiction when fiction becomes reality. I felt as if I had stepped into a scene from my own novel Gypsies Stop tHere. The public meeting was to discuss proposals for an inevitable development at Deepcut.
 

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Could not let TV Channel 4’s Big Fat Gypsy Wedding go by without offering a few thoughts – could I? It wouldn’t be right!
Firstly, these were, going by their accents, Irish Travellers rather than Romany Gypsies.
 

 

Monday, 7 February 2011

Another Grumble on Big Fat Gypsy Weddings

I understand Channel 4’s aim to achieve high ratings. To suck in an audience that might ultimately consider more serious aspects of Gypsy and Traveller life and culture, you need to lighten up first. I get that. But at what cost?

The first paragraphs of this post were published in The Guardian – Letters to the Editor (first one on the page!)
 

Friday, 11 February 2011

 

Big Fat Gypsy Weddings not so bad?

Jake Bowers speaking for the Romany Gypsy community: http://bit.ly/h9TldF on Daybreak.

I may be revising my view of Channel 4 documentary, dubbed ‘mockumentary’. I hope it really does help relations between Gypsies and non-Gypsies, rather than make for more bad feeling. Excellent representation on BBC Breakfast show this week. http://bbc.in/e0kK5J

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

More media stuff on BFGW

Various media links …
 

 

Saturday, 11 June 2011

Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month

Have you heard of Travellers Got Talent?

No? Well, at the time of writing, June is Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month. It began three or four years before. Various events displaying and exploring the culture and traditions of Gypsies, Travellers and Roma take place around the country.
 

 

Monday, 10 October 2011

Why I cannot leave Gypsies and Travellers alone

I could have chosen an easier subject for a novel. Friends and family advised me against it; an agent told me a publisher would not consider a title with ‘Gypsy’ in it. All of this spurred me on. This was around 2006–7.

Since I am not a Gypsy myself, many people ask me how? and why?
 

 

Monday, 2 July 2012

Romany Day - I was away with the Gypsies!



At a Romany Day, Tilford

On Saturday (30 June) I went with a supply of my three books to 'Romany Day', held at the Rural Life Centre in Tilford, a fascinating outdoors museum near Farnham, Surrey, well-worth a visit any time. (The front cover of my third novel has a picture of Tilford Green.)

 

Sunday, 10 March 2013

 

London Roma Nation Day - 7-8 April

This may make uncomfortable, even shocking, reading but I was interested to gather opinions ...

You will find the words: ‘eviction, deportation ... murder, fascism … ethnic cleansing … apartheid … genocide …’, and yes, this was 2013.

Gypsies Stop tHere has an Eastern European character, vital to the plot, who is a Roma immigrant in Britain. No Gypsies Served goes a little further in drawing attention to extreme racism prevalent in parts of Europe. The reality, however, is much worse, as this post reveals.

 

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

The Latest on Gypsy and Traveller Sites

There is to be a great meeting in Westminster in October to discuss the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers. 

As you may know, my first two novels, Gypsies Stop tHere and No Gypsies Served have story lines relating to the shortage of Gypsy sites and relationships between.the travelling community and 'mainstream' society. 

 

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities Forum

It is bit of a mouthful, isn't it? But it does say exactly what it is. If you are interested in Gypsy issues but, like me, decided that the meeting in London would be an expensive trip unless you are funded by an organisation, then another October meeting may be for you. For some years now I have attended the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities Forum when I can, as an observer.
 

Monday, 26 May 2014

Surrey Life Review

I was delighted to have my books chosen for review in the March issue of  the beautiful, glossy Surrey Life Magazine I thought you might like to see it.

 

That's about it for now; I hope this did not cause too much verbal indigestion. Look out for the next blog post to bring us all up to date. I am intrigued, I hope you are too!

My books are available on Amazon or through Waterstones. Just click on the book covers.

 

Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities Forum

It is bit of a mouthful, isn't it? But it does say exactly what it is. If you are interested in Gypsy issues but, like me, decided that the meeting in London would be an expensive trip unless you are funded by an organisation, then another October meeting may be for you. For some years now I have attended the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities Forum when I can, as an observer.

 

These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to gain an up to date understanding first-hand of what is going on, not just on the big, overwhelming issue of site provision.  As described on a flyer, the forum is ‘a public meeting for individuals, agencies, charities and voluntary groups to meet informally with members of the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Community.’ I have heard heart-breaking accounts from mothers of hardships endured by the Gypsy and Travellers communities, and frustrations of fathers who battle with the authorities to find a place for their family to live; as well as how the various agencies deal with difficult situations.

This meeting is covering the new regulations brought in under the Scrap Metal Act 2013. No doubt there will be divided opinions on this. Scandalous and scurrilous dealings in the industry must be curbed, but you can imagine how someone whose literacy skills are weak would feel when confronted with the bureaucracy here:  Scrap Metal Act 2013

Other perennial issues will also be debated – education, health, planning etc.

This meeting is free, open to members of the public, held at 10.00 am on Tuesday, 22 October 2013 at the Runnymede Civic Centre, Station Road, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 2AH (parking at Garfield Road car park).

By the way, as you’re here you may like to see a couple of lovely reviews that came about recently. A lady found me on Twitter and my books on Amazon, or perhaps the other way round.  Thank you JennCarol aka @JennyGaluschka on Twitter

'Art as an agent of social change' – a review of Gypsies Stop tHere

http://jenncarol.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/art-as-agent-of-social-change.html#!/2013/09/art-as-agent-of-social-change.html

'Who do you believe you are?' – a review of No Gypsies Served

http://jenncarol.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/who-do-you-believe-you-are.html

 

Perhaps I shall see you at the Forum meeting on 22 October!

The Latest on Gypsy and Traveller Sites

There is to be a great meeting in Westminster in October to discuss the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers. 

As you may know, my first two novels, Gypsies Stop tHere and No Gypsies Served have story lines relating to the shortage of Gypsy sites and relationships between.the travelling community and mainstream society. In my early research I became very intrigued by the causes of this and why it has become such a social issue everywhere. I came to realise in my investigations that the on-going, sorry situation was bound up in a tangled web of history, culture, tradition, justice, planning laws and widespread beliefs in society that sometimes can only be described as prejudice. As with any section of society, people tend to remember unhappy incidents where there is some kind of conflict or tension, and then apply their conclusions to a whole group of people. Such negativity is often at the core of racism.

A key problem is availability of land and I fully appreciate that, but the amount of land required to provide sites where Travellers and Gypsies can live in a trailer instead of a house, is on a remarkably small scale. As far as I can see, it could be incorporated into planned housing developments; the only difference being that a hard-standing pitch is needed instead of foundations for a house. Put like this, unless you are a property developer, does it not seem a fairly simple and modest request? 

Traditionally, the travelling community live in family groups and do not care to do their ablutions or laundry in the trailer so some kind of utility ‘shed’ is preferred for washing and toilet, as you might find on any regulated holiday campsite. None of these requirements is beyond the wit of man, or the planning authorities. Also, where a Gypsy or Traveller has purchased land to set up home, then certain criteria could surely be devised that could accommodate this without contravening planning laws. If it is land that is an Area of Outstanding Beauty; strictly agricultural or green belt, then no. If it is a piece of land that might be used for building bricks and mortar, or a reclaimed brownfield site, then possibly. This is oversimplifying, but surely government and planning experts could come up with a compromise formula if they were willing. 

The stumbling block for councils to provide as they should is often down to the general public raising objections. These protests can arise as a result of ugly perceptions that have grown due to the mess associated with unauthorised sites. You see where I am going? By the way, it is always worth re-stating that authorised Gypsy sites are, almost always, kept immaculately.

If you want to know more, here are some links you may find useful. Actually, I am underselling them - they make fascinating reading! Just make yourself comfortable for a few minutes.

BBC News 9 August 2013 ‘Illegal Travellers Sites – Decisive Action Demanded’

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles; Chairman of the Gypsy Council Joseph Jones; Chief Executive of the Irish Travellers Movement Yvonne MacNamara;  Prime Minister David Cameron; some widely opposing views reported here. The Westminster briefing will be a fascinating debate to follow.

Travellers Times – The Road to Nowhere, The Impact of the Revocation of the Temporary Stop Notice Regulations upon Gypsies and Travellers. 

An excellent and comprehensive summary by Marc Willers of Garden Court Chambers

Here is an abridged version in Inside Housing

Surrey Heath Residents Blog

See the heated conversation that struck up here in November 2010 in response to my piece on a local issue. This situation was not typical but a very specific circumstance relating to Showmen; however the discussion that ensued was more typical.
 

 

If you are new to all this and would like a more relaxing way to gain some understanding of the various sides of this important debate, then you could start by reading my novels, an 'easy way in' as one reviewer said.