At the present time we have had to reduce the staffing of our helpline to just one F/T caseworker and may have to reduce it still further if we are unable to secure further funds beyond March 2012. We are looking to raise £25k to enable us to restore this service to its full capacity through 2012/3. Each case costs an average of just £100 to deal with. Amazing really when this help can change someone’s life!

Can you help maintain this vital service? You can raise money in so many ways- Hold a concert, run a marathon, any kind of sponsored activity or fundraiser…..Phone us or e-mail today for a fundraising pack…..of course donations are always welcome!

TEL:01273-234777 or e-mail michelle@gypsy-traveller.org liz@gypsy-traveller.org

Support FFT this Christmas and buy a pack of five Christmas cards for £3.00 (+50p postage). We post out all orders within 24hrs (on week days), to ensure that they arrive in time for your Christmas celebrations. All proceeds of the cards go to FFT to enable us to continue our core work

Buy Now with Paypal, just click on the button below!

Alternatively a yearly membership purchased for somebody would make an unusual and worthy Christmas gift? Membership entitles you to a quarterly newsletter and a vote at our Annual AGM. Membership costs £10 per year and £5 unwaged Organisations receive membership at a cost of £25.

“I want to begin by thanking the Travellers of Dale Farm for welcoming me again to your community today. To welcome all those who stand with you in peaceful defence of your rights. You have recognised that this isn’t just the struggle of one community but an issue of fundamental rights of concern to us all.

I’ve represented Basildon as its Member of the European Parliament since 1994. I acknowledge, in fact welcome the different views there are in the local community. But it is time to speak for the teachers at the local school where Dale Farm children study, the local religious leaders where Dale Farm residents worship, the students at Essex University who have volunteered their time. And the local politicians, not just myself, and I’m proud to say the Labour councillors on Basildon Council who oppose this eviction. I respect my relationship with Basildon Council. But if they go ahead, we should unite and say to them: “Not in my name!”

I’m a former chair of planning in Essex. I know about planning. I know how Tory Essex authorities fail to designate enough pitches for legal Travellers sites, and try to push the responsibility on to someone else. That one-in-five of Travellers in the East of England is officially homeless. And by God have the Travellers of Dale Farm sought to get planning permission. Their latest planning application on an alternative site south of the A127. A site owned by the Homes and Communities Agency who I personally have spoken to and who have told me (I quote): ‘We are willing to place any of our land in Basildon at the Council’s designation as a Gypsy and Traveller site(s)…We are willing to identify and invest capital to establish the pitches on such land…’

And fourth, that this is about upholding the law. Yes. It is. But it cannot mean cherry-picking which laws will be upheld, and which not.

This year I am the European Parliament’s Annual Human Rights Rapporteur.

Their rights are not just for Traveller families to have a home, and for their children to have an education. But for their culture to be respected. To be able to live according to the Traveller lifestyle.

And that is part of the law too. Human Rights law. And is upheld by the European Court of Justice.

As a Member of the European Parliament I have protested against the treatment of Travellers or Roma in the countries of Eastern Europe before they were allowed to join the EU. I have protested against the mass finger-printing of Roma in Italy, the first time it’s been done since it was done to Roma and to Jewish people in the holocaust. Of the Second World War And I have protested against the mass expulsion of Roma from France and the branding of all travellers as criminals, and seen France forced to back down.

So I will not stay silent if there is any danger that the very same discrimination takes place in my own country, here in my own constituency.

And what do you think if the United Nations Adviser on Adequate Housing says something is wrong? Or the United Nations Adviser against Racial Discrimination? You think it is wrong. And that is what they say about forced eviction at Dale Farm.

And when last week the UN Committee against Racism came here and said it was wrong to evict the travellers. That makes me think it is wrong.. And it is racist.
And when the Council of Europe human rights delegation came here and delivered it’s opinion confidentially to the British Government, I personally challenged David Cameron to publish the report and make it available to Basildon Council. Because that is a legal opinion based on compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. If the law is being broken at Dale Farm, it could be that it is those who would evict, that it is they who are the law-breakers. So Basildon and all of us must be given sight of that report.

This is an issue of fundamental rights. That is why on Thursday of next week I have secured for the Dale Farm travellers an emergency debate at the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna. Only international pressure can make a difference now.

Earlier I said I love Basildon and I want to repeat that and to say that I love my country too.

But let me finish by saying that as a Member of the European Parliament I am deeply ashamed that action here in this community is bringing international opprobrium against our country. That Britain’s international reputation for tolerance, fairness and justice is being damaged at what may happen next. And that the time to listen to the criticism is now not later.

Let Dale Farm live.

Thank you.”

Richard Howitt MEP
richard@richardhowittmep.com
www.richardhowittmep..com

Link: http://www.romabuzzmonitor.net/dale-farm-mep-speaks-out-2/

These changes have meant that local authorities are required to provide a proper written statement regarding the terms of the license agreement between the ‘Occupier’ (the Traveller living on the plot) and the ‘Owner’ (the local authority that own the site). If new agreements are being proposed that differ from the content of the previous agreement then there is an obligation for the local authority to consult the residents of the site on the changes – this only applies to the express terms of the agreement and not the implied terms. A license agreement sets the rules which both the people living on the plot and the local authority must abide by so it’s important that they’re right.

If you receive a new license agreement which the local authority is requiring you to sign and are unsure about any aspect of it then please either call our advice line 01273 234777 or call the Travellers Advice Team solicitors on 0121 685 8595.

This seminar is aimed at local authorities, Registered Social Landlords, Gypsies and Travellers and any other interested parties.
It costs £35 per person, including lunch, and is free for Gypsies and Travellers.

We will look at site residents’ groups that are already running, and hear from the Tenants Participation Advisory Service about the benefits of residents’ associations both to local authorities and residents, for example in reducing anti-social behaviour and expenditure on vandalism, and improving site management and quality of life and involvement for residents.

..

The day’s agenda:

11 a.m – Registration and refreshments

11.30 – Sarah Mann; Mel Cox; Friends, Families and Travellers; and Crystal Smith (Fairbridge Way Residents’ group), talking about the experience of supporting residents’ groups in Sussex, Wokingham and London.

12.15 – Debby Kennett & Marion Mahoney (Eleanor Street Residents’ group) and the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit, talking about supporting residents’ groups in London.

1.0 – Lunch break.

2.00 – Jane Eyles, Tenants’ Participation Advisory Service, talking about how residents’ groups are a win win for local authorities/landlords and for residents, and the benefits they bring.

3.00 – Steve Clifton (Four Houses Corner Residents’ Group), West Berkshire, talking about supporting a residents’ group in Berkshire.

3.45 – finish.

./
To book a place contact Lisa Bruton at  lisa@gypsy-traveller.org or call 07799 141 633

Hidden within the details of the Legal Aid Bill are provisions that will ensure that the vast majority of Gypsies and Travellers who live in caravans and who need advice on eviction and planning matters will be denied Legal Aid. The Gypsy and Traveller population in England and Wales suffer from much prejudice and discrimination from society at large. They are disadvantaged in terms of health and education. The continual failure by central and local government to address the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers has resulted in a situation where some 25% of the population are homeless. Now, the chances of homeless Gypsies and Travellers establishing a lawful site for themselves are being further undermined by this Bill, which will deny them Legal Aid in planning cases (which are simply not mentioned in the Bill) and in eviction cases (see Schedule 1 Part 1 paragraph 27(9) and Schedule 1 Part 2 paragraph 5 of the Bill). Significantly, although these provisions will have a disproportionate impact upon Gypsies and Travellers, the Bill’s Equality Impact Assessment does not mention Gypsies and Travellers at all.

The loss of Legal Aid in these cases will undoubtedly lead to an increase in unauthorised sites, which will be contrary to the interests of both homeless Gypsies and Travellers and the settled communities. We hope Parliament will strike out these disastrous proposals.

ACTION – Download and sign the petition here OR

Goto the online petition: http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/no-mad-laws/3062
If you sign it please make sure you respond to the verification e-mail you will get otherwise your signature will not be counted.
AND

Download and sign the petition to the House of Commons

AND

Send a postcard to your MP. Get your postcard from the FFT office.
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Campaign Members:
The Campaign is supported by Lord Avebury and Baroness Whitaker. The other members of the campaign include:

The Association of Chief Police Officers
Bramwell Browne Odedra solicitors
Community Law Partnership solicitors
Davies Gore Lomax solicitors
Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group
Friends Families and Travellers
Garden Court Chambers
Irish Traveller Movement in Britain
Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange
London Gypsy and Traveller Unit
National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups
New Traveller Association
South West Law solicitors
UK Association of Gypsy Women

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Further Reading

-  LEGAL AID BILL: ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION TO GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS. BRIEFING SUMMARY by Community Law Partnership
-LEGAL AID, SENTENCING AND PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS BILL AND GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS by Community Law Partnership
-http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2011/jul/13/criminalise-squatting-targets-gypsies?CMP=twt_gu

Since its inception, FFT has been very much the voice of Travellers and has broad support in the Travelling community. Many of our members are Travellers, or have children and grandchildren who travel and the current Management Committee includes three Travellers. However, the membership is wide-ranging and includes local councilors, ministers of religion, lawyers, journalists, teachers, health visitors and many representatives of groups working with Travellers at all levels.

Join Here

View our GRT History month pages. We aim to collect the events that are happening for Gypsy Traveller Roma History Month 2011 to let you know what is going on across the country.

Webpage: http://www.gypsy-traveller.org/resources/gtrhm.

If you know of more events, please email us.