TravellerSpace

We are a membership organisation run by a management committee of seven members who meet six time a year and are elected at the AGM. Membership is open to any individual over the age of 18 who supports the aims of TravellerSpace.

We currently employ four part time staff, sessional workers. Alongside the paid staff we also have a number of excellent volunteers.

TravellerSpace began in 2002 as a summer play scheme on unauthorised sites in West Cornwall. We applied for a series of small grants allowing us to develop the project and to continue offering play and creative activities on site. In 2005 we were able to buy a new playbus thanks to a grant from Children in Need. This was a much needed replacement for the erratic 25 year old camper van we had previously been using!

The project expanded to include basic I.T. training, a lending library of culturally appropriate books, training for other agencies, consultations and the organising of events etc. TravellerSpace developed strong links with health, education and welfare services enabling us to provide signposting, information and advice to both Gypsies and Travellers and other agencies.

Change Up provided funding to establish the St.Day Gypsy and Traveller Women’s Group, which we set up in partnership with the health visitor for the nearby site. Since it’s start in October 2005 the group has gone from strength to strength and meets every week during term time.

In January 2006 we were employed by Fordham Research to manage the field work for the Cornwall Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment. TravellerSpace recruited and helped train Gypsies and Travellers to carry out a survey of the Gypsy and Traveller communities in the Duchy. Over 260 interviews were completed providing the most comprehensive account of Cornwall’s Gypsy and Traveller communities to date.

In February 2006 we were awarded funding by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund for a three year project aiming to breakdown the barriers faced by Gypsies and Travellers accessing services.

TravellerSpace chairs Cornwall’s Inter Agency Forum for Travellers.

Contact us:
TravellerSpace
Room 13, Penwith Centre,
Parade Street,
Penzance,
Cornwall.
TR18 4BU.
01736 334 683
travellerspace @yahoo.co.uk

This website has been funded by the Commission For Racial Equality as part of the ‘Community Education and Capacity Building’ project at Friends, Families and Travellers.