Making a Difference

Involving the Community

Raising Awareness of Gypsy Traveller Traditions

In June members of the Milnes Area Forum co-hosted a Gypsy Traveller Awareness event at Inchberry Hall, as part of the Gypsy Traveller Education Information Project.  The event comprised story-telling sessions, ballad singing, traditional craft demonstrations and displays of photographs, books etc.

Forum members were involved initially in the run-up to the event collecting memories from local residents who remembered gypsy travellers in days gone by.  These memories were then presented on the day in the form of audio recordings and written extracts.  Archive photographs produced a 'memory tree' to collect memories from visitors to the event and are still busy compiling a booklet from these.  These will include photographs taken on the day of the event.

The Forum was thanked for their positive contribution to the day.  Members were heavily involved in the practical running of the event and thoroughly enjoyed taking part.  They wore bespoke aprons bearing the Forum logo, which created a point of conversation, allowing visitors to the event to ask about the Forum and its work.