Latest news with #GypsyRomaTraveller
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Travellers bring their caravans back to family park for FIFTH time this year - after locals had to pick up rubbish following previous visit
Travellers have returned to a family park for the fifth time this year after locals were left to pick up rubbish from a previous visit. Caravans and vehicles were again seen at Swanshurst Park in Billesley in Birmingham on Tuesday after travellers were seen setting up camp several times in May. The group was seen returning to the park only 24 hours after locals were left to pick up the pieces from a previous group, which meant an event scheduled for the community had to be cancelled. The Friends group posted on Facebook at the time: 'We are cancelling our balsam bashing session this Saturday as the Travellers are very close to the area we would be working. 'We will re-arrange another date and post details as soon as it has been decided.' The authorities have been notified after this latest development. Birmingham City Council said it is 'committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it'. The authority added: 'The council has usable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community - which is in line with Government policy - and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.' As reported earlier this year a group of travellers set up camp at the popular family park for the third time in just a few weeks, forcing planned community events to be cancelled. A convoy of caravans and other vehicles arrived at the park on the outskirts of Moseley and Billesley on Wednesday May 21 settling on the field near the play park. It is the third time since the beginning of April that travellers have parked up on park A local community organisation said members had notified the council with a view to initiating eviction proceedings. A 'Balsam bashing' event scheduled by the group for tomorrow has also been cancelled. Balsam bashing refers to the removal of the plant Himalyan Balsam by hand to protect native species. A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said previously: 'Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. 'The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community - which is in line with Government policy - and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.' Video footage shared online showed the first caravans and cars arriving onto the park, filmed from the nearby children's playground. A man who saw the group arriving, Stu Johnson, said: 'I saw them arriving while I was on the bus earlier - going onto the pavement by the entrance to the car park, driving along the pavement then onto the grass once they've passed the trees. 'Needs to be more logs or railings I'm afraid.' Mary Hart added: 'There have been three lots of travellers this year on Swanshurst. 'Each time a different group. Last time there were two groups at the same time. The clean-up is mostly done by volunteers with help from the council.'
BBC News
13-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bristol City Council to seek injunction over Downs van dwellers
Bristol City Council says it is "taking proactive steps to apply for an injunction" to prevent people living in vans on a popular public green approved, the injunction would apply to the grassed areas of Durdham Down and would allow officers to move pitched vehicles off more of the vehicles currently on The Downs would be exempt as they are parked on adjacent Barry Parsons said he recognised the challenges an increase in van-dwellers had raised, and said the council was looking at solutions which worked for all parties. "Fundamentally we want to make sure that all communities, including those living in vehicles or caravans, and those in homes in neighbourhoods, have a meaningful and fair chance to live healthy and safe lives. "This means we need to take action on a number of fronts to make sure we are balancing the needs of everyone, whilst prioritising our efforts where the need is greatest," he said. A similar injunction, which expired last year, was previously in place in the in 2023, an injunction was imposed on people living in vehicles in Greenbank, east council estimates there are currently between 640 and 680 lived-in vehicles and caravans across the city, which does not include the number of transient Gypsy, Roma and Traveller groups who visit Bristol throughout the local authority said it was "supporting those living in vehicles to remain healthy and safe and have the support needed to move into more settled accommodation".Its longer-term plan is to create up to 250 spaces for people living in vehicles on land which is due to be at the site would have access to facilities like running water and toilets, as well as health and wellbeing support, it Parsons, who is chair of the council's Homes and Housing Delivery Committee, said the ultimate goal was a "single policy, co-designed with communities and van dweller groups, reflective of the various challenges and views associated with this growing issue". Between 200 and 300 people gathered on The Downs on Thursday evening for a protest walk to "highlight the impact of council inaction on public wellbeing"."We're here to show our strength of feeling to the council that this is a situation that can't be allowed to continue," said one supporters of the van dwelling community were also in attendance."I feel like a lot of people here own their own homes and benefited from the post-war economy where you could be a postman and buy your own house or have a minimum wage job and get a mortgage - that dream has gone," said Matthew Strange."I wish some more people would understand the context by which these circumstances have arisen," he added.
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Labour council flies Romani flag to celebrate 'Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller History Month' - then has to apologise because it is upside down
A Labour-run council has apologised after it flew the Romani flag upside down in what was supposed to be a gesture to mark 'Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller History Month'. Cambridge City Council had put the flag, which was adopted in the 1970s, up outside the Guildhall in the city centre for the month of June. The blue, which is supposed to be at the top of the flag represents the heavens, while the green at the bottom represents the earth. However, up until yesterday these colours in the flag flown from the Market Square building in Cambridge were the wrong way up. Sam Scharf, director of communities at the council, said: 'Cambridge City Council sincerely apologises for any upset caused by flying the Romany flag upside down. 'This was not the council's intention and was an honest mistake. As soon as our error was spotted, we worked to correct it as quickly as possible. 'The flag is now flying the right way up and we will take greater care to ensure this doesn't repeat itself. 'We fly the Romany flag at the Guildhall to mark the importance of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and are committed to strengthening equality and diversity in Cambridge.' Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller History Month was first marked in Britain in 2008. Its aims include promoting knowledge of the groups' histories and heritages, alongside offsetting negative stereotypes and prejudices. Kent Police previously sparked hundreds of complaints after it flew the Romani flag to mark 'Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller History Month'. The force, which has had to deal with a number of illegal traveller sites in the past, also posted a photo of three members of staff with the colourful banner. But the social media post prompted over a thousand responses, with most of them negative. One web user accused the force of being 'out of touch', while others declared they should leave 'left wing woke politics' behind. Bea Johanssen simply asked 'When's Crime-fighting Day?' while another questioned 'Is this a joke? We do not pay the police force to support certain groups. They should police without fear nor favour.' X user Blue Geordie said: 'Virtue signalling that means nothing to no one but will undoubtedly p*** off a lot of people who just want the police to turn up when they call them and lock up the bad guys when they find them. Simple stuff.' However, Deputy Chief Constable Tony Blaker of Kent Police said: 'Kent Police employs staff from all strands of society, including people from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds, and this flag was flown in response to a request from serving officers in Kent. 'British policing is by consent and Kent Police seeks to positively engage with all our communities, and in doing so we regularly show our support for other national and international events and religious festivals.'
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Animal welfare charities get ready to celebrate awards at Appleby Horse Fair
STAFF from eight animal welfare charities who make up the Appleby Horse Project are making their final preparations. The annual gathering of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, which is the biggest in the UK, officially begins next Thursday, June 5, with the biggest days traditionally taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Hundreds of horses are bought and sold at the event, which is also an important holiday for many Fairgoers. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Best at Appleby Awards, led by Redwings Horse Sanctuary with support from the rest of the animal welfare charity partnership. Redwings' vet Nicola Berryman is head judge of this year's competition and said: 'I've been working at Appleby since 2012 and have been helping to judge these awards since their inception 10 years ago. 'The response to the awards has changed so much over the years. We now have so many people bringing their horses to our golden tent on Salt Tip Corner that we're reverting to how we used to run them this year, where one of our vets must spot and approach you. 'The awards have become an incredible tool for building relationships, as we always hoped they would over time, and we can't wait to meet this year's winners and their owners.' The awards recognise the best horse health, happiness, and horsemanship at the Fair, with categories including Best Hoof Health and Best in Harness chosen by experts. Leading farrier and educator Dean Bland will be judging the Best Hoof Health Award, and Master saddler and harness maker Chris Taylor and Laurence Pearman will be judging the Best in Harness Award. The operational team, led by the RSPCA, will be putting on extra evening patrols after reports that horses were being overworked at that time of day last year. RSPCA chief inspector for Cumbria, Rob Melloy, oversees the operational team and added: 'Overworking is a key focus for us this year after it proved to be an issue at last year's Fair. 'We had a lot of reports from Fairgoers and the settled community that horses were being worked hard at night, so we'll be putting on extra patrols in the evening."
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Travellers set up camp at popular family park for third time in weeks - forcing community events to be cancelled
A group of travellers have set up camp at a popular family park for the third time in just a few weeks, forcing planned community events to be cancelled. A convoy of caravans and other vehicles arrived at Swanshurst Park on the outskirts of Moseley and Billesley, Birmingham, on Wednesday, settling on the field near the play park. It is the third time since the beginning of April that travellers have parked up on park. Local community organisation Friends of Swanshurst Park said members had notified the council with a view to initiating eviction proceedings. A 'Balsam bashing' event scheduled by the group for tomorrow has also been cancelled. Balsam bashing refers to the removal of the plant Himalyan Balsam by hand to protect native species. The group posted on Facebook: 'We are cancelling our Balsam bashing session this Saturday as the travellers are very close to the area we would be working. 'We will rearrange another date and post details as soon as it has been decided.' This is the third traveller incursion in the park since April with volunteers clearing up the mess left behind. Video footage shared online showed the first caravans and cars arriving onto the park A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said previously: 'Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it. 'The council has useable transit sites and plots for use by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community - which is in line with Government policy - and details of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.' Video footage shared online showed the first caravans and cars arriving onto the park, filmed from the nearby children's playground. A man who saw the group arriving, Stu Johnson, said: 'I saw them arriving while I was on the bus earlier - going onto the pavement by the entrance to the car park, driving along the pavement then onto the grass once they've passed the trees. 'Needs to be more logs or railings I'm afraid.' Mary Hart added: 'There have been three lots of travellers this year on Swanshurst. 'Each time a different group. Last time there were two groups at the same time. The clean-up is mostly done by volunteers with help from the council.'
