TT Issue 47 Autumn 2011
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AUTUMN 2011 | ISSUE 47 | £3.50 www.travellerstimes.org.uk Shining performances at the Travellers Got Talent final! MORE PICTURES AND FULL STORY ON PAGES 8, 12–13 Don’t miss out on your TT ... subscribe from just Dale Farm eviction day announced Full report from the front line PAGE 2 Dale Farm eviction notices served Eviction notices have been served on up to 400 people living on unauthorised plots on Britain’s biggest Travellers’ site at Dale Farm in Essex, giving the families until September 19th to leave or face an £18 million eviction operation. Days after the notices were served Travellers’ Times went to the site to see how the frightened residents were feeling. By Jake Bowers PHOTO: Elisabeth Blanchet JOHN SHERIDAN, 60, said: “The council have her children will be forced to leave the local Tony Ball, Basildon Council leader, has urged to find us somewhere to go, or every car park primary school they love. The eviction, when families to leave by choice before the evictions around here will be filled up.” The terror of an it comes, will be an act of pure racism in her to avoid the misery and the up to £18 million imminent eviction was etched into the face of eyes. “If the council did this to any other ethnic cost it will bring. He said the families were Cathleen Flynn. At 70 she’s at that time in life group, it would seen for the act of racism that being ill-advised by campaigners who want when she should be remembering her hardest it is.” them to stay and try to resist the operation. years, not preparing for them. Residents and campaigners set up a human Residents have appealed for as many “They will not get through that gate,” rights monitoring camp to help resist the supporters as possible to join them before Cathleen tells me with a steely eye. Her eviction on August 27 called Camp Constant, the eviction day on September 19th, setting 58-yearold neighbour Nora says, “We’re not named after the notorious bailiff firm Constant a date for the biggest confrontation between rats, we have to go somewhere.” Neither and Co which will carry out the eviction. Gypsy and Traveller rights activists and the a council flat away from each other nor a “Camp Constant is a base for human rights government Britain has ever seen. life at the side of the road is something monitors and those who will engage in civil they will consider for themselves or their disobedience to stop the bulldozing,” says grandchildren. “Whatever few years we campaigner Grattan Puxon. Local Bishops, For more information on how you can have left in our life, we simply want to live in Jewish Rabbis, Amnesty International and the help the residents, see: peace,” says Cathleen. United Nations have all asked the government http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/ Mary Sheridan, 28, says she is terrified that to stop the eviction on human rights grounds. Tyson Fury becomes British Champion British Gypsy boxer Tyson Fury defeated Dereck Chisora on points to become the new British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion after a brutal fight at Wembley Arena in July. CHISORA ROCKED FURY in the second round lowest it had ever been in the ring. facing the winner in the build-up to the Wembley but it was the only time the champion looked like The previously unbeaten Chisora rocked Fury Arena showdown, and now Fury can dream of a he might win the fight. Fury, however, bounced in the second and had his man in trouble in the shot at the big time. But Fury says he plans a back and picked his opponent off at ease to earn a third and fourth but the challenger cleared his steady climb to the top. wide unanimous decision.Two judges scored the head and dominated from there on in. “I just want to do it nice and steady. I’m fight 117-112 with the other scoring it 118-111. Chisora was constantly worn down by Fury’s going to go for the Irish title next followed by “This is a dream come true and it means the physical dominance and relentless work rate. a defence of the British. Then maybe I can world to me,” said Fury. Victory for the unbeaten Fury – the 15th of his go for [Alexander] Dimitrenko who’s got the Manchester’s Fury, who has proudly spoken professional career – could now open the door to European title.” of his Gypsy identity, started the fight on the a potential world title shot against either of the Fury is eligible to box for the vacant Irish front foot and looked in better form than 27-year- world champion Klitschko brothers. crown thanks to his Romany family heritage old Chisora, whose pre-fight weight was the Wladimir Klitschko, WBO, IBF and WBA and is eyeing a clash with the veteran Belfast highest in his career. Fury’s weight was the champion, openly discussed the prospect of brawler Martin Rogan. Page 2 in Issue 46 of Travellers’ Times carried an article called No Place Like Home about new government policies Apology and on Travellers’ sites. The article featured a picture of some dirty abandoned wasteland at Dale Farm, which does not represent the vast majority of well-kept plots at the site. We unreservedly apologise for the offence this picture may clarification unintentionally have caused. 2 TRAVELLERS’ TIMES | AUTUMN 2011 | ISSUE 47 | www.travellerstimes.org.uk Traveller Education news in brief THE NEW ACPO (Association of Chief Services laid waste by Police Officers) lead for Traveller and Gypsy issues, ACC Janette government cuts McCormick says: “Proper provision An exclusive investigation by Travellers’ Times can reveal that of accommodation is paramount if we the schooling of the children of England’s 300,000 Gypsies and are to address all the Irish Travellers – who are the most educationally vulnerable fundamental issues facing Gypsies and children in the UK – is being put at risk by the cuts to council Travellers today. “I believe an funding. Freedom of Information request responses from 127 effective planning Local Authorities have shown that nearly half have either framework which can deliver the abolished their Traveller Education Service completely or accommodation drastically reduced the number of front-line staff. By Mike Doherty needed will continue Janette McCormick to require monitoring and direction THE SHOCKING RESULTS have also should pay attention to the decline in the from central government and sufficient formed part of detailed research on how Travellers’ education service provision because political will to ensure that the Travelling Britain is treating its Gypsy and Traveller it seems to be the only measure with any community are treated in a fair and community being given to a UN committee on clear success in supporting Gypsy, Roma and equitable way. ACPO and the police service discrimination. Traveller children in getting to school.” are ready to play their part in that work.” Of 127 authorities that responded, 24 The Department of Education said: “This planned to scrap their Traveller education is not about removing support. We have de- support team while a further 34 were cutting ring-fenced a number of grants to give heads more than a third of staff. The situation may be more flexibility and control over their budgets even worse next year, with 20 councils refusing because they know best how to support their No Mad Laws petition to reveal projected staffing levels as they were pupils.” GYPSY AND TRAVELLER campaigners have “under review”, “undecided”, “unknown” or The Travellers’ Times investigation has set up an online petition against the legal being “restructured”. revealed that the following Traveller Education aid bill currently making its way through Concerns were raised by Baroness Whitaker, Services have either been closed or are to be parliament because it will remove the right Vice-President of the Advisory Council for the closed completely: to legal aid for all Gypsies and Travellers living on unauthorised sites – an estimated Education of Romany and other Travellers • Barking and • Medway 25% of the population. (ACERT) in the House of Lords in May. But Dagenham • Newcastle upon Chris Johnson of the Travellers Advice schools minister Lord Hill said £201m in ethnic • Barnet Tyne Team says: “Some 25% of the Gypsy and minority achievement grants had gone to • Barnsley • Newham Traveller population who live in caravans individual schools as part of a drive to shift • Bedford • Rotherham in England and Wales are either on power away from councils. • Calderdale • Rutland unauthorised encampments or unauthorised The scale of cuts has shocked the National • Camden • Sandwell developments and, therefore, many of those Association of Teachers of Travellers. “I’m • Cheshire East • Slough people will be directly affected by these gobsmacked by the speed at which it has • Hillingdon • Solihull proposals. At CLP we estimate that at least happened,” joint president Linda Lewins said. • Kingston upon • Southampton 75% of our ‘accommodation cases’ for our “I’m watching 20 years of hard work being Thames • Southwark Gypsy and Traveller clients would no longer pulled apart.” • Lambeth • Stoke-on-Trent be within scope.” Baroness Whitaker says: “The government • Lewisham • Tower Hamlets Big thanks to Jim’s Videos for providing the fair dates. Contact Jim on 07538 684204 17th Sep Kirkby Stevens 30th Sep - Khanceska – Celebrate 9th Oct Wisbech Peterborough Cowper Day Horse Fair 1st Oct Romany, Traveller people 20th Oct Stow Fair 17th Sep Latter Lee Fair & culture 23rd Oct Langley Horse Fair 25th Sep Kenilworth 3rd Oct Ballinasloe Horse Fair 26th Nov Kirkby Stevens Horse Fair 28th Sep Bridgwater 5th Oct Wibsey Bradford 10th Dec Carlisle Horse Fair Travellers’ Times is looking for a new editor - see the ad on page 22 or www.ruralmedia.co.uk/opportunities/ TRAVELLERS’TRAVELLERS’ TIMESTIMES || AUTUMNAUTUMN 20112011 | ISSUE 47 | www.travellerstimes.org.uk 3 TRAVELLERS’ talk Deep rooted It’s the year 2011 and not much has changed over 600 years for our community.