Newsletter of the Traveller Equality Project Travellers in prison news Issue 10 March 2014 Group who were keen to get their Group established within the prison. We also spoke with senior staff at the monthly Diversity Meeting stressing the importance of regular Traveller Groups, the importance of Traveller Reps being able to access prisoners at reception and as always the importance of ethnic monitoring. As more and more prisoners identify themselves as ‘W3 Gypsy / Irish Traveller’, they are seeing the benefits of having their ethnic background recognised in prison. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig! So remember if you’re not Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! registered as ‘W3 Gypsy / Irish Traveller’ register today with Welcome to the 10th Edition of Travellers in Prison News (TIPN). your Personal Officer because: In January, we visited Brixton Prison to speak on National Prison Radio’s Open Road If you are not counted. You programme. Open Road is a brilliant mix of music, information and discussion focused won’t count! on Gypsy and Traveller issues. Open Road has been a huge success since it was Travellers in Prison News is launched late last year and has a large following of Traveller and non-Traveller produced thanks to the kind listeners. Check the back of Inside Time for programme times. support of the Barrow Cadbury Trust In February we had a very good visit to Coldingley Prison. We met the Traveller The work of the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain is funded in part by grants from the Government of Ireland and by the support of many generous Friends. TRAVELLERS IN PRISON NEWS fallen victim to and witnessed my fair shocked to learn how similar each In this edition of TIPN, we have an share of discrimination, I have not others’ views were about each other article by Noel, a Traveller Rep and allowed it to faze me from achieving and also how in a modern society Sarah Dabinett, Head of Residence in my goals there was still a sample of stereo- HMP Guy’s Marsh. Terry Smith typing about certain ethnic groups. continues with his life story. We have When the ad came out for a news of a book of Gypsy and Traveller Gypsy/Traveller Rep, I was torn I presented this information on my stories compiled by Sister Carmel about whether to apply. I didn’t want presentation and also highlighted the Murphy, and edited by Manchester to get involved in the politics or be difficulties that Gypsy/Travellers based journalist Ciara Leeming. And perceived in the wrong way but I was faced when coming to prison; much, more. ultimately swayed by knowing that I particularly focusing on the low could contribute to positive changes literacy levels and self harm. Remember that TIPN is your within the community. newsletter. TIPN is for Travellers and I stressed how difficult it was coming Gypsies and those who work alongside As part of my role the Head of from the open road, living as a free the community – SO GET WRITING. Residence and Safety asked me to give spirit amongst your own community a presentation to staff at a meeting to coming to prison where you’re Let us know what things are happening about my role and to give staff an confined to a small space, feel in your prison for Gypsies and awareness of the concerns and isolated from your community and Travellers and how others can learn from difficulties that Gypsy/Travellers face have difficulty understanding prison it. Send us your poems, artwork, articles whilst in custody. rules due to your literacy levels. and letters to make sure that TIPN makes your voice heard. Sarah: Coming to prison is tough, particularly if you are vulnerable and Most importantly, in the month of March My name is Sarah Dabinett and I experience mental health issues; we here at the Traveller Equality Project took over the role of Head of these all lend to the violence and self wish you (wherever you are from!), your Residence and Safety here at harm in prisons family and friends a Very Happy St Patrick’s Guy’s Marsh in 2013. The role Day! needed developing and key to Since the presentation I have this is having prisoners to received a great deal of positive Working together in support you that understand the feedback from staff and I believe that HMP Guy’s Marsh needs of other prisoners. I knew this is a step forward in changing Noel from a previous some perceptions. I feel that I now establishment and so was have staff support to put strategies in extremely pleased when he place that will help with the needs applied for the role of and requirements of the Gypsy/Traveller representative. Gypsy/Traveller community here at Guy’s Marsh. I had witnessed some staff perceptions of Gypsy/Travellers Sarah: and it was clear that we need to We were thrilled this month to get an article develop the relationship I asked Noel to do a written jointly by Noel, a Traveller rep in between the Gypsy/Traveller presentation at a Full Staff HMP Guy’s Marsh, and Sarah Dabinett; community and staff working Meeting to initiate some Head of Residence in the prison. with them. awareness amongst staff and the feedback has been Noel: Noel: extremely positive, staff are now aware of Noel and the role My name is Noel, I come from an Irish I carried out some research into this he represents but I do believe Travelling background and I am 8 years and also interviewed both staff and that the presentation has into a mandatory life sentence. Over Gypsy/Travellers about their generated some thoughts the years I have used my time perceptions of each other. I was amongst the staff group. productively but along the way I have 3 We have a long way to go in developing the role and the relationships between staff and Gypsies/Travellers but I think that the prison is certainly more aware of the difficulties that are faced on a day-to-day basis. Noel is part of our Safer Custody and Equalities meetings and as committees we are striving to do what we can to overcome the frustrations of the Gypsy/Traveller communities. The Moving Voices project can offer a explains Archie Utley, the projects’ manager. Traveller exhibition platform for greater understanding of a proud community’s cultural heritage, at HMP Altcourse “We applied to the Travellers Aid which can only be a good things for the Trust for funding and we’re now In January, HMP Altcourse hosted a Traveller prison population and wider supporting five men through the special exhibition of Traveller community. process and funding their training and history and culture in the prison For more information on the project tests.” library. The exhibition was part of and to watch videos and interviews go the ‘Moving Voices’ project by “Lorry drivers can earn around £500 to www.twinvision.org Liverpool based charity Twin per week so we weren't surprised by Vision. the amount of interest in the opportunity.” The exhibition, which included recorded interviews with “Becoming a Large Goods Vehicle community members, photographs driver involves taking a medical, and historical archive, reflects Irish upgrading your licence to Category C, Traveller culture through the passing theory tests and the Certificate community’s own eyes. of Professional Competence, one To enquire about booking the week’s intensive training followed by a The exhibition was enjoyed by exhibition for your prison, email practical test. Though it’s not easy and Traveller and non-Traveller [email protected] the success rate of passing the test first prisoners alike and received positive Southwark Travellers time is only 43%, the men are working feedback, some examples of which take to the Road hard inspired by the thought of leaving were: heavy-labouring and scrapping behind. Hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more “Exhibitions like this help to curb Southwark Travellers Action Group Travellers driving lorries in the ignorance” (STAG) based in Peckham, South London, has been running a project to future.” “Really enjoyed looking at the photos help Travellers become licenced lorry and reading their history” drivers. “Really enjoyed looking at the “We kept hearing from our project exhibition and reading about the users that finding work out there was families. Made me want to know more” getting harder and harder- so we were inspired to hear that one of the men had recently passed his LGV licence and was starting work for a lorry company” TRAVELLERS IN PRISON NEWS My Life… Part 2 Many a time we sat at the fire just Time to Ask outside the trailer and Daddy would By Terry Smith tell us stories about himself and his Jim, a Traveller in prison, sent us in a Following on from his article in December’s family. Mammy would put potatoes in prayer he’d like to share. newsletter, Terry Smith shares his memories the fire for supper. They were lovely God to grant me the serenity to accept of life on the road. with a bit of butter. the things as a man I cannot change Hello everyone, even though it’s My mother loved to listen to the while in prison, getting on here’s wishing you a very radio; she would listen out for her old The courage to change the things I can, happy New Year. Well you might have favourites The Dubliners, the Ink and the wisdom to know the read a little about me in the last issue. Spots, Jim Reeves and Malcom Vaughn, not forgetting Joseph Lock.