Latest news with #GypsyRomaTraveller
Daily Mail
a day ago
- 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.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Travellers move back onto family park for third time in weeks
A large group of travellers have set up camp at popular family park for the third time in weeks. A convoy of caravans and other vehicles started driving onto Swanshurst Park on the outskirts of Moseley and Billesley on Wednesday, May 21, settling on the field near the play park. The Friends of Swanshurst Park said members had notified the council with a view to initiating eviction proceedings. READ MORE: Major Midlands A-road near hospital blocked due to crash READ MORE: Armed police scramble to hospital over man armed with crossbow READ MORE: Victims of deadly 'mistaken identity' petrol bomb attack say 'this fire was meant for someone else' An event scheduled for the community tomorrow, Saturday, May 24, was also cancelled. The Friends 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. 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." Stu Johnson wrote on Facebook: "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 said: "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."
