Author: Brian Foster

The Renewed National Roma Network (NRN) survey, undertaken by Liverpool John Moores University, explored whether there is a need and/or energy to re-establish the NRN and, if so, what the renewed NRN aims/objectives be.

Founding members of the National Roma Network and Roma community members collaborated with Liverpool John Moore’s University, to co-design and develop through open consultation a ‘Renewed National Roma Network Survey’. The consultations took place over several weeks through online meetings and sample questioning. 

KEY FINDINGS 

• 72% state they miss the collective knowledge sharing provided by NRN. Since the NRN Disbanded in 2017 most people miss the collective knowledge sharing and networking. Furthermore, respondents miss the opportunity to learn from other Roma communities in the UK. 

• 59% miss the NRN best practice models and 51% miss the collective Lobbying of the Government. 

• Most respondents believe there is a clear barrier for the Roma community when getting access to support/ basic access needs. 

• Most respondents believe language is the largest barrier with very few translators in schools/health care. 

• Further barriers include literacy, digital exclusion, poverty, discrimination/trust. 

• 70% of people believe funding is the biggest barrier to supporting the Roma community in the future. 

• 48% of respondents said there is a barrier to engaging with the Roma community 

• 61% of respondents believe it is difficult for Roma to access Universal Credit. 

• Most people believe the local government does not have significant understanding of the local Roma community community’s 

• 26% of respondents believe there is not enough in place within their organisation to support the Roma community.

The findings are that there is a need for a Roma support network for knowledge sharing, learning from other Roma and influencing government policy and practice. It recommends the formation of a support group for Roma through a bid. 

Between March and July 2023, there is a vacancy for a freelance Project Associate, to write and design an accessible guide to the digitised online collections of Gypsy and Traveller music at the The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (VWML) . The resource should be aimed at Gypsy and Traveller users but will be accessible to anyone via the library website.

 VWML is collaborating with researchers from the University of East Anglia and the University of Sheffield to curate and develop awareness about the library’s collections of Gypsy and Traveller songs and music.

The Gypsy and Traveller collections held by the library consist mainly of private collections that have been given to the library; most relate to Romani Gypsies but there is also material relating to Irish and Scottish Travellers. Many have been digitised and are available on line but the library collections also include written and audio publications with Gypsy and Traveller songs and music that can be seen in the library and collections in other places.

There is currently no single register of Gypsy and Traveller material in the collections and some inside knowledge is required to find the right entries.

The Project Associate will write and design an accessible resource to the digitised online collections at the library. The resource should be aimed at Gypsy and Traveller users but will be accessible to anyone via the library website. Lived experience of, and/or deep connections with, Gypsy and/or Traveller culture and a passion for community access to culture and heritage collections are listed among the essential experience of applicants.

The project “Gypsy and Traveller Voices in UK Music Archives” is led by Dr Hazel Marsh (University of East Anglia) together with Dr Esbjorn Wettermark (University of Sheffield) and the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library at Cecil Sharp House, London (English Folk Dance and Song Society). The aim of the project is to create resources that make the Gypsy and Traveller collections more accessible, particularly for Gypsy and Traveller people seeking engagement with their cultural heritage. Through collaboration we will highlight the richness and importance of Gypsy and Traveller music collections for communities themselves and the wider English folk scene.