Are we there yet?

Are We There Yet? is available to buy on Amazon: Are We There Yet?: Amazon.co.uk: Jordan, Lillie Elsie: 9798311260749: Books

Lillie is a young Traveller mum of 3, she was prompted to design this book after a racist incident happened at her children’s school and the Traveller families there were subjected to a targeted social media campaign led by a school governor and the parents association.

Lillie went into school to speak to the head and highlighted what was happening. She offered the school advice on how to engage and support their GRT families, including books and resources which are relevant to our culture. She found not much was available in this format and so she decided to do something herself.

This is the first of a series of books she has planned and she is already working on the next focusing on literacy and phonics.

Sally Barter Traveller Education Professional

The Tinker Experiment

The Tinker Experiment lasted from 1940 until 1980 and was a programme designed to integrate Scottish Travellers into mainstream Scottish society through forced settlement in substandard buildings. It was supported by the UK government, the Church of Scotland and Scottish local authorities. Nomadic families risked having their children taken into care if they didn’t attend school regularly. 

The Tinker Experiment

The BBC Radio 4 programme History on the Edge interviews residents of Bobbin Mill near Pitlochry where, in 1946, the McPhee family and other Gypsy Travellers were moved into an old wartime hut converted for four families. The accommodation was small and overcrowded for the nine McPhee children and their parents, and was without amenities such as electricity. There was also asbestos in the walls which wasn’t removed until the 1980s. 

At Bobbin Mill, Anita meets Shamus McPhee and three of his sisters who still live on the site. Old holiday chalets have in recent years replaced the hutted accommodation and they now have electricity and running water. Yet the family still suffer hardship and discrimination despite having been to university and contributed to society. Prejudice against Gypsy Travellers runs so deep among the settled community that they’ve found it difficult to get work if they reveal their background. And – having fallen between the settled and the nomadic ways of life – none of them has found a life partner or had children.

The McPhees are now seeking an apology from the Scottish Government as they feel their lives have been blighted by the Tinker Experiment. 

Heritage Crafts Red List Resources

Imogen Bright Moon’s presentation to the Education Network

The three new entries for GRTSB specifically are here; 

Fairground Art https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/fairground-art/

Canal Art + Barge Painting https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/canal-art-and-barge-painting/

Vardo + Living Waggon Crafts https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/vardo-art-and-living-waggon-crafts/

Plus additional amendments to;

Tinsmithing https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/tinsmithing/

Horn + Antler Working https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/horn-working/

All the links are on this main page at Heritage Crafts here; 

heritagecrafts.org.uk

You can get downloadable PDF of the 2023 Red List launch publication here. 

* One craft that needs further research is GRTSB Floristry, which will include wooden flowers, wax flowers and paper flowers, as well as traditional wreath-making. *

Please contact me if I can be of any help, imogenbrightmoon@gmail.com

Norfolk Gypsy, Roma and Traveller resource QR codes and links

Padlet is an online bulletin board, but with a lot of things a regular bulletin board could never do. Users can post text, images, videos, files, links … basically anything digital.

One of the best things about Padlet for teachers is how very easy it is to use, even for young students. It works on computers and laptops, plus devices like Chromebooks, iPads, or smartphones.