Pictured above Jake Bowers sat on the wagon supplied by The Clearwater Gypsies

Today Tuesday 25th October 2011 we launched planning made plain. Hard copies of the document were distributed at the event we held in Bosham between 2 and 4pm. The documents were given to people who attended such as, F.F.T from Brighton, W.S.C.C Gypsy liaison officer Esther Quarm and members of the Gypsy and Traveller community.

You can download an electronic version from this website There is also an audio version available for you to listen to.  (see main menu on home page).

If you would like a hard copy sent to you by post contact us at greg@clearwatergypsies.com giving all your contact details. There may be a charge for P&P.

Yesterday October 20th Clearwater visited Stow Fair on a beautiful Autumn day. We were doing some filming ready for our hidden histories project were we hope to produce a film about Gypsy and Traveller lives and how they blend in to the local community. The film will be centred around people from Southampton, many of whom were a Stow Fair enjoying the sunshine and catching up with old friends.

The film should be ready by May 2012 and will be available on our website.

Famous artist Tracey Emin recently claimed she has Gypsy ancestry on an addition of the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? Her connection was established by Simon Evans who we know well here at Clearwater and has attended the Romany Roots Event that we put on at the Weald and Downland museum. We are always pleased to promote a positive image of Gypsies and show that people from a Romany background can become successful in all walks of life. We hope Tracey Emin will support other Gypsies and promote positive images of them.

On Saturday 8th October Clearwater put on an event in Norwood Park, Lamberth, London. The event was to celebrate the Centenary of Norwood Park. The reason the Gypsies were asked to attend was because the park used to be a woods were Gypsies lived. Many of the roads surrounding the park have association with Gypsies, such as Gypsy Hill and Romany Road. The Gypsy woman Margaret Finch (who also has a road named after her) used to tell the fortunes of Samuel Pepys (the diarist) and Dr. Johnson.

Clearwater supplied a wagon, a fortune teller, square cottage tent, Gypsy musicians Mic and Susie Darling and horse drawn carriage rides. We were also accompanied by F.F.T from Brighton.

This was a successful event enjoyed by all who attended.

Congratulations to Paddy Docherty who won Celebrity Big Brother 08/09/11. The general public have taken Paddy to their hearts, this shows that Gypsies and Travellers are people the same as everyone else. Clearwater has long promoted the sayings ‘ KNOW US BEFORE YOU JUDGE US’ ‘DONT LET YOUR VOICE BE THE PREDUDICE OF OTHERS’

On Saturday August 20th 2011 Clearwater attended the National Final of Travellers Got Talent in the South Bank Centre, London. Sky TV filmed this as part of an 8 part series ‘A Gypsy Life For Me’ to be screened on the Sky Bio Channel (Sky 156/Virgin 242) from November 17th 2011. Clearwater have supplied props such as Gypsy wagons for use in this series.

The competition was won by Patrick Cassidy, 2nd was Riley Smith and 3rd was Georgina Chapman. (Georgina’s Aunt is a regular visitor to Clearwater as she lives near by)

Well Done to all who took part.

Pictured above are the Romany Diamonds, Eastern European Roma who are professional entertainers.

Paddy Docherty an Irish Traveler is taking part in Celebrity Big Brother. We wish him well and hope he remains in the house so that people like Sally Berko can ask the right questions as she did the other day about how Gypsies are in-able to get access to schools etc. The longer Paddy can stay in the house the more chance there is that people will understand the difficulties that effect Gypsies and Travellers throughout the UK in 2011.

                                                Paddy To Win !!!

We recently visited Ashley Bishop who restored this 1902 Thomas Tong Ledge wagon. Spending over 3000 hours to bring this peice of history back to life. Its not quite finished yet but he has made a wondeful job of it. We found this wagon about 6 years ago with an apple tree growing through the middle of it in a garden in Bordon, Hants. It certanally looks different now!

Clearwater Gypsies were contacted by a researcher for Channel 4 television asking if we would take part in the new series of ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’ we declined the offer as Clearwater Gypsies policy is to take part in events consisting of health care and education or Live News. We do not take part in entertainment programs.

Channel 4 told us the new series will be focusing more on the Roamany Gypsy life and culture .

The Reading, Writing and Romany’s project is well underway with several schools already taking part. The project will continue to run for another 18 months. There is still availability to book workshops and we invite schools in the area to contact us and take up this great opportunity.

boxing at the Oceana night

club in Southampton.

Featuring many of the local

Gypsy community.

This is ’Money V Justice’

Postcards are available from N.F.G.L.G or Clearwater Gypsies. Please take part, it may effect you if you want to set up a site on your own land.

The Campaign is supported by Lord Avebury and Baroness Whitaker.

Last week we did a photo shoot with the local newspaper ‘The Chichester Observer’ featured in the picture is the wagon that we are using for the Esmée Fairbairn project Reading, Writing and Romanies. Also featured in the picture is one of our volunteers Mel Lions. The Chichester Observer are shortly going to run a feature article about Clearwater and the project, they are hoping to circulate this to the National papers.

Greg and Clearwater Gypsies took part in this interesting event this year. Greg was assisting in publicising the FFT, Friends, Families and Travellers and the work that the FFT does.

Above Chris Whitwell Director of the FFT is interviewed by some of the many press that were at the event about the work of the FFT (Friends Families and Travellers).

Our Mitchell meets and greets the Mayor of Brighton and shows her round a traditional Gypsy Bow Top wagon restored by Greg at Clearwater Gypsies.

Greg takes his turn in front of the camera promoting the FFT of which he is one of the board of trustee’s.

Greg was also promoting the Reading Writing and Romanies Project funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

We were all pleased that Gypsies and Travellers were being recognised as an ethnic group.

And finally a group of Dignitaries pose for the camera. You can see that none of these were of Gypsy decent.

A well deserved award in our opinion and we are pleased to see that he has received this recognision.

Marc has worked with The Clearwater Gypsies on several successful planning cases.

Because Gypsies and Travellers were so heavily involved in all aspects of the strawberry business the writers of this, as yet unfinished new play, would like to hear from anybody who was involved in any way with the strawberry business in this area. They would like to hear your stories of life in those days and would love to see your photographs.

This is a great chance for Gypsies and Travellers to tell their stories of life and times while engaged in “the strawberryin”.

Two meetings have been arranged as follows so bring yourself and your photo’s etc to:-

19th June 2011 between 11:00am and 2:00pm to
Manor Farm, Pylands Lane, Southampton

26th June 2011 between 11:00am and 2:00pm to
D@rt Centre, Wildern School, Wildern Lane, Hedge End.

For further Information contact:
Rob Iliffe T: (023) 8062 7807 or M: 07984 338226
Email: robert.iliffe@eastleigh.gov.uk

If you are a Gypsy who lives in Southampton and would like your story heard, The ClearWater Gypsies are making a Film entitled “Hidden Histories”, sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund, if you would like to take part please contact us.

It was being used in the filming of the television series Gypsies Got Talent (Bari Radt) and Miss Gypsy UK.

These series should be televised later this year in September/October on SKY TV.

If you would like to take part in “Travellers got Talent 2011″ contact Jake Bowers.

Tel: 07966 786242  Email: jake@grthm.co.uk
Tel: 07771 416854  Email: traceylgclgroup@aol.com

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT CLEARWATERGYPSIES.COM about either of these programs. We are not involved in the management of these programs.

Please read this document and the attachment… IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!!!

The consultation period begins 13 April 2011 and ends on 6 July 2011.

The consultation documents, and details of how to respond, are set out on the government website at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/travellers/

This consultation follows a commitment made by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 29 August 2010, to withdraw the existing planning circulars for traveller sites (Circular 01/2006: Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites, and Circular 04/2007: Planning for Travelling Showpeople) and replace them with a new, short, fair, light-touch, single policy.
This forms part of the Government’s commitment to radically reform the planning system by streamlining lengthy, complex policy and guidance and decentralising the system to strengthen the role of elected councils and communities.

The purpose of the consultation is to obtain views on the draft planning policy statement and the accompanying documents. All comments received on this consultation will be taken into consideration during the process of finalising the new policy.

If you have any queries about the consultation, please contact Paul Williams (by email: paul.williams@communities.gsi.gov.uk or by telephone: 0303 44 4000).

Download the Planning for Traveller sites – Apr 2011 consultation document here.

We intend to make a film over the next 12 months containing interviews and spoken histories of the Gypsies and Travellers that made this area their home.

If you are interested in taking part and or contributing to this project please contact us on:

01243 572367 or 07770 499589 or drop us an email.

With thanks to the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation for their grant to allow us to begin our Reading, Writing and Romanies Project.

The Reading, Writing and Romanies Project is designed in 2 parts.

Firstly for primary school children and involves taking a wagon (Vardo) into schools to assist in explaining the life and culture of Gypsies and Travellers and that Gypsies and Travellers are an ethnic group as recognised by the EHRC, Equality & Human Rights Commission.

Secondly for secondary schools, where an open debate is initiated about Gypsies and Travellers their lives and the issues that affect them such as Health, Education and Planning.

If you would like to take part or organise one of these visits to your school:

Contact T:01243 572367  M:07770 499589 or send us an email.

We are working closely with the West Sussex Travellers Education service and Friends Families and Travellers (FFT) of Brighton.

A new Insurance scheme is now available to Gypsies and Travellers. This insurance company has designed a policy specifically for Gypsies and Travellers to insure their homes.

Outlook is a comprehensive Home Insurance scheme for the Gypsy and Traveller community to insure your: Tourer, Vardo, Static or Park Home plus its contents whilst it’s located at your site.

If you live on an official Council or authorised Private site please give them a call for a quote.

You can contact them on 0845 873 4892 for a quote or click here for more details.

DO NOT CALL CLEARWATER GYPSIES!

Norfolk Centre, Arundel, June 2010

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month is during the month of June this year.

As part of the celebrations we are putting on an event taking place on the 9th and 10th of June at the Norfolk Center, Arundel next to Arundel Castle.

We will have stands where you can view and purchase all sorts of Gypsy & Traveller art, books and all sorts of memorabilia.

We will also have a Romany Bow Top Wagon on display.

This is to be an Audio guide to help Gypsies and Travellers navigate the local government planning process and will be available to download from this site.

Check back here and we will keep you updated on our progress.

April 2011:

We have now started consulting with local authorities and are hoping to go to print with the document around August. The document launch should be at the end of October 2011 when the audio & written information will be available for download on this site.

Advert will be limited to Gypsy memorabilia, horses, carts etc.

The fee will be £10 for an advert running for 8 week.

Payment can be made online using PayPal or a cheque via the post. Adverts will appear as soon as funds have cleared.

See the revamped trading post to be released in October for more details.

Dr. Murdoch previously with the Community Law Partnership solicitors (C.L.P) has a P.H.D in the subject as well as a Masters in Town and Country Planning, he is also a full member of the the Royal Town Planning Insititute.

He has taken on many of the leading cases in this field including our own at “Clearwater”, as well as 2 cases in the house of lords both of which were successful.

He is now available for work on a private basis and can be contacted in the following ways.

Dr. Angus Murdoch
Murdoch Planning
PO Box 71
Ilminster
Somerset
TA19 0WF

Tel: 01460 57881
Mob: 07899908343

If you are or know of a Museum, Country House or other prestige venue please contact us.

This is not a charitable request, this event has the potential to generate a high foot fall and is a lucrative event for all concerned.

Events included demonstrations of Painting, Wagon Art, Story Telling and featured Gypsies who had contributed to historical event or acts of heroism for example during the two World Wars.

COMING AND GOING

“Coming and Going” filmed in and around the Gypsy, Roma and Travellers History Month,  takes a broad view of Gypsy history, starting in India and following the migrations forward through history to today.

The centuries of hardship and persecution have forged and iron resolve to protect and celebrate the culture through music, story telling, art and song.

We move from Appleby fair to Sainte Marie de la Mer, from the battle fields of WWI to the tragic event of the holocaust, from the Houses of Parliament to Bramsdean Common, from a wedding to a funeral.

“Coming and Going” features interviews with Gypsies, Roma and Travellers as well as Gypsy historian Janet Keet-Black, Arthur Ivatts OBE, Lord Avebury, Shirley Collins MBE, Lord Adonis and Gypsy story teller Richard O’Neil

Copies available from:

East Sussex Traveller Education Service in consortium with Brighton & Hove
c/o
Marshland Primary School,
Marshfoot Lane,
Hailsham,
East Sussex.
BN27 2PH

email: jackie.whitford@eastsussex.gov.uk or

phone: alembic tv – 01403 259706

Henry Stanford and his wife Paula are selling all the Gypsy artifacts including the wagons from their museum .

If you want a piece of Romany history they can contact them on 01580 715825

This is an Urgent appeal to save “The Romany Experience” Exhibit.

A scene from the collection

A remarkable exhibition of English Romany wagons and life in the New Forest.

This unique collection, put together by English Gypsy wagon restorer Len Smith and which is currently exhibited by Paulton Park located in the New Forest, Hampshire is to be sold at auction on March 18th at Paultons Park.

We at Clearwater Gypsies believe that this will mean the break up and dispersal of the collection, never to be seen again in one place. This would be a cultural tragedy.

While the parks owners have said they would consider any serious approach to buy the whole collection time is fast running out.

Ideally we would like to find a museum, art gallery or some sympathetic group or collector that would like to own and exhibit this collection.

Alternatively we are considering the setting up of a charitable foundation to purchase and exhibit this collection of our cultural heritage.

However in order to accomplish this money would have to be raised to make the purchase. To this end we would like to hear from any individual, group, museum or company that would consider pledging fund toward the purchase of this collection, valued at around £300,000. While we realise this is no trivial sum especially in the current financial climate we note that £50 million can be raise in only 5 month for a single artwork when public interest is stimulated, nothing like that amount is required to save this collection.

If you would be prepared to pledge any amount of money, large or small, towards the purchase and preservation of this collection please make yourself known to us by

• pledging a sum of money.
• or if you would like to get personally involved send us an email.

Have no fear we are not asking for you to hand us your cash, we are only asking that you register a pledge towards creating a fund for the purchasing and housing of this collection, before any monies would be requested a limited company with trusees would be formed to hold and manage these monies.

The British Red Cross have offered to make “Certificated” First Aid Training available to members of the Gypsy and Traveller community Southern Network. This training is free of charge as it is provided under their community-based First Aid Scheme.

Working in partnership with Clearwater Gypsies and Friends, Families and Travellers, the British Red Cross hope is to provide First Aid training to the Gypsy and Traveller Communities initially in Kent and Sussex then, over the next two years, across the U.K.

These courses will initially be presented in Hove or Crawley and travelling expences are available to course members.

If you are interested in arranging a place on one of these courses or just want to discuss your options, email us at ClearWater Gypsies or call us on 01243 572367 or Mobile 07770 499589

Courses available:

Practical First Aid – Certificated
2 Days or 14 Hours
Covers all the practical aspects of First Aid.
Does not cover theory/underpinning knowledge. Useful for applying in the home or for leisure interests.

Basic First Aid Course – Certificated
5 hours + 2 hours for additional modules*
Core programme covers CPR [adults], management of unconscious casualty and bleeding; recognition and general principles for management of fractures, general treatment for burns.

*Modules which can be added to the above Basic First Aid Course:

Emergency Life Support: Certificated
4 hours
Emphasis on practical first aid with only short theoretical sessions.

Save a Life – General: Certificated
2 hours
CPR. Management of an unconscious casualty, basic treatment for a bleed.  CPR for children & infants is also demonstrated.

Save a Life – Child: Certificated
2 hours
Covers all the basic life saving procedures for a child.  Includes CPR, management of unconscious casualty, & basic treatment for bleed

Save a Life – Infant:  Certificated
2 hours
Similar content to above course [child]

INCLUDES FIRST AID FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

In using the collective term of ‘disabled people’ we include:

• People with long term health conditions e.g. cancer, diabetes, HIV etc
• People with physical or sensory impairments
• People with mental health problems
• People with Autism
• People with learning difficulties

Inclusive First Aid fosters an approach whereby the delivery and content of first aid training are led by the needs and abilities of the participants and includes an adaptable assessment system.   BRC Trainers would need to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility in their training delivery.

Programme Structure:
      Incident management
      Calling the emergency services

• Caring for an unconscious casualty who is breathing
• Caring for a casualty who is not breathing normally
• Choking
• Management of blood loss and shock
• Management of burns and scalds
• Management of fractures and spinal injuries
• Unconsciousness
• Health and safety awareness [accident prevention]

This documentary film was recorded in part at this years (2008) Saintes Maries de la Mer festival.

More details to follow when they become available.

This appears to be due to the change in local government.

There is also no indication from the council as to when any action may take place.

The Response form

Although we have been working with the South East England Regional Assembly throughout this process in an advisory capacity, the document entitled “Somewhere to Live: Planning for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in the South East” was prepared and sent out without any prior consultation with any of their Gypsy, Roma or Traveller advisors.

In our opinion there are so many faults with the process and this document, including the amended response form that we, Clearwater Gypsies, will be challenging this and the Gypsy Traveller Accomodation Association (GTAA) at public examination. The date of this is still to be arranged.

This challenge is supported by a raft of Gypsy & Traveller groups and Clearwater Gypsies have recieved funding to allow us to employ professional assistance through this process from the Travellers Aid Trust.