Update on GRTHM South East Region Meeting; 4th March Surrey History Centre

The first meeting of the South East Region planning group was attended by many members of the Gypsy Roma Traveller community and representatives of the Traveller Education Services from Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Thames Valley.

The meeting was led by Jake Bowers who introduced the concept of GRTHM and the plans so far. There was a wide-ranging discussion and people broke down into small groups to discuss the project.

Possible events were discussed for each area – and in some areas definite plans have already been made. People were keen to get involved and there were lots of exciting ideas:

• Both Thames Valley and Sussex are hoping to put on a Film festival.
• Thames Valley are considering staging an Art exhibition
• Kent are planning events in schools, museums and libraries
• Surrey are considering a travelling exhibition to go museums, traveller sites, schools etc.

Definite dates:

• Sussex: Gypsy Life Museum – Cranbrook – run by Henry and Paula Elliot – will be holding a ticketed event on mid – summers evening (June 21st) which celebrates GRT music, food and song
• Hampshire: Traveller Open Day at Yateley Green – July 11th
• Hampshire: Traveller Open Day at Thorney Fair in the New Forest – June 9th
• Surrey: Events at the Derby – June 6th and 7th
• Surrey: Rural life centre – Tilford near Farnham open days include Nobby Melrose opening his Gypsy caravan and talking about how he built it – June 14th/15th

The meeting ended with a selection of songs from Gypsy musician Ambrose Cooper which was much appreciated by all.

The next meeting at the Surrey History Centre is on April 28th – contact Jake Bowers for details - 07966 786242.

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