Management Information Sheet
Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month
What is Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month?
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"Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month celebrates the diverse ways that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities add to the vibrancy of life in the UK and recognises the varied contributions that these communities have made to British society historically and today." |
The theme will focus on patterns of travel, spanning across the past, and leading to the future. It will ask and feature where Romany Gypsy, Roma, Irish Traveller, and other nomadic communities have travelled before, and where people would like to travel next, as a celebration of cultures and traditions.
The GRT Service will be working with schools and their GRT pupils to support this with culturally reflective activities, displays and assemblies. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate!
What can we do as a school?
We know schools are busy but that many schools do celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month each year, so we have prepared the following resources to support you.
The GRT Service has produced Padlets that enable schools to embed GRT history and culture into their curriculums, adding diversity to teaching and learning. Some resources directly relate to this year's theme and include teaching instruction sheets which focus on Travelling Patterns, Crown Derby and a 'create your own plate pattern' sheet, and traditional basket weaving activity related to weaving journeys and patterns.
Schools may also find the following information and resources helpful:
- Royal Crown Derby 'The Pattern of Life': video of Aisha's artwork, a Romany Gypsy illustrator, inspired by the patterns in Crown Derby Pottery
- 'The Lost Homework' by Richard O'Neill, a Romany storyteller: 10 min video about a Traveller boy who, in the excitement of preparations for a family wedding, loses his homework book
- KS2 Roads from the Past - a short history of Britain's Gypsies, Roma and Travellers: available on the Travellers Times website
Friends, Families and Travellers have produced high quality resource packs for schools including a downloadable timeline of significant dates in GRT history, a competition for children to design their own patterns, and lots more! They have also produced the Weaving Journeys - FFT GRTHM 2023 Brochure (pdf) for this year's theme.
The GRT Service hope you all enjoy this year's GRT History month! If you have any questions, please email hilary.heath@norfolk.gov.uk.