Working with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

We aim to meet the needs of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities who pass through the county, as well as working with local settled communities, councillors and key partners, to offer support and advice. Our key areas of work include the management of unauthorised encampments and awareness raising.

We encourage race equality, eliminate discrimination and foster good relations.

Working together

We work together to ensure that:

• We offer the right services.
• We listen to and support Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, local residents and businesses.
• We share best practice and work together efficiently.

Education

Our GRT Education Service provides education support to all Traveller pupils in the county. See our Educational support for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children (GRT) information.

Health care

Our GRT Senior Nurse provides health services to all GRT communities across the county. The nurse links with us and Humankind.

If you or your family need specialist care, the nurse will show you how to access that care or support. If you would like to contact the Senior Nurse, call 07971 895 298.

Sites (permanent)

We manage permanent sites across the county - see our Permanent Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites information. 

What Three Words app 

Our stop over areas all have a set of unique words which you can use to help you locate them using the What 3 Words app which can be downloaded to both Apple and Android phones. 

The identifiers for each one are as follows:

• Binchester, glad, incisions, jots
• Westerston, rapport, boom, awakening
• Gurney Valley, feels, scans, debit
• Tindale Park, maps, tiny detail
• Wackerfield, patch, linen, albums
• Winston Corner, wages, library, pocketed
• Broomielaw, clarifies,  prance, cherished
• Stainton Bank, honeybees, hurry withdraw
• Shaw Bank, tightrope, jogged, oiled
• Guide Post Corner, smile, important, league.

Police

We work with the police to protect you and your neighbourhoods.

Events and commemorations

Holocaust Memorial Day 

Find out how we commemorated this year's Holocaust Memorial Day.

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month

Taking place every June, Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month celebrates 500 years of Gypsy and Traveller culture and history in the UK. The awareness month brings together local Gypsy and Traveller communities to ensure past traditions are remembered and continued for years to come.

Appleby Horse Fair

Appleby Horse Fair is an annual gathering of Gypsies and Travellers in the town of Appleby in Cumbria. It is unique in Europe, attracting around 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers and over 30,000 visitors to the fair. County Durham is a key part of the route to Appleby with areas in Teesdale offering stop over points for people travelling to the fair. More information about the fair can be found on the official Appleby Horse Fair website.

Gypsy and Traveller Health Project

Gypsies and Travellers live shorter lives and live in poorer health than all communities across County Durham.

As a result, an action plan to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for these communities was developed and implemented. It included the following actions:

• to provide cultural awareness training for council, health service and voluntary sector staff
• to appoint two health trainers for the Gypsy and Traveller communities
• to create a specialist Health Visitor / Nurse post
• to produce culturally relevant health promotion resources

An independent evaluation of these interventions was put in place and Gypsy and Traveller Health Project Evaluation (PDF, 4.1mb) details the impact of the work undertaken to date.

Neighbourhood Wardens

Our neighbourhood wardens work in teams across three areas in Durham, (North, East and South).

Unauthorised encampments 

We are the lead response to reports of unauthorised encampments in County Durham.