Leeds GATE Bradford Gypsy and Traveller Women’s Group win Inspirational Project Award

A community group set up by Gypsy and Traveller community members living in Bradford, with Leeds GATE support, had their years of hard work and achievements recognised with an award win, at a ceremony organised by fellow sector organisation, Friends, Families and Travellers.

Their awards are held every other year to celebrate inspiring individuals from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities who have made a special contribution to wider society and their own communities. There were six award categories honouring sports stars, teachers, life-time achievers, young people, and creatives across culture and heritage. We were very proud to be nominated and then selected as a winner!

The Bradford Women’s group was set up by a group of passionate, hardworking and determined women, working with members organisation Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Leeds GATE), to improve conditions on their council-run caravan site at Mary Street in Bradford.

This site has long been considered as a place unsuitable for people to live on due to being in the centre of an industrial estate, surrounded by a quarry, slaughter house and recycling centre on all sides. Most of the women live on the site or in the area and have done for a long time, and know the adverse effects on them and their families – asthma, illness and isolation to name just a few.

Women who are residents living on the site, some for multiple generations since it opened in 1968, came together to try to improve things and influence different people in power to make change.

Amber, Mary Street resident and Womens Group member said “In a Mary Street site residents meeting I just asked if it was something Leeds GATE could help us do to pull together a womens group: help us with space and time to meet, ideas around things to learn, passing on cultural things. Also the social aspect, getting together to try different things, go on outings and do things with the kids.”

Mary, Communities Manager at Leeds GATE said, “These women symbolise family, pride and strength over many generations and their determination it carried on by bringing a group together. The impact is hard to put into words for the women, as well as their children. Youth group also runs alongside it, as well as learning support, meaning no one is excluded from coming because of childcare responsibilities and everyone gets a meal while there. These were all main priorities for the women in how the group should run.”

The award is so well-deserved for such a courageous, funny and brilliant group of women, putting a spotlight on our communities in West Yorkshire.”

The group has now grown over many years to around 15 women from across Bradford district meeting every week in a community centre, not just site residents, combating isolation and promoting community empowerment.

Bridie, Bradford Women’s Group member said, “The group is so good for keeping the community together as not everyone is just from the site.”

Dawn Honey, one of the founding group members travelled to Brighton for the ceremony and was very proud to accept the award on behalf of the group and Leeds GATE.

“I want to thank you all I really do. We’re two little Gypsy girls who came together and brought this group all together. It’s done very good for Yorkshire and for our Traveller women and children.”

Amongst other things, the group have been involved with campaigning for better living conditions on site and a number of research and focus groups to contribute to improving health outcomes for their community, which are much lower than in the settled population.

The group ran their own anti-hate crime campaign in Bradford and co-created a photography exhibition at Cartwright Hall Gallery with photographer Cath Muldowney, a first for the city spotlighting Gypsy and Traveller culture. They ensured local families were showcased in portrait photography, alongside contributing their own heirlooms, photos and pieces of culture and history.

This exhibition had almost 20,000 visitors from June – September 2024, has led to ongoing engagement with Bradford Museums and Galleries with our families and the exhibition being used as best practice for accessibility within the region.

Linda Barker, who leads Leeds GATE’s Bradford team said, “We’re so proud of our members across Bradford and everything they’ve achieved, not just for themselves, but for what this can represent for Gypsies and Travellers in the district. Thank you to Laisterdyke Community Centre for being our community base.

Our team of staff is growing and we’re really excited for what’s to come for us in the region. Without that community hub provided by the group I don’t think we’d have seen it grow the way we have.”

Well done to all who submitted, were nominated and of course those who went on to win. It was such an honour to be in the room with so many amazing people and celebrate all they had achieved from all over the country.