Calling time on a Gypsy tradition?
No one likes crime, and the thought of any elderly person being conned by bogus traders fills all decent people with rage. But could there be some unintended victims in the crusade to stamp out doorstep crime? Gypsy men across Britain, say that their businesses are being dramatically affected by no cold calling campaigns enforced by local trading standards officers and police officers. One of them is Benny Brown, chair of the Surrey Traveller Community Relations Forum.
But Trading Standards officers like Steve Playle still feel that cracking down on cold calling is justified.
Wayne Johnson is just one of many reputable Gypsy tradesmen who are having to adapt to save their business. He has joined a local buy with confidence scheme where he lives in Surrey.
But for those Gypsies and Travellers still wishing to earn a living whilst travelling, calling remains the only way of accessing work and self-employment. So will they be breaking the law if they call for work within a cold calling zone? Advice from Trading Standards itself admits that the cold calling zones across Britain have no legal basis. They are simply an expression against calling by those saying they represent local communities. When asked whether cold calling was illegal, a representative of Leicestershire Trading Standards said:
“No it’s not. It is a voluntary scheme which relies on residents of the area to say no to Cold Callers and to report them to Trading Standards or the Police. The zone is there to give a message to callers that they are not wanted in that area and that people in the area will not do business with them so there is no point in them calling.”
Trading Standards officers also point out that anybody can apply for a pedlars licence from their local police station which will entitle them to knock on doors wherever they choose.
The issue is just one of many that has been built into a new training package developed by the Gypsy Media Company and Surrey Police. The package called “Moving Forward” includes specially commissioned films, interviews, fact sheets and training exercises in order to educate as many people as quickly and effectively as possible about Gypsies and Traveller history, culture, issues and potential resolutions.
PC John Hockley works at Cranleigh Police station in Surrey and has helped establish neighbourhood watch schemes on two of the five Gypsy and Traveller sites in his local area. His county is also home to over 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers, making the community probably Surrey’s largest single ethnic minority group.
“The fact is that there is still a vast amount of ignorance about Gypsies and Travellers across many public sector organisations,” says John. “So we’ve worked closely with the community to produce a training package that can be used to educate all public sector staff as quickly as possible.”
The package is also being promoted by Warwickshire Assistant Chief Constable Bill Holland who introduces it by saying that: “Gypsies and Travellers are on the receiving end of a casual racism that would be completely unacceptable if it were applied to any other ethnic group.”
He continues: “Gypsies and Travellers deserve our support and protection. My hope is that as a result of this training programme you’ll be able to better engage with the law abiding majority of Gypsies and Travellers.”
The Moving Forward DVD based training programme can be used independently by any public, private or voluntary sector organisation wishing to give their staff Gypsy and Traveller awareness training and includes a one day or 2 hour options, plus FAQS, useful websites etc.
For more information, contact the Gypsy Media Company Ltd.
07966 786 242