Time for Travellers' tea

'Full up and contented': Traditional and favourite Traveller dishes enjoyed by locals of all ages.

Gypsies and Travellers from a site in the Lutterworth area came together to cook a delicious meal for local people in aid of a children and young people's cancer charity.

 Debbie McCready, a Gypsy from the site, who with her two eldest sons, has participated in preparing for the tea for the last month, said: "As well as being fun, it was an honour to come together with other Gypsy women to do this for a good cause."

 Over 70 locals gathered at Ullesthorpe Village Hall on Wednesday 26th March, to enjoy a meal of traditional and favourite Gypsy and Traveller dishes. In all, guests were offered the chance to taste six dishes including 'bacon and cabbage', chicken stew, 'Gypsy pancakes' and rice pudding. Attendees were also offered the chance to buy a recipe book made by parents and children at the local Travellers' site. The event was coordinated by 'Travelling Forward', a project of Harborough District Children and Young People's Charity.

 Among other guests were children, teachers, parents and governors from Ullesthorpe primary school. Headteacher, David Maksymiw said that he and the school council were ''delighted' when the invitations arrived.

 Mel Gould, 'Travelling Forward' manager, said of the cooks and helpers: "I don't know how they did it. In just a few hours in a small kitchen, this group of Gypsy and Traveller women, created six amazing dishes which were ready at 3.15pm on the dot, just as a stream of visitors of all ages and backgrounds, walked through the door. Other helpers  transformed the village hall into an attractive dining area, with bunting, displays and beautiful handmade flowers.'

 The idea for the meal came from an Irish Traveller woman whose children had been attending the Travelling Forward project. As a result of the trust and respect that she and her family had experienced through the project she came up with the idea as a way of increasing contact between the communities while raising money for a good cause. All funds raised will go to CLIC Sargent.

 H.C.Y.C. would like to thank the many members of the local Gypsy and Traveller communities who worked to make the event possible. Also, thanks to  Lutterworth Children's centre, Lutterworth College's Enterprise centre, Lutterworth Volunteer Centre, Waitrose and Morrisons for helping to support the event.