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The Dale Farm Housing Association seeks to protect the rights of Travellers living at the Dale Farm Community in south-east England. The organization is committed to legalizing the status of Travellers who have been denied the right to develop land they own. The Association has around 100 members, all of whom pay a contribution, and is led by Richard Sheridan, the organization's president. The Advocacy Project began working with the Association in June 2005, following the decision by the Basildon Council to evict 86 families from Dale Farm.
Watch the Save Dale Farm Video
January 22, 2009 -- Travellers Face Eviction After UK Appeals Court Ruling
December 19, 2008 -- Travellers Face Racism, Prejudice as Court Mulls Appeal
November 18, 2008 -- Judge says Dale Farm Travellers can't stay on own land
November 4, 2008 — Dale Farm travellers step up fight to save community
November 4, 2008 — Travellers gear up for new round of fight to stay
October 29, 2008 — Crays Hill: £2m bill to evict gipsies
October 27, 2008 — Education and Welfare of Children at Dale Farm
Lord Avebury, a member of Britain's House of Lords, denounced the council's efforts to evict 86 Traveller families and warned that any involuntary eviction would damage Britain's reputation for tolerance. Referring to coverage from The Advocacy Project (AP), he said: "The advice from as far afield as Washington is 'Don't do it.'"
See the Dale Farm Timeline of events.
"Save Dale Farm" Video
This video profiles the Travellers in Basildon, England who are threatened with eviction.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has launched many innovative and effective actions. The Association’s use of information for advocacy has become increasingly sophisticated, as the following recent successes demonstrate.
Take Action: Save Dale Farm
Join the Citizen Speak Dale Farm Campaign and support Travellers rights.
Send Emails to Council Members of the Basildon Council.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has made great strides in producing regular information about its advocacy and work since the eviction crisis broke in 2005, with help from The Advocacy Project.
Dale Farm Press Releases: A compilation of reports from Dale Farm.
AP Fellows have profiled the work of the association in their blogs: Zach Scott was the first AP Peace Fellow to work with the Dale Farm Housing Association, in the summer of 2007. James Dasinger is currently volunteering as a Peace Fellow at Dale Farm. AP Executive Director Iain Guest wrote blogs on his visit to dale Farm in February 2008.
Traveller Advocates Lobby Britain's Prime Minister Over Dale Farm Evictions (November 20, 2007)
Washington, DC and Dale Farm, UK: Supporters of the Dale Farm Travellers protested (left) outside the offices of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, calling for an end to evictions at the Dale Farm Traveller community in Southeast England. The Basildon Council will meet December 4 to review its decision to commit 5 million euros on evicting 86 families. The case will be considered by the British High Court on February 11, 2008. AP Peace Fellow Zach Scott volunteered with the Dale Farm Housing Association this summer.
AP has placed articles about Dale Farm in the mainstream media, including the Washington Post.
Dale Farm has recieved a significant amount of news coverage. Read the coverage by the media.
ICT community center: The Essex Council on Racial Equality has provided funds for a community center, including some computers. AP will be working with the Association to develop ICT training for women and children that will hopefully encourage participation in school.
Outreach Partners
For more information about networking with the Dale Farm Housing Association, contact Grattan Puxon.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has, through its advocacy, played a role in changing the policy of the British government towards Travellers and Gypsies, particularly in housing. The legal case could well create an important legal precedent for minorities in Britain and the Roma in Europe.
Contact
Dale Farm Housing Association
Secretary Grattan Puxon
Back
Dale Farm Housing Association
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The Dale Farm Housing Association seeks to protect the rights of Travellers living at the Dale Farm Community in south-east England. The organization is committed to legalizing the status of Travellers who have been denied the right to develop land they own. The Association has around 100 members, all of whom pay a contribution, and is led by Richard Sheridan, the organization's president. The Advocacy Project began working with the Association in June 2005, following the decision by the Basildon Council to evict 86 families from Dale Farm.
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Watch the Save Dale Farm Video
January 22, 2009 -- Travellers Face Eviction After UK Appeals Court Ruling
December 19, 2008 -- Travellers Face Racism, Prejudice as Court Mulls Appeal
November 18, 2008 -- Judge says Dale Farm Travellers can't stay on own land
November 4, 2008 — Dale Farm travellers step up fight to save community
November 4, 2008 — Travellers gear up for new round of fight to stay
October 29, 2008 — Crays Hill: £2m bill to evict gipsies
October 27, 2008 — Education and Welfare of Children at Dale Farm
Lord Avebury, a member of Britain's House of Lords, denounced the council's efforts to evict 86 Traveller families and warned that any involuntary eviction would damage Britain's reputation for tolerance. Referring to coverage from The Advocacy Project (AP), he said: "The advice from as far afield as Washington is 'Don't do it.'"
See the Dale Farm Timeline of events.
"Save Dale Farm" Video
This video profiles the Travellers in Basildon, England who are threatened with eviction.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has launched many innovative and effective actions. The Association’s use of information for advocacy has become increasingly sophisticated, as the following recent successes demonstrate.
- Winning support from international human rights groups in Europe: Five leading human rights groups list Dale Farm among 16 “serial abuses” against Roma in Europe. The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), the Italian human rights Organisation Osservazione, and the Slovak NGO Milan Simecka Foundation (MSF) issue a joint statement accusing 16 European governments of “serial abuses” against the housing rights of Roma, Gypsies and Travelers in Europe. Dale Farm is included. (October 29 2007).
- Taking the case to Europe: Richard Sheridan, chairman of the DFHA visits Brussels to argue against the evictions at a conference to review efforts to fight exclusion against Roma and gypsies (November 5, 2007).
- Lobbying the British Prime Minister: Travellers protest outside 10 Downing Street, residence of the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on behalf of Dale Farm (Nov 20 2007).
- Lobbying in Ireland: Travellers protest outside the British embassy in Dublin on behalf of Dale Farm (November 16, 2007).
- Applying the Law: Justice Andrew Collins, a senior member of the British High Court, begins a week-long hearing on an appeal from Dale Farm. (February 11, 2008).
- Building political support locally: The leader of the Labour Party members on the Basildon Council announces that Labour councilors oppose evicting the Travellers, thus breaking with the Conservative majority. The DFHA has started emailing individual councilors (March 8, 2008).
- Targeting the evicters: The Basildon Council announces that it will not hire Constant and Co. to carry out any future eviction at Dale Farm. The company has been repeatedly criticized by the DFHA for the violent manner with which it has conducted previous evictions (April 3, 2008).
- Working with Amnesty International: Members of the Atlantic branch of Amnesty International-USA launch a letter-writing campaign on behalf of Dale Farm, with help from an article in the Washington Post by the Advocacy Project. The letters are sent to the British Ambassador in Washington (March 25, 2008).
- Pressuring the BBC: The BBC backs down from an earlier decision to close down Radio Rokker, a popular radio program that goes out to an estimated 100,000 Travellers, Gypsies and Roma in the UK. The reports drew vigorous protests from the DFHA and advocates in the UK. Advocates also threatened to protest outside Broadcasting House, the BBC headquarters, on April 8 2008 - International Roma Day (April 4, 2008).
Take Action: Save Dale Farm
Join the Citizen Speak Dale Farm Campaign and support Travellers rights.
Send Emails to Council Members of the Basildon Council.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has made great strides in producing regular information about its advocacy and work since the eviction crisis broke in 2005, with help from The Advocacy Project.
Dale Farm Press Releases: A compilation of reports from Dale Farm.
- AP Blogs:
AP Fellows have profiled the work of the association in their blogs: Zach Scott was the first AP Peace Fellow to work with the Dale Farm Housing Association, in the summer of 2007. James Dasinger is currently volunteering as a Peace Fellow at Dale Farm. AP Executive Director Iain Guest wrote blogs on his visit to dale Farm in February 2008.
- Advocacy Project News Bulletins: AP has published bulletins about Dale Farm through the news service, AdvocacyNet.
- Homepage Features
Traveller Advocates Lobby Britain's Prime Minister Over Dale Farm Evictions (November 20, 2007)
Washington, DC and Dale Farm, UK: Supporters of the Dale Farm Travellers protested (left) outside the offices of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, calling for an end to evictions at the Dale Farm Traveller community in Southeast England. The Basildon Council will meet December 4 to review its decision to commit 5 million euros on evicting 86 families. The case will be considered by the British High Court on February 11, 2008. AP Peace Fellow Zach Scott volunteered with the Dale Farm Housing Association this summer. - Media coverage
AP has placed articles about Dale Farm in the mainstream media, including the Washington Post.
Dale Farm has recieved a significant amount of news coverage. Read the coverage by the media.
ICT community center: The Essex Council on Racial Equality has provided funds for a community center, including some computers. AP will be working with the Association to develop ICT training for women and children that will hopefully encourage participation in school.
Outreach Partners
- Federation of Gypsy Groups
- International Roma Women's Network (IRWN)
- UK Association of Gypsy Women
- Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)
- European Roma and Traveller's Forum
- National Gypsy and Traveller Affairs
- Dale Farm Residents' Committee
- Irish Travellers Movement 2006
For more information about networking with the Dale Farm Housing Association, contact Grattan Puxon.
The Dale Farm Housing Association has, through its advocacy, played a role in changing the policy of the British government towards Travellers and Gypsies, particularly in housing. The legal case could well create an important legal precedent for minorities in Britain and the Roma in Europe.
- Legal:
July, 2005: A judge halts the planned evictions at Dale Farm pending a judicial review of the Dale Farm appeal by the British High Court.
February 11, 2008: The British High Court begins considering the appeal by the Dale Farm Travellers. The court’s judgment will test Britain’s 1998 Human Rights Act, which allows for individual rights to be suspended if the impact is “proportional” to the benefits to society.
May 13, 2008: A British High Court judge has halted the eviction of 86 Traveller families from Dale Farm and ordered the local authorities to find alternative land where the Travellers can live legally and free from discrimination.
- Government Action:
2004: The confrontation at Dale Farm publicizes the problems that face Gypsies and Travellers in finding land and contributes to a major change of policy under which local councils are asked to make land available for Travellers and Gypsies (The Housing Act).
2006: Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, follows up with a new policy directive (ODPM 1) setting out how this will be implemented. Prescott visits Basildon and offers Pitsea as an alternative site.
Contact
Dale Farm Housing Association
Secretary Grattan Puxon
Back