It was a pleasure to meet with members of the The Traveller Movement today. They’ve launched #OperationTravellerVote to ensure Gypsies, Roma and Travellers are registered to vote and most importantly, have their voices heard during elections.

Gypsy Roma and Traveller  communities are minority ethnic groups that have contributed to British society for centuries. Their distinctive way of life and traditions manifest themselves in nomadism, the centrality of their extended family, unique languages and entrepreneurial economy. It is reported that there are around 300,000 Travellers in the UK and they are one of the most disadvantaged groups. The real population may be different as some members of the community do not participate in the census.

The Traveller Movement works predominantly with ethnic Gypsy, Roma, and Irish Traveller Communities.

As they say on their website, (https://travellermovement.org.uk) voting gives you a say on important issues that affect you. Everything from roads and recycling in your area, health services to education and climate change. You may think you don’t want to vote now, but if an issue comes up that you want to have your say on, if you’re on the register you’ll have the chance to vote on it. Remember, registering to vote doesn’t mean you have to, it just means you can if you want to.

Registering to vote takes around 5 minutes and can be done easily online https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote . I hope you’ll sign up because it matters to me that your voices are heard.