Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC
About Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC
Who We Are
Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC was founded by four proud Gypsy and Traveller people — individuals who were willing to put their names on the official paperwork, but who stand for something far bigger than ourselves.
Behind us are many more: the voices, skills, stories and experiences of our wider communities. We might be the ones listed on the forms, but this organisation belongs to the people who have been speaking truth, teaching culture, and carrying pride long before it was written down.
We formed because the time has come for Gypsy and Traveller people to speak for ourselves.
Not through interpretation, not through filters, and not through “approved” representatives — but directly, clearly, and on our own terms.
Why We Exist
For too long, our history and culture have been told about us, not by us.
Much of what’s recorded about Gypsy and Traveller communities is framed through a colonial lens — a lens that defines, categorises and often diminishes us.
Our work is about unpicking those narratives, reclaiming our space in history, and ensuring that the stories told about Gypsy and Traveller life are accurate, proud and rooted in lived experience.
We aim to challenge the “whitewashed” versions of advocacy that sometimes dominate civil society — approaches that claim to represent us but often silence or sanitise the truth of our daily lives.
Our Beliefs
- The voices of actual Gypsy and Traveller people should be front and centre in every conversation that affects us.
- “Representation” without lived experience is not inclusion — it’s tokenism.
- Whilst English Gypsy, Scottish Gypsy Traveller and Irish Traveller are distinct ethnicities, the shared struggles and systemic injustices faced by our communities demand solidarity and respect.
- Those who live the daily reality — the trauma, resilience, and strength — should be the ones shaping the solutions.
We believe that cultural understanding and equality cannot be achieved until authentic voices are heard, valued and resourced.
GTC CULTURAL PROTECTION STATEMENT
Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC is a Gypsy and Traveller–led organisation.
Gypsies and Travellers are recognised as protected ethnic groups under the Equality Act 2010.
We operate using cultural safety principles:
- We centre Gypsy and Traveller lived experience in decision-making.
- Verbal communication and family involvement are respected.
- Literacy level, digital access, or communication style will never be used as a barrier.
- No professional, partner organisation or external individual may override, silence, or replace Gypsy and Traveller voices.
We are not here to be consulted — we are here to lead.
Our Approach
Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC works to create change through culturally appropriate advocacy, education and creative practice.
We are not here to fit into systems that were not built for us — we are here to reimagine how those systems can work with us.
We blend advocacy with heritage, education with storytelling, and community work with enterprise — ensuring that everything we do remains rooted in culture and pride.
Our goal is to build sustainable income so we can speak truthfully on subjects that may not attract funding — the uncomfortable truths that need to be said. Because being self-funded means being unfiltered.
Our Storytelling Tradition
Storytelling has always been at the heart of our culture — spoken word, craft, art, and song.
Our stories hold wisdom, history, humour, and survival. They connect generations and preserve knowledge in ways no textbook ever could.
We honour those traditions in all that we do — from capturing oral histories and creative workshops to advocating for change at every level of society.
We believe that our stories, told in our own voices, are not only heritage — they are power.
In Short
We are proud.
We are resilient.
We are taking back our narrative.
Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC exists to ensure that our voices — real Gypsy and Traveller voices — are no longer silenced, spoken for, or simplified.
We are here to build, to challenge, and to celebrate.
We are here to be heard.
