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The Seige has Began. UK

National Travellers Action Group | 27.06.2002 22:26

We have been encouraged, by the Government, as Romanies following the Travelling way of life, to buy land and set up our own caravan sites. Now they are trying to evict us. Please help.

We have been encouraged, by the Government, as Romanies following the Travelling way of life, to buy land and set up our own caravan sites.
So that ‘s what we, and others have done. We found this place, called >WOODSIDE< at Hatch, near Sandy, off the A1 in Bedfordshire, already licensed as a holiday park
for l50 caravans. We paid £300,000 for it and have spent a lot more making all the improvements we, and the local council, wanted. Unfortunately for us, this is a very Conservative area and they don’t want us here.
We’re not political in any way, but we thought the Labour Government, Mr Blair, would support us. So we’ve been shattered by the decision of John Prescot to turn down our Planning Appeal and let Mid-Beds Council “clear the site”, throwing us all on the road.
You might say, well you’re Travellers. But we’ve got our children in school, a number of us are in need of medical care – and we want to settle down. Infact we
have, or had, plans to build a community centre. This place was our dream.
NOW WE ARE FACING EVICTION – AND FINANCIAL RUIN, as the Council will make us
pay for all the legal costs and the job of getting us off.
We don’t intend to let them move us. Not without a fight. But we need your support.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR OPINION KNOWN TO THE COUNCELLORS:
 Brian.e.collier@uk.uumail.com  hendryp@csd.bedfordshire.gov.uk
AND IF YOU CAN COME AND PROTEST WHEN THEY TRY TO MOVE US, send in your
Email address and telephone so that we can tell you when they are coming.
CLIFF and JAYNE CODONA National Travellers Action Group  ustiben.2@ntlworld.com

National Travellers Action Group
- e-mail: stiben.2@ntlworld.com