This has been a month of both change and continuity for the Roma Kavarna. We have moved to a new location at 273, Gateshead High Street, but we have continued to provide an important  service to the Roma Community in Gateshead.
Among numerous enquiries, we had a client who needed help with debt problems and the construction of a financial plan to help him to reduce his debts. There was another client who had a query regarding being registered as self-employed with HMRC. We had a query about an appeal about ESA.  Another enquiry regarded a disability. We had a query about Universal Credit. 

We engaged with a client with an online Health and Safety test for her employment.

We also helped clients with an insolvency issue. There was a query regarding the DWP and another from a client who wanted a referral made to Gateshead Carers.  

We liaised with Settled an organisation, who have offered us training in helping Roma community members with issues around Settled Status.  

A briefing paper for helping members of the National Education Union (NEU), who work with Roma children was completed.  This has been distributed at a Regional Council meeting of the NEU on Saturday 22nd June. Many thanks to staff at the NEU for helping to facilitate this.  We have also spoken to a member of the union at a local school, gained responses from other teachers at the school and worked with a member of staff at NEU Regional Office and to members of a local union association.  Our thanks to all involved.

We discussed plans for a Holocaust Memorial Day event in January next year.  This will help us with our community development work. 

On 25th June we held a session with Citizens Advice Gateshead about spotting financial scams.  This was a very important information exchange event. It was well attended and went well.

We handed in the Gateshead Council Monitoring form following the completion of the funding from them. Our heartfelt thanks go to Gateshead Council for this funding.

We have also had visits from Edward Ward and Mick Kelly.  We learnt about the spaces available at summer playschemes and will disseminate the information to clients.  

We talked with a worker from Citizens Advice Gateshead about how to get Settled Status.  This developed into a useful session with clients about gaining Settled Status after Brexit. 

Clients also enjoyed the friendly convivial atmosphere at the kavarna.

We have continued to give out free food kindly donated by Greggs.

Many thanks again to Greggs, Citizens Advice Gateshead.  NE First Credit Union, Northumbria Police, Gateshead Council and the Allen Lane Foundation.

Peter Sagar, Company Secretary, A Living Tradition CIC, and Irma Karchnakova, interpreter and worker, July 2019