We have continued to support the Roma community during the Lockdown.

We have responded to telephone and online inquiries.

We have continued to pass on vital informations about subjects including the following:

Changes in shopping at Aldi and Tesco

Covid-19 health information

Information about the numbers of deaths in the UK from Covid-19

Universal Credit as the DWP announced new rules on how earnings affect benefit

Information regarding schools re-opening

Information regarding Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Lidl urgently recalling products over safety fears

Information about Gateshead Community Health

Information from Gateshead Council about help with meals and shopping

Help for the most vulnerable people

Information regarding safeguarding vulnerable adults from Healthwatch Gateshead

Information about Covid-19 and children and young people

Government advice about Covid-19

Information and updates from Covid-19

Government information about gatherings in public spaces

Information about staying at home and rules regarding meeting others

Information about visiting people and who is clinically vulnerable

Governement information Covid-19 and vulnerable groups, shielding, 70 year olds and over, and care homes

Scam warning as UK councils warn over coronavirus test-and-trace messaging scam

Government Covid-19 information about going to work and safer spaces

Police information regarding Covid-19

Government information regarding safe travel during the coronavirus outbreak

More scam information from Northumbria Police

Information about modern day slavery in Slovakian from Northumbrian Police

Information from Citizens Advice about Coronavirus -and what to do if you’re worried about working

Government Covid-29 information about who is allowed to go to work

NHS Information about NHS testing for Coronavirus

10 tips from the NHS to help people worried about coronavirus

Every Thursday we have been delivering food from a local food bank to families complying with the government’s social distancing rules.

We have been replying to emails and requests on our facebook page.

Here are some other things we have been doing:

We have distributed food from Fareshare with 3 volunteers
We have been dealing with education queries, particularly regarding when schools will reopen fully.

We have been asked about wheter or not there wil be a further lockdown

We have dealt with a referral for somebody take a break wiih Gateshead Carers

We have helped somebody to get in touch with the embassy as they nwere not sure if they have to self-isolate if they go back to Eastern Europe

We have noticed that people are wanting the opportunity to just sit and talk. This has come from talking to people in Byker

Thetre have been numerous issues with depression

When we deliver the food when we speak to them they take the bag they say they are depressed

There have been more reports of domestic violence

Some clients are very stressed and too scared to come out and consequently refusing referrals to Citizens Advice, which will only make their problems more serious

On a more positive note, some clients who we have had referrals from and were pregnant have hads their babies and allwere healthy so that was good

Due to the Lockdown people are spending more time at home so we have had conversation with individuals regarding domestic violence, that they should open up and reach out if they are experiencing any sort of domestic violence. We have left people with contact details and information to help them.

We have provided home schooling material for parents of children from an Roma background. This has included a lot of Key Stage 2 Maths work. This has been posted on the facebook group.

We have liaised closely with Northumbria Police to help members of the Roma community to know what is happening, during the Covid-19 Crisis.

Many thanks to Fareshare, Northumbria Police Citizens Advice Gatesahead and all our other partners and supporters., 

Peter Sagar, Company Secretary, A Living Tradition CIC and Irma and Zaneta Karchnakova, interpreters and workers, July 2020.