London Gypsy and Traveller Unit

In 2007, thirty five families of Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers from Hackney and Newham, who have lived and worked for generations in what is now the Olympic Park, were relocated from two council run sites to make way for the Games. Our project tells the story of this ‘Olympic Move’ through the eyes of the families, with photographs, interviews, text and film.

The highpoint will be exhibitions of the “Olympic Move” to be held in the two boroughs, as the focus of celebrations during Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month, June/July 2012. In Newham, local people and school children will be invited to the new Travellers ‘site to take part in the celebrations and to see and hear the story of the Olympic move from the residents’ point of view. In Hackney a short film, made by a group of young Travellers documenting their families’ experience of the move, will be showcased around the borough.