A Living Tradition CIC Gateshead Roma Kavárna Project Report for December 2019

It has been another productive month.

We had a client with an inquiry about a solicitor’s letter, regarding an accident. There was an inquiry about  Universal Credit and a number about PIPs.  There was also an inquiry with HMRC about a second job.

We had an inquiry about water bills and a court order.

Clients also enjoyed the friendly convivial atmosphere at the kavarna, while young people from the community have been looked after.

We also spent time with volunteers from the community organising a Michaelmas event that evening in Cruddas Park, putting together bags of goodies for the children.  

We also held a very successful Mikulas Day event in Cruddas Park Shopping Centre in Newcastle in the early evening, with a huge turnout of children and families from the Roma community. We would like to take this opportunity to thank  Investing in People for their support and also to thank Mick Kelly from Gateshead Council for the gifts for the children.

On 12th December, we were busy with getting Christmas gifts for the children with the kind support of both Armada Spasy and Cash for Kids for donations of Christmas toys.
We also had some new leaflets available to clients in the Czech language, including leaflets about the different ways clients could use a library.

We have had a visit from Ed Ward from Northumbria Police.  We discussed the future work we can do together.  Ed will send a basic information and advice sheet together with relevant contact details on and this will be translated for clients to use.

The week before Christmas, we distributed a lot of food kindly donated to us from Feeding Families

We have been working with the Roma Rights Path project who are involved with the Roma community and we are getting referrals from them. Consequently we are more becoming even more busy now.

We had excellent support from Citizens Advice Gateshead.

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

Many thanks to all the organisations who helped to make Mikulas Day  and Christmas Day special days for members of the Roma community;  Investing in People, Mick Kelly from Gateshead Council, Armada Spasy, Cash for Kids and Feeding Families.

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

Peter Sagar, Company Secretary, A Living Tradition CIC, and Irma Karchnakova, interpreter and worker, January 2020