Table 1.

Overview of participating Traveller communities and examples of service providers linked to these communities (at the start of the study)

City	Community	Overview46
York	English Roma	Recognised in British Law as an ethnic group. 350+ families living across three official sites (54 pitches) and some in housing. Examples of organisations/workers: City of York Council-Lead for Traveller and Ethnic Minority Services, Traveller Support Worker; Joseph Rowntree Foundation, NHS York (moving to City of York Council in 2013)—Lead for Traveller Health, Health professionals based at GP practices close to the three official sites, Health visitor who worked at Personal Medical Service for Homeless People and Travellers Families project in York. This Service closed in 2011
Bristol	Eastern European Roma	Descended from the same people as British Romany Gypsies and have recently moved to the UK from Central and Eastern Europe. Recognised as the same ethnic category as British Gypsies yet distinct from the UK community. 40 families in shared rented accommodation in relative proximity to each other. Examples of organisations/workers: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Strategic Group for Traveller Health, Immunisation leaders in Bristol NHS, local Health Protection Unit, Bristol City Council Gypsy and Traveller team, designated Health Visitor, Roma worker funded by the church where the drop-in is located
	English Gypsy	Recognised in British Law as an ethnic group. 100+ families living on two council managed Traveller sites. Examples of organisations/workers: As for Eastern European Roma
Glasgow	Eastern European Roma	See Eastern European Roma in Bristol for overview. Based on GP records, there are 1800 residents housed in a very small geographical area in Govanhill (8 streets). Examples of organisations/workers: One full-time health visitor and two support workers (one bilingual) who are employed to work solely with the Roma Community in Govanhill, health professionals at Govanhill Health Centre, Oxfam, Govanhill Housing Association, Daisy Street Neighbourhood Centre, Govanhill Law Centre, Glasgow Community Health Partnership
	Scottish Show People	Scottish showman or travelling show, circus and fairground families. Not recognised in British Law as an ethnic group. Approximately 300 live in fixed sites in the North East of Glasgow. Some sites are owned by the council and some are privately owned. Examples of organisations/workers: Glasgow Community Health Partnership, health professionals at local Health Centre
London	Irish Traveller	Traditionally nomadic people of Celtic descent who arrived in Britain in the 1850s. Recognised in British Law as an ethnic group.17 000 live in London. Most live in rented accommodation and on local authority sites. The London Gypsy and Traveller Unit works with approximately 800 families. Examples of organisations/workers: London Gypsy Traveller Forum, Greater London Authority Public Health Team, Irish Traveller Movement, Southwark Travellers Action Group

These organisations were identified prior to the NHS reforms in April 2013.

GP, general practitioner; NHS, National Health Service.