Supporting Gypsies and Travellers

Rooftop is a leading provider of culturally appropriate homes for the Gypsy and Traveller community, and active members of the National Policy Advisory Panel on Gypsy and Traveller Housing (NPAP), and the National Association of Gypsy Traveller Officers (NAGTO).

Supporting the community

The Gypsy and Traveller population in Worcestershire accounts for the largest single minority ethnic group within the county.

Rooftop Group Chief Executive, Boris Worrall has established the National Policy Advisory Panel on Gypsy and Traveller Housing (NPAP).

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NPAP is linked to the Oak project, the aims of which are to focus on the following three themes:

Enabling planning for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) sites
Encouraging resident voice/co-production
Improving site management

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Did you know

The term Gypsy is often used as a general name that includes these distinct groups of people:

Gypsies (including English Gypsies, Scottish Gypsies or Travellers, Welsh Gypsies and other Romany people)
Irish Travellers (who have specific Irish roots)
Roma, understood to be more recent migrants from Central and Eastern Europe

The term Traveller can also encompass groups that travel. This includes, but is not limited to, New Travellers, Bargees and travelling Show people.

Around 300,000 Gypsies and Travellers live in the UK. Around 200,000 live in houses and 100,000 in trailers (caravans).

Read our booklet 'Pride, not Prejudice' for an insight into Gypsy and Traveller life.

Pleas also read Places We're Proud Of by Rooftop Housing Group for more information.

Read 'Pride, not Prejudice'

How Rooftop gets involved

We have been involved in a number of projects, such as undertaking the refurbishment of and extension to the caravan site at Houndsfield Lane in Wythall, delivering a new 11 pitch site at Gables Close in Solihull, and also managing seven additional pitches at Gables Close on behalf of Solihull Council. We currently manage 41 pitches across two sites.

We are currently working in partnership with Coventry City Council to deliver a new site.

We also provide advice and guidance for other organisations that wish to deliver their own affordable housing for Gypsies and Travellers.

Rooftop are active members of National Policy Advisory Panel on Gypsy and Traveller Housing (NPAP), and the National Association of Gypsy Traveller Officers (NAGTO).

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Our Sites

Our sites at Houndsfield Lane and Gables Close provide 41 plots for Gypsy and Traveller families.

For more information on these sites please contact us by emailing: gypsy.traveller@rooftopgroup.org or if you are interested in applying for a pitch please fill out our pitch application form.