A TRAVELLERS’ rights activist originally from Moate in Co Westmeath received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth yesterday for service to her community.
Despite the honour, Bridie Jones – referred to as “Bridgette” Jones during the ceremony in Buckingham Palace yesterday – will be at the High Court in London next week as part of an ongoing fight to stay on the plot of land in Canterbury she calls home.
Ms Jones, who has been championing Travellers’ rights since the early 1970s, helped to establish the Canterbury Gypsy and Traveller Support Group in 2001, which acts as a source of advice and assistance on Traveller traditions and culture.
She said the honour was an important symbolic step forward for the Travelling community, but emphasised that much more needed to be done. “We’ve made progress, it’s taken a long time, but we’re not there yet,” she said.
“The government recognises that Travellers do need sites; you can’t keep evicting them from one spot to another.
“They talk about education, education, education for children, but if you don’t have a permanent place to stay, how do you get your kids to school?”
While racism against Travellers has waned, she says discrimination still exists, particularly in the planning system and local government. Since 2001 she and her partner, Joe, have been fighting a legal battle to stay on a plot of land they bought to house three caravans and three mobile homes for their son, daughter and seven grandchildren.
“The big issue is still acceptance,” says Joe. “There has been a massive change in the attitude of the government, but there’s still no social acceptance. That’s what we’re fighting for. We want our children to grow up with the same aspirations that other children have.”
In the meantime, they are preparing for their return visit to the High Court and hoping their eight-year legal battle is nearing its end.
“We’ve been given planning permission three times, but it keeps being appealed,” says Joe. “How can we be part of the mainstream, if we’re not allowed a place to live?”
