Worcestershire Gypsy Roma children write about their lives

A book by children from the Gypsy Roma and Traveller communities is to be sent to all Worcestershire primary schools.

The Gypsy Roma Traveller education team said they hoped the book would help promote a "more positive image" of the county's largest ethnic minority.

John Edwards, from the county council, said: "It is a credit to the determination of these young writers to break down barriers."

The illustrated book is called A Kushtie Place To Live.
County Hall launch

The 15 children who wrote the book, aged from five to 14, come from the Waterside Park caravan site in Worcester, which is run by the county council.

Worcestershire County Council said it had 1,235 children Gypsy Roma and Traveller children on its register who were aged between four and 19 years and knew of at least another 250 under the age of four.

The council said it knew there were a "huge number" who were living in Worcestershire and feared discrimination so much they were not willing to state their true ethnicity.

Mr Edwards said: "This book has come about because children from the Gypsy Roma Traveller community wanted to tell the rest of the county about their lives."

The book, which took two years to produce, will be launched at County Hall in Worcester later.