St Augustine’s Primary School hosts Crystal's Vardo play tackling traveller discrimination - London

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YOUNGSTERS at a Belvedere school were taught about discrimination against Travellers through a special play.

Crystal’s Vardo was put on by the Friends, Families and Travellers group at St Augustine’s Primary School on June 13.

Sixty pupils from years five, six and seven at the St Augustine’s Road school were joined by 30 children from Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere, and 70 from Christ Church School, Erith.

Actress Kavanagh Rose Rattigan is of Irish Traveller descent and she played lead character Crystal alongside Neil Thomas and Cara Fraser.

In the play, Crystal is bullied at school because of her Roma Gypsy background but learns to be proud of her heritage again after running away in her grandfather’s caravan or vardo.

St Augustine’s interim head teacher Susan Skidmore said: "For the children to have such an imaginative portrayal of the history and life of the Roma Gypsy community through the production of Crystal's Vardo gave them a wonderful opportunity.

"All the children were captivated as were all of the adults."

Year six student Akunna Ajereh, 11, added: "The production was very entertaining. It showed how Gypsies can be judged wrongly and it gave the message that it should stop."