A Living Tradition CIC 
Gateshead Roma Kavárna Project
Report for September 2018
Brexit has continued to be a major concern for us during September.  In response to the concerns of the community we have produced a special Brexit and YOU information sheet in the Czech language, to help our clients understand what they need to do..  They were very well received when we handed them out and we feel sure that they will help to quell some of the fears regarding the wilder rumours and we will produce more copies of them. We are hoping to help stop Roma from being exploited in the process, with solicitors potentially charging £800, for help, money which people simply don't need to spend.
As well as helping  the community to deal with the challenges of gaining Settled Status with regards to Brexit, we have continued to help them with their problems. including issues around gaining their human rights in various areas, mostly the same areas, which we have helped them in for the last 8 months.  There are still huge problems within the community regarding debt, exploitation and not always knowing where to turn for help. Indeed we are still getting clients waiting outside the drop-in before its opening at 9.30 and it is great to see how popular the drop-in is.
We have completed a postcode tracking exercise, which shows that during the time of the drop-in this year, we have had many clients from the Deckham area of Gateshead, with NE8 postcodes. Interestingly, we have also had a sizeable number visit the drop-in from the Benwell area  and the Byker area of Newcastle.  This surely shows the quality of the service we are providing and the need for the kavarna. 
However at the moment, we are in danger of running out of money at the end of November.  We are working hard to gain new funding with four bids pending, another two hopefully going in this week and more to follow.  It would be a terrible shame if we can't continue our work.
 We have continued to received free food from a local foodbank and from Greggs, who have kindly agreed to extend their provision to us, by providing sandwiches. We have  also had support as ever from Gateshead Citizens Advice Bureau and from Vicky Clark at Healthworks. 
Peter Sagar, Company Secretary, A Living Tradition CIC, and Irma Karchnakova, interpreter and worker, October 2018