Event explores local Roma community

Over the past six months, not-for-profit creative arts company verd de gris, based in Hebden Bridge, has been meeting with members of the Roma community in Calderdale to find out more about their cultural heritage nd learn more about their customs and traditions.

Past travails and struggles have led to a closely-knit but guarded community, but the Roma now feel ready to share some of the songs, music and stories that mean so much to them.

Roma students from Sowerby Bridge High School and year six children from Burnley Road Academy, who have worked with verd de gris on the project, will be joining the event as well as a Roma choir from Cardiff, choreographer Natalie Speake and folk musician Amy Rose Atkinson.

The event, which is free and runs from 1pm to 3pm, will kick-start the second year of verd de gris’ Creative Communities (Stronger Together) project, a community outreach programme delivered in partnership with Square Chapel, verd de gris and Orangebox. The programme is supported with funding from the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.