Ann Bagehot 14 October 1944 - 31 March 2014
Ann worked for Save the Children fund’s (SCF) UK programme (1968 - 2004) from 1970 with the Gypsy and Traveller community. Ann’s training was with underfives. Through the children, Ann connected with the families offering them advocacy support in other aspects of their lives, acknowledging the wider and deeper problems affecting the well-being of Gypsy and Traveller children, where prejudice and lack of caravan site provision prohibited them accessing education, health and welfare services.
Ann’s work with the Gypsy and Traveller community developed into a SCF division. Ann managed the North and South of England. The underfives work continued, often in playbuses to reach children on roadside camps. Ann became a committed campaigner for site provision and against discrimination faced in all aspects of Gypsies and Travellers lives. The community deeply trusted her integrity and long term commitment. She matched hands on experience with an intimate understanding of systems, influencing policy and practise and created an important network of contacts.
All aspects of Ann’s life were characterised by her instinct challenging misuses of power, and she would talk to anyone as her equal irrespective of their status. Ann ensured what she said was informed and authoritative, and she was equally effective at communicating complex legal issues to Gypsies and Travellers as she was simple life lessons to lawyers.
Early in her SCF career, Ann was a founder member of the SCF ASTMS union group, which went on to gain recognition rights despite meeting with considerable hostility from SCF management.
When Ann left SCF, she continued to fight for Gypsy and Traveller rights and devoted her time to the Gypsy Council, who nominated her for an MBE which she received in 2000 for her prolific work and legendary persistence, including gaining recognition with Hansard that Gypsy and Traveller should be accorded capital letters. Ann worked very closely with the Chair Charlie Smith in the late 90s, bringing together a wide range of Gypsies and Traveller organisations to form the Gypsy and Traveller Law reform Coalition. The more unified voice was fundamental in developing new positive legislation and government policies for Gypsies and Travellers from 2000 onwards.
Ann’s instincts and ability to fight injustice were not confined to her work, her neighbours knew she could be relied on to take up local issues with equal energy and persistence.