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Jess Smith
As an author of the Scottish Travelling lifestyle, it is important for me to highlight the diversity of the culture and to educate on this throughout schools, groups, prisons, and universities.
My published books are varied to take all ages into consideration - Jessie's Journey, Tales from the Tent and Tears for a Tinker, Sookin Berries, Bruar's Rest, Way of the Wanderers.
I have researched both the history and the cultural awareness of Scottish Gypsy Travellers, crucially important when educating on the cultural differences. I have also campaigned to have the Tinker's Heart of Argyll listed as a Scottish monument. This is a small collection of white quarzt stones at a crossroads on the Dunoon road adjoining with Hell's Glen road. It was significant to Travellers because it served as a church for centuries, where they married, blessed their dead and christened babies. The campaign resulted in Historic Environment Scotland changing their criteria to include a form of intangible heritage.
I am now an ambassador for HES in their recent Heritage For All corporate plan for 2019. My vision is to change attitudes towards G/T people so that the young can go forward and be all they can be.
(Works in Scots)