'Rag and boning is the best thing in the world'

Robert Myers-Priestley said he was at his happiest when he was out on his horse and cart

Gypsy heritage is being celebrated in a new theatre production as part of Bradford's UK City of Culture celebrations. The BBC spoke to members of the community involved in the show about their way of life.

Clattering along on his horse-drawn cart, Robert Myers-Priestley shouts out for "any rags, bones, dishes, washes, microwaves" as he clippety-clops his way through part of Bradford.

Reminiscent of a scene from the British sitcom Steptoe and Son, the 46-year-old's distinctive cries hark to a bygone era of rag and boning.

It is a tradition that lives on in Bradford and is a way of life for Robert who would hop on his grandfather's cart as a child as the pair scoured the streets for people's cast-offs.

Robert, who is from the Gypsy and traveller community in Holme Wood, says getting on his horse Rambo and heading out is "the best thing in world".

"One man's rubbish is the next man's treasure. You don't know what you're going to get."

He added: "I pretty much live in my mucky clothes all the time.

"It's a dirty job but then what do you expect when you're picking up an old cooker or something that's covered in grease."

Robert spends most of his days out rag and boning

Unlike some of the traditional rag and bone men who would sell unwanted items for cash, Robert said he used his trade for the benefit of the community.

"If I get a bike or something, I'll pass it on to a kid.

"We donate stuff back to people who need it. It's not about money, it's about helping others."

Inspired by real-life stories from the city's Gypsy and traveller communities, RIDE! - which goes on stage at the TFD Centre on Holme Wood on Saturday and Sunday - uses dance, rap and theatre to "explore themes of resilience, community and belonging".

Robert's job as set designer has seen him create the backdrop to the production using the scrap material collected through his rag and boning.

"I've been collecting all sorts - bits of copper piping, bike frames, toasters, alloys, all sorts.

"This has been made into a 3D backdrop for the show and it looks brilliant."

Gypsy rapper Big Deli said he hoped the show would help people sees his community "in a different light"

He is hoping the performance will shine a light on his community and counter the negative stereotypes often faced.

"My culture is rag and boning and scrapping [collecting scrap] and I love it.

"But there is a lot of discrimination out there. You'll get some people who will see you on the horse and cart and will shut all their windows or won't let you in the shop."

Sarah Shead, producer and director of the show, said she wanted to use the UK City of Culture platform as an opportunity to draw attention to the overlooked voices in the city.

Sarah, whose stepfather came from a Gypsy family, said by getting the Holme Wood community involved in production work, it placed "value on their stories and skillset".

The show also features one of the people who helped write it - Romany Gypsy rapper Big Deli, whose music attacks the racism that Gypsies and travellers face in society.

The artist explained what he hoped the show would achieve.

"I would like a non-Gypsy to come and see us in a different light and I would like a Gypsy to come and feel very proud and for people from the estate to feel like we really did represent them in the best possible way."

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