A website for both travellers and visitors to the fair and the local community in and around Appleby

Education on the Hoof

During Appleby Fair this year the Education on the Hoof project will be offering a series of events and exhibitions to celebrate the culture and history of Travellers and the Fair.

For a detailed timetable and booking form please click here

Using the local community centre - Centre 67 – the town library and an area close to Fair Hill at Salttip Corner, day visitors and Travellers will benefit from these sessions and activities.

The project, coordinated by Cumbria County Council, has been developed with Candy Sheridan, vice chair of the Gypsy Council and Patricia Knight, national coordinator of the

History Month project, with support from ACERT.

A key element to the programme of events is the workshop and seminar on Friday ‘Who are we?’ which will be introduced by the local MP Rory Stewart.

A small fee is being charged to cover the cost of this event and a booking form is attached below.

This workshop will be an opportunity for all visitors to the fair to learn more about Gypsy, Roma, Irish and Traveller cultures and lifestyles and particularly how Gypsy women are challenged to fit in to modern society. Attendance by officers and elected members from the public sector is particularly recommended.

This event, along with the additional option of walking round the Fair, will provide the opportunity to gain a better understanding of Europe’s largest Gypsy horse fair and Gypsy and Traveller cultures.

Centre 67, next to Broad Close car park, will be the main venue for the exhibitions and the workshop, and AA signs will provide directions and from here it is an easy walk to the river Eden and Fair Hill.

Traveller Education staff and guest speakers will also be available for an informal discussion.

Drop-in sessions are being run in the mornings and afternoons and the Hall will be open to the public so that displays can be viewed. Booking is essential for the workshop as there can be over 5000 day visitors in Appleby each day and demand will be high.

Appleby Library will be open 10-4 on Friday and Saturday. As well as offering a near normal library service (subject to demand) the PCT will offer health checks in the morning and there will be an exhibition on the family history of Irish Travellers from Merseyside courtesy of Twin Vision.

Education On The Hoof brings together information and cultural talks to provide both day visitors and Travellers attending the Fair the opportunity to learn and share information that is significant to the Travelling and housed communities.

The project is coordinated by Cumbria County Council’s Community Unit working with The Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers (ACERT) and this year the project has also had funding from Celebr8, a North West Development Agency funded initiative to emphasise that ‘diversity is an economic, social and cultural asset to the region.

Appleby Fair is a unique experience and through the Education On The Hoof project, visitors to the area are invited to explore the cultural aspects of this traditional Horse Fair and the Travelling community.

A short film of the activities at the 2010 Fair is available on the ACERT website (scroll to bottom of page).

Click here for the Best in Fair Competition info

Click here for information on Gypsy and Traveller music playing at Centre 67

Images from the fair...