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

Evaluation report on 2009 Fair

Appleby Horse Fair has been hailed as a safer, more enjoyable and better co-ordinated event than ever before, according to a new Evaluation Report (pdf 2Mb) into the last event held in June 2009.

The Evaluation Report shows that local residents, Gypsies and Travellers and visitors have welcomed the second year of new operational management arrangements by public agencies to improve safety at the annual Appleby Horse Fair, which is one of the largest gatherings of Gypsies and Travellers in Europe.

The Multi Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group (MASCG) who took over responsibility for the co-ordination of the Horse Fair in July 2008, and are now half way through a three-year improvement plan to make this unique event safer, more enjoyable and closer to the vibrant cultural event that the Fair is renowned for.

Over the past few months a detailed evaluation process has taken place for the 2009 Horse Fair. This comprised a public agency debrief, feedback from the Gypsy and Traveller community, public meetings, drop in sessions and Neighbourhood forum events being held in and around Appleby and individual comments being received via the dedicated Horse Fair website.

The work of the Group for the 2009 Fair was based on the priorities identified after a similar evaluation the previous year which led to the development of an Improvement Plan.
 

Images from the fair...