'PILLAR TO POST'

Appleby Horse Fair is Europe's largest Gypsy and Traveller gathering. Established in 1775, the fair is traditionally held during the second week of June, in Cumbria. Though it lives up to a fair’s promise of fun, Appleby’s value stretches far beyond that. For the aforementioned communities, it's a place of connection, of heritage, of purpose. It’s also unlike anything else you’ll see across the world.

Children guide horses across streams as teenagers look for love, today often aided by Snapchat. Romani elders watch and reminisce from hand-painted, horse-drawn caravans. Convertible BMWs roll by the river, representing a new era of travelling.

Appleby is a place where a culture at a crossroads can be seen. As communities and generations converge, their desires, beliefs, and interests, and the differences between them, rise to the surface.

As a generational shift pulls this unique culture in different directions, government policy is giving that pull a push, limiting the ease of and right to the nomadic lifestyle of traditional Travellers. Meanwhile, these communities continue to battle the decades-old prejudices of the UK's settled population.

Credits

Film by @_sam_wright_photo
Director of Photography - @si_lakos
Colourist - @vladb.c
Music - @lankumdublin
Sound Design - @tobyono
Sound recording - @_billywright
Text - @louisalmond
Credits - @open.understanding