Opinion - Appleby Fair and Community Leadership by Sherrie Smith

Sherrie Smith, CEO of Gypsies and Travellers Essex (GaTEssex/TravelStronger) and Co-Founder of Drive2Survive, reflects on Appleby Fair and the responsibility of community leadership

As Appleby Horse Fair finally ends once again, I have found myself reflecting on the people who quietly carry enormous responsibilities on behalf of our communities, often with little recognition and even less thanks.

While much attention is rightly focused on the thousands of visitors, horses, traders and families who make the journey each year, there are also individuals working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that this centuries-old gathering can continue safely and successfully. Two such people are Billy Welch and Bill Lloyd.

Both Gypsies and Travellers Essex (GaTEssex/TravelStronger) and Drive2Survive have had the privilege of working alongside Billy and Bill over many years. Through campaigns, advocacy, community events and cultural projects, we have seen firsthand the commitment they continue to give to Gypsy and Traveller communities across the country.

In recent weeks, much attention has been focused on the deployment of live facial recognition technology at Appleby Fair. Many Gypsies and Travellers have told GaTEssex and Drive2Survive that they feel uncomfortable, concerned and upset by its presence. For communities that have experienced generations of discrimination, surveillance and unequal treatment, it is understandable that the idea of thousands of faces being scanned and recorded at one of our most important cultural gatherings feels intrusive and invasive.

These concerns are real and deserve to be heard and my organisation has written to the Cumbria Police with detailed questions and complaints.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that this technology is increasingly being used by police forces across Britain. It has been deployed at major events including Notting Hill Carnival, another significant cultural gathering. Whether we agree with it or not, policing is changing and communities across the country are being asked to grapple with what that means for privacy, trust and civil liberties.

For many Gypsies and Travellers, however, this debate cannot be separated from a larger question that continues to surface time and time again:

Do the police treat Gypsies and Travellers fairly?

Through the work of GaTEssex and Drive2Survive, and through the thousands of people who have contacted our organisations for support, I have heard countless stories of disproportionate enforcement, stereotyping and prejudice. Whilst many individual officers work hard to build relationships with our communities, there remains a widespread belief amongst Gypsies and Travellers that anti-Gypsy and Traveller racism continues to exist within parts of the policing system.

Those perceptions do not emerge from nowhere. They are rooted in lived experience and generations of mistrust. If policing wishes to build confidence within our communities, those concerns must be listened to rather than dismissed.

Yet amidst these debates, there is another side of Appleby Fair that rarely receives the attention it deserves.

Appleby does not simply happen. It takes an enormous amount of work, planning, negotiation and commitment to ensure that this centuries-old cultural gathering can continue year after year, and Billy Welch has dedicated much of his life to that task.

Billy is a pillar of our community. He is a voice that speaks up whenever and wherever support is needed. Whether challenging unfair legislation, protecting our traditions, supporting community campaigns or defending our way of life, he has consistently stood up for Gypsies and Travellers.

Both GaTEssex and Drive2Survive have witnessed this commitment firsthand.

Billy stood alongside many of us during opposition to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. He has supported campaigns to protect our culture, attended political events to ensure our voices were heard and opened doors for organisations such as Drive2Survive and GaTEssex to engage directly with community members.

At Appleby Fair he has welcomed community initiatives, educational activities and awareness campaigns, ensuring that organisations such as Drive2Survive and GaTEssex could engage directly with families and young people. Whether supporting education projects, cultural activities, awareness raising around legislation, or community engagement work, Billy has always recognised the value of community-led organisations working for the benefit of our people.

His support has never been about publicity. It has always been about service.

What many people outside our community do not realise is that Billy undertakes much of this work without a large organisation behind him. There is no extensive paid workforce. No large charity infrastructure. No corporate support team.

The responsibility of helping to oversee one of Europe’s largest cultural gatherings falls largely upon the shoulders of a small number of dedicated individuals who give countless hours of their time because they care deeply about preserving our culture and traditions.

Critics often focus on gate charges at Appleby, but far fewer acknowledge what those contributions help provide:

• Water provision.
• Toilet facilities.
• Day and night litter collection.
• Site maintenance.
• Twenty-four-hour security.
• Emergency planning.
• Coordination with agencies.
• The practical infrastructure required to host tens of thousands of visitors.

Fair Hill benefits from around-the-clock security and ongoing oversight throughout the event. Families, traders, horse owners and visitors rightly expect a safe environment and maintaining that safety requires significant effort, commitment and investment.

Billy has also spent years navigating difficult relationships with local opposition groups, anti-Traveller sentiment and the ongoing challenges that come with hosting a major Gypsy and Traveller gathering in modern Britain. Much of this work happens quietly, behind the scenes, away from cameras and social media. It is work that deserves recognition.

More recently, Billy has supported projects led by both Drive2Survive and GaTEssex that celebrate Gypsy and Traveller pride, identity and resilience. When community organisations have faced barriers, opposition or prejudice, he has consistently been willing to stand alongside them and help find solutions.

Bill has consistently supported the work of both GaTEssex and Drive2Survive. His commitment to ensuring that Gypsy and Traveller voices receive a fair hearing has benefited countless individuals, families and organisations over many years.

At GaTEssex and Drive2Survive, we know how difficult community work can be. We understand the criticism that often comes with trying to represent people. We know the personal sacrifices involved.

That is why I believe it is important not only to challenge injustice when we see it, but also to recognise those who dedicate their lives to protecting our culture, traditions and communities.

Too often we reserve our loudest voices for criticism. Perhaps we should spend more time saying thank you.

As Appleby Fair ends, we all start looking towards the next year when thousands of Gypsies and Travellers will again come together to celebrate culture, family, heritage and tradition. Much of what people enjoy and often take for granted is only possible because of the dedication of individuals willing to shoulder enormous responsibility on behalf of the wider community.

So, on behalf of everyone at Gypsies and Travellers Essex (GaTEssex/TravelStronger) and Drive2Survive, I would like to thank Billy Welch and Bill Lloyd for their years of service, leadership and commitment.

Thank you for protecting Appleby Fair.

Thank you for supporting community organisations.

Thank you for standing up for Gypsies and Travellers.

Thank you for defending our traditions and cultural heritage.

Thank you for continuing to show that community leadership is not measured by titles, organisations or personal gain, but by service, resilience and a lifelong commitment to others.

Your efforts help ensure that Appleby remains not only a fair, but a living expression of Gypsy and Traveller culture for future generations.

By Sherrie Smith, CEO, Gypsies and Travellers Essex (GaTEssex/TravelStronger), Co-Founder, Drive2Survive

(Photographs: Appleby 2022 by Bela Varadi for the Travellers Times)