Appleby Stallion statue to celebrate town's Gypsy heritage

A statue of a stallion aims to celebrate a town's role in the lives of Gypsy and traveller communities, its creator has said.Appleby in Cumbria is famous for its horse fair, which takes place every June and attracts scores of Gypsies and travellers making the journey for the yearly gathering.Community interest company Drive 2 Survive has applied to Westmorland and Furness Council for permission to install the Appleby Stallion sculpture by the River Eden, where horses are traditionally washed during the event.Romany artist blacksmith Jake Bowers, a director at the company, said the statue would be a gift to the town.
In documents submitted to the council, Mr Bowers said: "It celebrates our history, culture and horses, and is intended as a thank you to the town."Mr Bowers added he brought a mobile forge to the fair for the last two years to start working on the sculpture, which was completed and galvanised in autumn 2024.
Planning documents show the statue's location was agreed in principle by Westmorland and Furness Council.It is one of 12 sculptures the company is producing with funding from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, which will be installed across the country to celebrate Gypsy and traveller culture.Appleby Town Council wrote to Westmorland and Furness Council to express its support for the project.It said the chosen location was "perfect" and they were looking forward to welcoming the statue "in its full glory".Billy Welch and and Bill Lloyd, of the organising committee, also sent a joint statement of support."We wish to support this proposal for a fitting memorial to the beauty and vibrancy of our culture and the spirit of the horse," they said.A consultation on the plans is currently under way as part of the planning process and Westmorland and Furness Council is expected to make a decision in due course.
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