Established in June 2008, the purposes of Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month (GRTHM) are to raise awareness of the lives of traveller communities in the UK, to dispel misconceptions, to combat prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes, and to celebrate these unique, rich and diverse histories and cultures.
Probably the most famous gathering of Traveller communities, the Appleby Horse Fair, also takes place in June - this year it will be June 8th-14th - just fifty miles up the road from here in the Cumbrian town of Appleby-in-Westmoreland.
Further information can be found at The Traveller Movement: Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month and at Appleby Horse Fair.
The 'Chakra' wheel is the official emblem of the Roma. It is reminiscent of the Hindu Chakra and, as such, honours the Indian heritage of the Roma people. The sixteen-spoke wheel also symbolises the wheels of the horse-drawn trailers that have traditionally been 'home' to travelling peoples and, according to current Shera Rom (Head Gypsy) Billy Welch, represents "our nomadic heritage to roam freely between heaven and earth." Heaven is represented by the blue background above, and the fields and forests by the green background below. The blood-red of the wheel itself also brings to mind those lost during historical persecutions, not least the 250,000 - 500,000 European Roma mudrered by the Nazis during World War II.