Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Vardo art and living waggon crafts

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Awareness of the craft in a cultural context: As an archetypal image, the vardo might be misunderstood as a thing of the past, and there are complex sets of social, economic and political reasons around the vardo as a heritage symbol of GRT cultures, and this requires deeper understanding as an ICH intersect within marginalised communities.
  • Lack of skilled practitioners: There are currently 18 identified skilled crafts practitioners in the UK (March 2023) actively working in traditional vardo and heritage waggon building, restoration and painting, to an intra-community recognisable standard of quality and recommendation. The GRTSB Crafts Makers Survey will remain open until July 2023 to allow for further conversations, research and updates into the future, and this approach is actively building relationships and support for GRT self-representation.
  • Lack of training opportunities: Short courses, informal apprenticeship and mentorship are offered by word-of-mouth in most cases.
  • Loss of skills: The older generation who hold the post-war skills from the earlier era of vardo building are getting fewer, and with their loss we are at risk of losing inter-generational skill sharing and wisdom.
  • Changing tastes and changes to the law: Contemporary generations are favouring trailers or static chalets over horse-drawn living waggons. The PCSCB also greatly affects roadside living and traditional cultural living methods.
  • Emulations: The recent association with garden rooms (and stylised shepherds’ huts) that can appropriate vardo visuals, without appreciating the cultural or political issues faced by Travelling peoples and GRT cultures. ‘Air BnB’ accommodation trends have also led to ‘Gypsy Wagons’ being offered as glamping options, often without cultural context or community association.
  • Poor restorations: Some crafts people I spoke to mentioned the need to review and amend historic repairs that were either low quality or not authentic in style to the period of the waggon.
  • Availability of materials: Wood, specifically ash, used for bow-ribs has become expensive and hard to find.

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Add practitioner

Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.