The Gypsy community has unveiled a memorial bench in honour of a young suicide victim and to raise awareness about mental health.
Sophie Hall took her own life in June 2023 leaving her parents, Rokeby Inn owners Charles and Lindsey, devastated.
The inn is a major stopping site for gypsies as they make their way to Appleby Horse Fair and they have become close to the family.
Leader of the Sinti Gypsy community Billy Welch said: “We have been camping here for 200 years that we know of.
“When we take the horses to the fair, this is the first stop to rest the horses. There is a stream at the bottom, so there is water and grazing, so we stop here for a couple of days on the way to Appleby.
“We have known the family for generations and we have become very close to them over the years – they are like family really.”
The community teamed up with blacksmith Jake Bowers to produce the bench which depicts a Gypsy cob, a horse known for its stamina and placidness, along with horseshoes that have been worn by cobs.
Also included is a rainbow, a symbol the family associates with Sophie.
Mr Welch said: “I knew Sophie all her life. I’ve known Charles all his life and we are very close. I’ve known Lindsey since she and Charles married.
“They always make us welcome here and we absolutely loved little Sophie and we just wanted to do something for the family from our Romany Gypsy community so that we could remember her.
“We also at the same time want to raise a bit more awareness of mental health issues because it has become very common, it’s like an epidemic. It is extremely bad amongst our own people.
“There have always been mental health issues, but nothing on the scale it is now and social media is playing a big part in this.”
The family have also been raising awareness of the issue and have also taken part in runs and hosted fundraising events to raise cash for mental health charities like Papyrus – prevention of young suicide charity.
So far the family has raised more than £70,000 in memory of their daughter.
