11 brilliant photos from the launch of the HAPPA Heritage Museum in Burnley

HAPPA Heritage Museum opened last Monday, with local historian Roger Frost doing the honours.

It’s been created in memory of Pam Wood and tells the story of the charity’s founder Mona Huskie, who fought tirelessly to prevent the illegal export of horses from the UK for slaughter. The timeline takes visitors back to 1937 and walks them through the decades, explaining the economic climate at the time and the problems faced as a consequence. The 20th Century saw the motor vehicle replace horsepower, especially following the Second World War. Horse traffic was banned on many streets in London and 4,000 railway horses were sold, ending their days in a slaughter’s yard, selling to the highest bidder, and fuelling a black-market meat trade.

HAPPA pushed for changes in legislation to ensure that cruel practises were stamped out. The charity investigated the appalling conditions under which horses were then slaughtered in Britain. Reports and evidence were provided in answer to Government enquiries and many of the association’s proposals were incorporated in the Slaughter of Animals Regulations.

Here are 11 photos from the launch of the HAPPA Heritage Museum: