Leek will host this year’s National Holocaust Memorial Day service for the Staffordshire Moorlands, with residents invited to attend a reflective and moving afternoon of remembrance.
The service will take place on Saturday 24 January at 2pm at All Saints Church, Compton, Leek, ST13 5PT. Among those attending will be the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Professor Liz Barnes CBE.
Bridging Generations
Organised by Councillor Bill Cawley, Staffordshire Moorlands District Councillor and Communities Portfolio Holder, the event marks the liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp on 27 January 1945. This year’s theme, Bridging Generations, highlights the importance of passing on the lessons of the past to new generations.
The service will feature several key contributors:
- Personal Testimony: Lesley Urbach of Generation 2 Generation Educational Trust will share the story of the persecution faced by her Jewish family and friends during the Third Reich.
- Original Music: Endon resident Terry James has written two songs specifically for the service, reinforcing the need for vigilance against bigotry.
- Reflections: The Chair of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Councillor Adam Parkes, will speak about the impact his visit to Auschwitz had on his faith.
A Community Act of Remembrance
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust is reaching out to local schools as part of this year's theme, ensuring the memory of the millions murdered by the Nazis, and those who have suffered in other genocides worldwide, is preserved.
“Everyone is very welcome to attend. The theme of Bridging Generations is a timely reminder that the responsibility of remembrance requires all of us to act. As a historian, I am a strong believer of our need to engage actively with the past - to listen, to learn and to carry those lessons forward.”
— Councillor Bill Cawley, Communities Portfolio Holder
Councillor Cawley also extended his thanks to Revd Dr Henry Hope of All Saints Church, as well as Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and Leek Town Council for their support in hosting the event.
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