Uplifting Holocaust Memorial Event at Grove Academy

Holocaust Survivor Ziggy Shipper with Grove
Pupil Holocaust Ambassadors

Last night I had the privilege of attending the Holocaust Memorial Event at Grove Academy. This combined a series of presentations by pupils and former pupils who had volunteered over the last three years to be Holocaust Ambassadors. As such they had visited the Auschwitz death camp in Poland. Subsequently, they shared their experience with groups of pupils at Grove. 

The evening combined presentations by these ambassadors about their experience of making the visit, what they had learned and how they had shared this with their fellow pupils. The presenters were confident and insightful about their life changing experience of making their visit to the death camp at Auschwitz. 

The evening ended with an inspiring testament from holocaust survivor, Ziggy Shipper from London. Now in his eighties, Ziggy, shared his vivid memories of his time, as a young boy in the Nazi concentrations camps. He finished with an impassioned plea to all the pupils to never feel hate in their own lives. He warned that if they did feel hate then they would be the one that suffers.

This was a very impressive night for the Grove pupils who performed, for the audience of parents and carers who appreciated the pupils' performances and also witnessed the riveting talk by Ziggy Shipper. It was also a night to celebrate the creativity of Grove teachers who had so ably facilitated their senior pupils involved.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2013

Sunday 27 January, is Holocaust Memorial Day which coincides with the liberation of the Auschwitz Death Camp nearly 70 years ago in 1945. 

Organisers of this international day are asking us to remember those communities which were destroyed during the Holocaust, under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The theme for the 2013 Holocaust Memorial Day is Communities together: Build a Bridge.

By taking inspiration from the past, celebrating difference and ensuring respect for all we can Build a Bridge in our community and help to create a safer, better future.  Click the button below to show your support and Build a Bridge.

Holocaust Memorial Day Thursday 26 January 2012

Today is International Holocaust Memorial Day.


Holocaust Memorial Day provides a focus for learning lessons from the Holocaust, Nazi persecution and subsequent genocides and apply them to the present day to create a safer, better future. On Holocaust Memorial Day we share the memory of the millions who have been murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur in order to challenge hatred and persecution in the UK today.


The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust is a charity which works to raise awareness of HMD. You can find out more about what we do on our website. we share the memory of the millions who have been murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur in order to challenge hatred and persecution in the UK today.

The Nazi concentration camps were liberated by allied troops from 1944, the largest camp – Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Soviet troops on 27 January 1945, and it is on this day that we mark Holocaust Memorial Day.


Find out more about the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust on their website.