Wigan borough school receives keepsakes for Holocaust Memorial Day performance

Students at Sacred Heart RC Primary in Atherton were gifted their commemorative badges from the Holocaust Trust for the school's production at Leigh Town Hall on January 27 – where the Year Six class read an extract from Catherine Bruton's No Ballet Shoes in Syria and sang the song Firefly.

The event was given extra emotion as it took place after news broke of Dean Trust Academy Rose Bridge pupils giving Nazi salutes at their leavers’ party, prompting widespread distress and disgust.

The Sacred Heart pupils were presented the pins by borough schools coordinator for Holocaust Memorial Day, Jean Hensey-Reynard and chair of governors Josie Carter, as a thank-you for their contributions.

Ms Hensey-Reynard, said: “Most schools are not awarded anything other than a throw-away paper badge for the day of their participation.

“But because our schools go over and beyond this, taking part in workshops that I do using Holocaust Trust materials they felt that our borough youngsters deserved a lasting keepsake so that they could talk about it to their parents and other pupils.

"The pupils very much value these badges especially because not all schools get them and what it stands for.

"They want to be a voice for the future and stand together to stop and challenge prejudice and discrimination.”

Mrs Carter said: “As a school we encourage our pupils to engage with the themes brought up by the Holocaust Trust as we believe it helps them to learn from the lessons of the past so that they can live in a more equal society where everyone is valued no matter what their race, gender, religious or cultural background".