Poignant ceremonies will be held in Wigan and Leigh to mark Holocaust Memorial Day
Wigan borough will hold its 25th annual event to commemorate the millions of people killed in the Holocaust.
Back in 2001, people gathered at Mesnes Park in Wigan and Firs Park in Leigh to plant silver birch trees on the first Holocaust Memorial Day.
The then-Mayor of Wigan Coun Joan Hurst and Jewish representative David Arnold did the joint planting of the saplings, along with the lighting of six memorial candles.
They remembered the six million people killed in the Holocaust, along with the millions who died under the Nazis and in persecution elsewhere such as in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Sudan.
This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day has a theme of Bridging Generations and will provide an opportunity for people to come together on Tuesday, January 27 to mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
There will be two ceremonies in the borough – the first will be held at Leigh Town Hall, from 11am to noon, and the second will be at Wigan Town Hall, from 2pm until 3pm.
The guest speaker will be Alison Cooper, from the Northern Holocaust Education group, who will share the story of her mother Judis Singer, later known as Judith Waxman.
There will be readings and music provided by pupils from Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Atherton, and St Oswald`s Catholic Primary School, Ashton.
Mayor Coun Jenny Bullen will light the memorial candle, followed by affirmation of the National Statement of Commitment.
Anyone unable to attend the ceremonies will still be able to pay their respects on the day.
Jean Hensey-Reynard, ambassador for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: “Another way that people can mark this occasion is by joining in with the national Light the Darkness moment at home by going to hmd.org.uk. There will be a countdown at 7.50pm to watch online and be ready to light your candle by 8pm. By lighting candles together, we are showing that we are united against prejudice and hatred.”
To attend the events at Wigan and Leigh town halls, book a free place via Wigan Museum’s page on Eventbrite or call 01942 828128.