Holocaust Memorial Day: Victims of genocide remembered at Romford service
Janine Webber at the Holocaust Memorial Day reception at Romford and District Synagogue - Credit: Archant
The victims of the Holocaust and other genocides were remembered at a special service yesterday.
Janine Webber at the Holocaust Memorial Day reception at Romford and District Synagogue - Credit: Archant
The community came together at Coronation Gardens, in Main Road, Romford, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, which falls tomorrow.
The annual commemoration is on the same date as the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, which took place 70 years ago.
2015 also marks the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in Bosnia.
The service, which began at 2pm, was attended by figures including Cllr Linda Trew, the mayor of Havering, and Rabbi Lee Sunderland, from the Romford and District Synagogue.
Janine Webber at the Holocaust Memorial Day reception at Romford and District Synagogue - Credit: Archant
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The mayor’s cadet, corporal Harry Fant, gave a reading and Rev Mike Powers, from St Edward’s Church, in the Market Place, shared his reflections.
Marshalls Park School’s choir provided music at the service and a subsequent reception at the synagogue, which saw Holocaust survivor Janine Webber share her experiences.
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A new memorial was also consecrated.
Before the service, Cllr Trew said: “Holocaust Memorial Day gives us an opportunity to understand and learn from those who have suffered oppression.
“It reminds us that we must never forget our responsibility to challenge discrimination.”
See more on Janine’s story and the service in this week’s Recorder.
