Brentwood marked International Holocaust Memorial Day with an exhibition of paintings and a commemoration service over the weekend.

The Christian Friends of Israel Essex and Tikvah Chadasha, the Shenfield, Brentwood and Districts Synagogue, presented the exhibition, created by Tristan McDonald at the town hall.

It included a visual display of the Holocaust with artefacts, information, and paintings by Jewish artist Eugen Spiro, who fled persecution in Germany.

The Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Ann Coe attended the exhibition on Friday with Eric Pickles MP for Ongar and Brentwood. Cllr Coe also attended a commemoration meeting about the Holocaust at Brentwood County High School on Saturday.

She said: β€œIt is important that these terrible events are never forgotten and this exhibition was useful in both explaining the Holocaust and also providing a focus where we can reflect upon and commemorate what happened.”