A special tree planting ceremony was held in Peasedown St John last Thursday to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the Association of Jewish Refugees.

Founded in 1941, the AJR provides social and welfare services to Holocaust refugees and survivors nationwide. About 70,000 refugees, including approximately 10,000 children on the Kindertransport, arrived in Great Britain from Nazi-occupied Europe in the 1930s.

To mark the occasion the AJR launched a campaign, 80 Trees for 80 Years, which saw 80 native oak trees planted around Britain in honour of people and places that symbolise the enormous contribution made to every walk of British life by refugees who escaped from Nazi Europe.

Locally, the Bath & North East Somerset Faith Foundation was chosen as a partner organisation.

Cllr Sarah Bevan is the Foundation’s Patron and the daughter of a survivor of the Holocaust. She said: “We were pleased to work with the Association of Jewish Refugees on this important initiative.

“Jewish refugees have contributed enormously to British life since first arriving here over 80 years ago, and so to have Bath & North East Somerset selected as one of the locations for an oak tree is immensely humbling.”

The Oak Tree was planted on Holocaust Memorial Day, 27th January 2022 in the Eckweek Lane Play Park, Peasedown St John.

Michael Hilsenrath, the son of a Holocaust Survivor and sponsor of the tree, travelled from London for the event.

Guests also included:

Cllr Sarah Bevan, Patron of the Faith Foundation

Cllr Lisa O’Brien, Chairwoman of B&NES Council

Cllr Karen Walker, Senior B&NES Councillor

Dr Vicki Collinson, Hillcrest GP Surgery

Christina Hilsenrath, Chair of the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground

George Macdonald, Association of Jewish Refugees

Director of the B&NES Faith Foundation, Nathan Hartley, said: “Thank you to everyone, especially Michael Hilsenrath, for joining us in Peasedown St John last week.

“The Faith Foundation has always worked hard to raise awareness of the deadly events of the Holocaust. With a recent increase in hate crimes, particularly anti-Semitism, the work of organisations like the Faith Foundation and the AJR has never been more important!”

Founded in 1941 by Jewish refugees from Central Europe, the AJR today extends membership to anyone who fled a Nazi-occupied country as a Jewish refugee or who arrived in Great Britain as a Holocaust survivor.

To keep up-to-date with the work of the B&NES Faith Foundation email emailing [email protected] or visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BANESFaithFoundation