Latest news with #WindermereChildren
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Garden unveiled in Windermere to honour Holocaust survivor children
A garden of remembrance has been unveiled to mark 80 years since the arrival of 300 holocaust survivor children. The Bud and Blossom: Reflection Garden was opened at The Lakes School, in Windermere, to honour the 300 orphaned Jewish children who arrived in the Lake District in 1945 following the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. The children, later known as the Windermere Children, were resettled on the Calgarth Estate, now the site of The Lakes School. The garden was officially opened by survivors Arek Hersh MBE, Joanna Millan BEM, Harry Olmer MBE, and Jackie Young (Image: The Lakes School) The garden was officially opened by survivors Arek Hersh MBE, Joanna Millan BEM, Harry Olmer MBE, and Jackie Young, who all came to live on the estate after liberation. Luke Brown of The Lakes School said: "This is not just a moment in history we are remembering; it is a lesson for the future. "The Bud and Blossom Garden will stand as a reminder to our students and community of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of compassion." Nearly a decade ago, Sir Ben Helfgott, a fellow survivor and Olympic weightlifter, planted a memorial sapling at the school. The garden honours the 300 orphaned Jewish children who arrived in the Lake District following the liberation of Nazi concentration camps (Image: The Lakes School) That tree now stands as a symbol of growth, remembrance, and the enduring human spirit. The arrival of the children was made possible by philanthropist Leonard Montefiore, who secured Government approval and funding for the resettlement scheme. He believed every child deserved the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background. The garden was designed by Trinity Catholic School and Trinity Humanities, whose concept won gold at BBC Gardeners' World Live earlier this year. During the ceremony, Mr Brown inducted Arek Hersh MBE as an honorary alumnus of The Lakes School in recognition of his contributions to Holocaust education. The garden was designed by Trinity Catholic School and Trinity Humanities (Image: The Lakes School) The day continued with a gathering at Windermere Library, where Trevor Avery of The Lake District Holocaust Project and Angie Cohen, chair of the 45 Aid Society, reflected on the legacy of the Windermere Children and the ongoing importance of Holocaust remembrance. The story of the children was brought to a wider audience through the BBC and Warner Bros. film The Windermere Children, which depicted their journey to rebuild their lives in the Lake District. The Lakes School says it remains committed to keeping the story of the Windermere Children alive for future generations.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Windermere Children survivors unveil memorial garden
A memorial garden commemorating the time spent in the Lake District by 300 young Holocaust survivors has been unveiled by 300 Jewish children were brought to Troutbeck Bridge in Cumbria to start a new life after being rescued from concentration camps 80 years Bela Rosenthal, 83, said of the new country she found herself in: "There was green grass and the leaves and the trees and the woods, the fresh air, it was amazing."Angela Cohen, whose father was one of the group, said the garden at the Lakes School would have made him "enormously proud that he hasn't been forgotten and their story hasn't been forgotten". Ms Rosenthal, who was one of four Windermere Children who officially opened the garden on Thursday, has a recollection of not wanting to leave a concentration camp initially."Nobody had told us we'd been liberated, we were just shoved on the plane and we didn't know where we were going," Ms Rosenthal told BBC Radio Cumbria."We had no idea we were actually free."The youngsters became known as the Windermere Boys, but have also since been referred to as the Windermere Children as there were also girls in the group. The memorial garden is close to where the children lived and its Star of David design had been made using locally sourced brick and stayed for in the UK for their entire lives, becoming British citizens and raising British Arek Hersh, 97, lived his life in the north-west of England, falling in love with the swimming sites."I like the Lake District very, very much," he Avery, from the Lake District Holocaust Project, said it was an important part of Cumbria's story."Windermere should be really, really proud of it," he saidMr Avery added the event had been "really emotional". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
