Holocaust Service Jan 27th.

This afternoon’s Holocaust Memorial Day Service took place at Havant’s Eastern Road cemetery in chilly, but fine, weather.

Some of those attending.

Around 140 people from all walks of life were there to hear readings by Councillor Leah Turner, who led the service, myself and Elaine, both of us reading poems, and Reverend Pennie Payne from St. Mary’s Church on Hayling Island, who herself has Jewish antecedents.  Following this Ben Ayres, representing the Roma Gipsy community spoke about the suffering of the Gipsies during World War II.

Josh Whatsize, the National Youth Champion for the Holocaust Memorial day Trust the read a very moving poem, written by a 14 year old girl from Liverpool, entitled ‘What if it Were Me?’ about bullying and discrimination.

Also there were members of the Black and Gay communities, several Freemasons, also victims of the Nazis, and pupils from Oaklands RC School who are going to be making a monument with the over 1 million buttons which they have collected to highlight the suffering still going on in the world today.