75 years ago today (14 August) 300 young people arrived at the Calgarth estate near Windermere. These young people were some of the very few children from across Europe to have survived the Holocaust. Without exception each had endured unimaginable trauma and difficulties and most would find very few survivors from their wider families. This group were part of a larger group of 732 Jewish children, all Holocaust survivors, who were brought to Britain in 1945.

Collectively they would become known as ‘The Boys’ even though there were some girls amongst them. Many of ‘The Boys’ settled in the UK and went on to have happy and fulfilled lives, families and many children and grandchildren. A significant number of ‘The Boys’ remain active and committed to Holocaust education and we have had the pleasure of working closely with them.

On this anniversary we are delighted to announce that we are working with children’s author, Tom Palmer, who has recently published ‘After the War’.

‘After the War’ is a carefully researched novel based upon the testimonies and experiences of ‘The Boys’. This novel allows students to explore the persecution suffered by these young survivors through a compelling story of friendship and hope. The families and the lives that these young people had before the war are prominent in this novel, enabling students to grasp both the enormity of individual loss and the loss of entire communities as a result of the Holocaust.

At the Centre we are excited to be producing lesson plans and materials to support teachers in exploring the issues raised in this novel. These materials will be for KS3 students in a range of subject areas; English, History, RS and Citizenship. They will be hosted on our website and will be free to download. Watch this space for further announcements.