First Frank Foley lecture to take place

2:22pm Monday 24th November 2008

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THE first Frank Foley lecture has been organised to honour the hero know as the British Schindler.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin and Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho are appealing to people to support the lecture.

The guest speaker at the event, being held at Stourbridge College on Friday November 28 at 7pm, will be Michael Smith, author of the biography “Foley: The spy who saved 10,000 Jews.

Frank Foley was an M16 agent working undercover as the passport control officer in Berlin, he did everything he could to help Jews which were suffering.

He provided papers to let them escape, forged passports, visited concentration camp and let people shelter in his own home.

When Frank Foley retired he moved to Stourbridge where he lived until his death in 1958.

There is a memorial at Mary Stevens Park near to his Eveson Road house and Dudley Council run an annual award in his name.

MP Ian Austin said: “I’ve been fascinated by Foley’s story ever since I first heard of him.

“This lecture will be fascinating and his story of bravery is one we should never forget.”

Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho added: “Frank Foley is someone that everybody in our town should be proud of.”

The event is being organised in conjunction with the Holocaust Educational Trust, who are currently working to secure a greater formal recognition for British rescuers of the Holocaust.

To sign the petition to change the rules so awards go to http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/UK-Rescuers/.

For more information about the event contact MP Ian Austin on 01384 342 504 or austini@parliament.uk