A WOMAN who survived the horrors of the Holocaust will be speaking at Dudley’s annual commemorative event tomorrow (Friday January 28).

The annual Holocaust Commemoration – usually attended by hundreds of residents - will take place online again this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Janine Webber BEM who survived the Holocaust as a young child will be this year's special guest speaker at the event organised by Dudley College’s Students Union, the Holocaust Educational Trust and a small group of volunteers including former councillor Keiran Casey and Lord Austin of Dudley.

As a young girl Janine survived the Holocaust by moving between hiding places in occupied Poland, but witnessed the Nazis seizing and murdering other members of her family. She moved to the UK in 1956 where she met her husband, and she was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2017 for services to Holocaust Education.

Keiran Casey, a member of the Holocaust Commemoration organising committee, said: “We are very grateful to Janine Webber for agreeing to take part. It's amazing that Holocaust survivors spend their time teaching people where hatred and prejudice can lead.

“Hundreds of local people usually come to these events. They really help bring people together and build a stronger community, so we were determined not to be prevented by the pandemic and we have made it as easy as possible for anyone to join us.”

The event, which will start at midday, will also include a presentation from a Dudley student who visited Auschwitz with the Holocaust Educational Trust and have contributions from local faith and civic leaders including the Bishop of Dudley, Rabbi Margaret Jacobi and Dudley Council's leader - Councillor Patrick Harley.

Mollie-Amelia Hehir, president of the Students Union, said: “We are so pleased that once again we can collaborate and highlight the importance of this event to our student members. While the events of the Holocaust cannot be compared to the injustices of today, it is a reminder of the world we live in and we should never be silent upon seeing wrongdoing. The event helps us educate all of our community members and act as a commitment to sharing the legacy of this dark period in history.”

Anyone with access to a smartphone, tablet or computer can join the event by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/HolocaustMemorial22.