City plays part in memorial for Jewish refugees

A memorial tree is to be planted in Bath as part of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the Association of Jewish Refugees in the UK.

Founded in 1941, the organisation provides social and welfare services to Holocaust refugees and survivors nationwide. About 70,000 refugees, including around 10,000 children on the Kindertransport, arrived in the UK from Nazi-occupied Europe in the 1930s.

To mark the occasion, the Association of Jewish Refugees is launching a special campaign, 80 Trees for 80 Years, which will see 80 native oak trees planted around Britain.

The Bath & North East Somerset Faith Foundation has been chosen a partner organisation to support the campaign.

Cllr Sarah Bevan, the foundation’s patron and the daughter of a survivor of the Holocaust, said: “We’re pleased to be working with the Association of Jewish Refugees on this important initiative.

“Jewish refugees have contributed enormously to British life since arriving here over 80 years ago, and so to have Bath & North East Somerset selected as one of the locations an oak tree will be planted is immensely humbling.”

The oak tree will be planted on Holocaust Memorial Day, January 27 next year, as part of a full day of commemorative events around the local authority.

Director of the B&NES Faith Foundation, Nathan Hartley, said: “We’ve chosen Peasedown St John as the location for the planting of our commemorative oak tree. Supplied by the Association of Jewish Refugees, each of the 80 trees is being sponsored by a family of one of the refugees.