To commemorate the 78th Annual International Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 27th January, The Mayor of Bath Cllr Rob Appleyard joined Curo, the B&NES Faith Foundation, the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground and the Combe Down Heritage Society in remembrance.

Held on the 27th of January, a short ceremony marked the occasion. Representatives unveiled a plaque and newly planted tree dedicated to all that were persecuted during the Holocaust.

Cllr Rob Appleyard, Mayor of Bath, alongside Cllr Sarah Bevan, Patron of the B&NES Faith Foundation and Christina Hilsenrath, Chair of the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground were among those in attendance.

The Mayor said: “We come together to remember and pay homage to those who lost their lives during the Holocaust. Their memory will live on through acts of kindness and compassion towards others."

Mulberry Park, Curo's flagship development, is located in close proximity to the historic Bath Jewish Burial Ground and has a strong connection with its neighbours. This sense of community and connection is nurtured throughout the development and was celebrated through the tree planting and plaque unveiling ceremony.

Cllr Sarah Bevan, Patron of the B&NES Faith Foundation and daughter of a Holocaust survivor said: “Could we play a bigger role in challenging prejudice today – it’s the normal, the routine, that can build to tragedy if unchallenged and accepted as ordinary”.

The occasion served as an example of Curo's dedication to creating an environment that is welcoming and supportive to all Mulberry Park residents.

Nathan Hartley, Director of the B&NES Faith Foundation and organiser of the event, said: “Coming together each year to mark Holocaust Memorial Day is key to ensuring we never forget the events of the past and can learn from them to create a better future. Thank you to everyone who took part this year.”

Working with partners and other organisations is an important part of Bath’s Holocaust remembrance commemorations each year.

Christina Hilsenrath, Chair of the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground said: "In remembering the Holocaust, we honour the strength and resilience of those who survived and pay tribute to those who did not. Let us use International Holocaust Memorial Day as a time to recommit ourselves to creating a more just and compassionate world for all people."

The ceremony concluded with the guests making their way to Curo’s Marketing Suite, where they were treated to refreshments and an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the day.

Holocaust plaque
A closer view of the plaque erected at Mulberry Park (Rebecca Faith Photo)

Jodie Winter, Sales Manager at Curo, concluded the day by saying “With the support of our friends at the B&NES Faith Foundation, and the Friends of Bath Jewish Burial Ground, Curo have planted this tree and are unveiling this plaque as a tribute to the millions who suffered and died under the Nazi regime.”

“Today, we remember the victims of the Holocaust and with the planting of this tree, resolve to water the seeds of kindness and compassion in the world. Let's make the world a brighter place, one seed at a time.”