YOUNG people have visited the National Memorial Arboretum to pay tribute to Anne Frank.
Children from Home Ed-Venturers, a group offering educational activities for home educated students, visited Alrewas to honour her impact on the world.
It took place 80 years on from the wartime diarist’s death at the hands of the Nazis in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
The youngsters led the annual blossom cutting ceremony in the Garden of the Innocents which sees the central Elder tree planted in Anne Frank’s memory unable to bear fruit to symbolise her being unable to reach maturity.
Rachel Smith, head of learning and participation at the National Memorial Arboretum, said:
“Every year we welcome tens of thousands of young people to the arboretum, helping us to pass the baton of Remembrance to the next generation.
“The story of Anne Frank is just one of thousands of inspirational tales encapsulated within our more than 420 memorials.
“While thankfully most of the young people visiting the arboretum have not endured the horrors of living in a war zone, many of them naturally feel a special connection to Anne Frank and the other children whose lives were tragically cut short and are commemorated in the Garden of the Innocents.”
Refurbishment of the Garden of the Innocents is the primary objective of a £150,000 fundraising appeal launched by the National Memorial Arboretum earlier this year.
It is seeking in-kind and financial donations, to improve children’s facilities at the 150-acre estate which welcomes over 20,000 young people for learning visits each year.
In addition to the restoration of the Garden of the Innocents, the campaign is also intended to support the revamp of the arboretum’s two play areas, allowing for the incorporation of greater theming and storytelling aimed at younger visitors.
Rachel added:
“The Garden of the Innocents is one of our oldest memorials – and we now need support from businesses and the wider public to fund its refurbishment.
“Donations to our fundraising campaign will allow us to renew the garden, helping preserve the stories within, alongside supporting the upgrade of other children’s facilities that encourage families and learning groups to visit.”
To learn more about the appeal and how to provide support, visit thenma.org.uk/innocent.
