St Mary's Church in Saffron Walden held a service to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and remember victims of genocide.

MP Kemi Badenoch took part in the commemoration service on Friday, January 27 - the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Leslie Wheeler spoke at the Holocaust Memorial Day service at St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden. Pic: Celia BartlettLeslie Wheeler spoke at the Holocaust Memorial Day service at St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden. Pic: Celia Bartlett (Image: Celia Bartlett)

The service was led by Rev'd Jeremy Trew, with contributions from Leslie Wheeler, from the Jewish community, and Rev'd John Goddard of Saffron Walden Baptist Church.

Baroness Caroline Cox gave a presentation to school pupils on her work as founder of the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), helping people who have been displaced due to genocide in Nigeria.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Baroness Cox spoke to the congregation at St Mary's Church in Saffron Walden about Nigerian genocide victims. Pic: Celia BartlettBaroness Cox spoke to the congregation at St Mary's Church in Saffron Walden about Nigerian genocide victims. Pic: Celia Bartlett (Image: Celia Bartlett)

Baroness Cox explained her 'Roads to Hope' initiative, which provides safer education for Nigerian children by providing education vans, which travel to them when it is unsafe for them to travel to school.

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She also gave another presentation for adults in the evening, further expanding on her work.

Saffron Walden Reporter: MP Kemi Badenoch attended the Holocaust Memorial Day service in Saffron Walden. Pic: Celia BartlettMP Kemi Badenoch attended the Holocaust Memorial Day service in Saffron Walden. Pic: Celia Bartlett (Image: Celia Bartlett)

The Saffron Walden County High School Chamber Choir performed two pieces for the service.

The global theme for this year's Holocaust Memorial Day was 'ordinary people', to show that genocide is facilitated by ordinary people, and that the victims are ordinary people who are persecuted, oppressed and murdered because they belong to a particular group. 

Saffron Walden Reporter: Saffron Walden County High School Chamber Choir performed at the Holocaust Memorial Day service. Pic: Celia BartlettSaffron Walden County High School Chamber Choir performed at the Holocaust Memorial Day service. Pic: Celia Bartlett (Image: Celia Bartlett)

Saffron Walden Reporter: Saffron Walden County High School Chamber Choir performed at the Holocaust Memorial Day serviceSaffron Walden County High School Chamber Choir performed at the Holocaust Memorial Day service (Image: Celia Bartlett)