The Mayor of Hertsmere led a poignant candlelit parade and ceremony on January 27 to honour Holocaust Memorial Day.

The candlelit parade travelled from the car park of Bushey Country Club at 6pm, along London Road to The Bushey Arena, where a ceremony took place including videos, speakers and musical performances.

The event was held for everyone to pause to remember the millions of people who have been murdered or whose lives have been changed beyond recognition during the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

Joining the Mayor, Cllr Anne Swerling were the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss, and a number of Hertsmere borough councillors and officers, local dignitaries and residents.

As well as the Holocaust Memorial Day Prayer read by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Father Andrew Burton, followed by a two-minute silence, there were also speeches by the Mayor and council leader Cllr Morris Bright, videos and musical performances.

Cllr Swerling said: "I was honoured to lead such an important event for our borough. The parade and ceremony brought together diverse strands of our community to provide an opportunity for education and unitedness against genocide, discrimination and hate.

"Sadly, discrimination has not ended in the UK and there remains racist attitudes and the use of hate speech, but we learn from genocide for a purpose - to build a better future where we speak out against injustices that we see in the modern world.

"This Memorial Day, we honour those who survived the tragedies of the Holocaust and following genocides and pay our respects to those who lost their lives, whilst also reflecting on our contribution to ending discrimination in the modern day."

Holocaust Memorial Day is held annually on January 27 as this is the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the Soviet Army liberated the largest Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.