MORE than 80 people braved the chill of a January morning to attend Bromsgrove's sixth Holocaust Memorial Day in Sanders Park.

The theme for last Thursday's event was One Person Can Make a Difference. It referred to the dark years during World War Two when people had to make moral choices either to side with the Nazis or watch from the sidelines.

Some chose to risk their own lives to help others and by doing so saved many Jews from certain death.

Last Thursday's service was one of many held up and down the country organised by local authorities in association with other organisations and individuals.

Bromsgrove's was conducted by the district council's chaplain, the Rev Wendy Moore, who is the vicar of All Saints'.

The gathering was welcomed by district council chairman, Councillor Jill Dyer, who had invited pupils from all secondary and high schools in the district to send a youngster to take part in Prayers of Penitence.

Benedict Buckley, a young pupil at Bromsgrove School, sounded The Last Post and Reveille to signal the start and end of a two minutes' silence. Aston Fields Middle School was also represented.

The readers were district councillors Katie Gall, Dave McGrath, Nick Psirides, Janice Boswell and Bromsgrove resident Jane Benanti, who worships at Birmingham synagogue.

Cllr Dyer said she had invited the youngsters along to take part in the service, which was the second to be held in the park, because she believes it is important that the memory of mans' inhumanity to others should live on.

Light refreshments were served later in the pavilion.

The Holocaust was the Nazi's systematic bid to wipe out the Jewish race during World War Two. Around six million Jews were killed.