By KLTV Newsdesk –

Celebration shines a light on remarkable female survivors and their stories of resilience and hope

Holocaust Centre North is set to celebrate International Women’s Day and World Book Day with a powerful day of animation and storytelling, honouring the extraordinary women who rebuilt their lives in the North of England after surviving the Holocaust.

On Sunday 8th March, the Centre will host award-winning Huddersfield-based studio Fettle Animation for a special filmmaking and creative workshop designed for all ages.

The event will spotlight the strong female survivors whose moving accounts of resilience and survival are preserved within the Centre’s collection and archives.

Award-winning storytelling brought to life

Visitors will have the opportunity to design flip books and create their own stop-motion animations, drawing inspiration from Fettle Animation’s award-winning and BAFTA-nominated film and BBC Four documentary series, Children of the Holocaust.

The workshop will also explore the artwork featured in its accompanying graphic novel, Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton.

Filmmakers will be at the Centre to share their experiences of bringing the series and book to life.

Both works unite six real-life survivors’ accounts of the Holocaust, and visitors will have the chance to watch excerpts and hear readings during the day.

The free, one-off event offers a creative and engaging way to discover more about Holocaust Centre North’s remarkable female survivors, many of whom settled in the North of England and whose experiences are told through the Centre’s permanent exhibition.

‘Inspired to tell their own stories’

Holocaust Centre North’s Head of Learning, Hannah Randall, who will run the event alongside Fettle Animation, said: “We are so excited to be working with Fettle Animation on this event, highlighting the stories of the remarkable women who made their new lives in the North of England after surviving the Holocaust.

“We hope that the families who come will learn about their stories but also be inspired by the animation techniques to tell their own stories.”

A personal story of survival

The Centre’s Head of Fundraising, Hannah Goldstone, will also attend as a third-generation Holocaust survivor.

She will speak about her family’s story of survival, including her grandfather’s escape from Nazi Germany at the age of nine.

He travelled alone to the UK on the Kindertransport, beginning a new life in the North West of England.

Event details

Holocaust Centre North’s International Women’s Day and World Book Day event will run from 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday 8th March at the Centre.

Tickets are free, but booking is advisable via hcn@hud.ac.uk.

The event is recommended for ages seven and above.