A Holocaust survivor gave an inspiring talk to schoolchildren, reflecting on her experience of the Holocaust and discussing how to help combat hate in the modern world by using her own story.

More than 90 school children from Coombe Girls School in New Malden listened to the talk at Kingston and Surbiton District Synagogue on 24th January, ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Wlodka Robertson, who lives at Nightingale House in South London, was successfully hidden in Poland for the duration of the war. She has given a number of talks in recent years but this one is to the biggest audience yet.

The event, organised by the Kingston Holocaust Memorial project, gave school children the chance to interact and ask Wlodka questions, and have small group learning sessions around the Holocaust and its legacy.

David Singleton from Nightingale Hammerson, who helped to organise the talk said: “It is so much more impactful when you can listen to a story first hand, rather than just reading it in a book. Wlodka has an unbelievable story, and we hope the school children enjoyed hearing about it and having the opportunity to ask questions. “It really brings it to life when you hear someone telling a story like this, and it’s great that residents at Nightingale can interact and teach younger generations about their past. It’s important to tell prominent stories like these, and carry on the legacy.”

Wlodka also attends the ‘Conversation Café’, a support project held at Nightingale House every month, for survivors and refugees of the Holocaust to come together and discuss their past experiences in a safe and caring environment.

She is keen to tell her story to a wider audience, particularly young people who are the same age as she was when she experienced the Holocaust.

Based on information supplied by Nightingale Hammerson.