Tim Farron asks for Deputy Prime Minister’s support to build Windermere Children memorial

On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron secured a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to discuss plans to build a memorial for the Windermere Children – the 300 Jewish children who rebuilt their lives in Cumbria after being rescued from concentration camps in 1945.

The cultural centre, proposed by the charity The Lake District Holocaust Project, would mark the special role Cumbria played in helping some of those who survived the holocaust to rebuild their lives, and would help combat rising antisemitism.

Speaking during Housing, Communities and Local Government Oral Questions in Parliament, Tim said: “In Westmorland, we have a story that has underpinned cohesion for decades, and that is the story, the true story, of the Windermere Children.

“In August 1945, almost half of the children who survived the Nazi death camps were rehabilitated on the banks of Windermere, at Troutbeck Bridge.

”Now I wonder if the Deputy Prime Minister would agree to meet with me, because a group of us, including the ‘45 Aid Society and the local school, the Lakes School, want to build a lasting memorial at Troutbeck Bridge at the site where the children were housed whilst rebuilding the school that was built on that site.

“I wonder if she would carry on the cross-party work we had before the election meet with me and others from that community to help make that a reality?”

Responding, Angela Rayner said: “I absolutely congratulate the honourable member for his work in this area and either myself, or one of my ministers would be happy to meet.”