ONNY Primary School and Lydbury North Primary School have helped the Shropshire Council and interfaith forums in the county to grow a Holocaust cherry tree orchard of remembrance across the county.

This year, for which the theme is “Stand Together”, saw national Holocaust Memorial Day marked with the planting of the 11th and 12th trees with the two schools in the south west, and the measuring of the first tree, planted at Mereside in 2015.

Shropshire Councillors David Evans and Ruth Houghton helped to plant the trees at Onny and at Lydbury North respectively, with four pupils helping in each case.

This followed school assemblies, where the councillors,

Mark Michaels and Imam Sohayb Peerbhai spoke to the children, and at which the children sang a song they had learnt for the occasion.

The youngest and oldest children lit a candle of remembrance for those who died at each school.

Prayers were also said by the interfaith forums.

Ruth Houghton (Bishop’s Castle) and David Evans (Church Stretton and Craven Arms), are local Shropshire Councillors for the areas in which the schools operate.

“The children at Onny and Lydbury North were an absolute credit to themselves and to their schools as the St Michael’s Federation, very much living up to the theme of “Stand Together,” they said.

“Letters of thanks will be coming out to them from Shropshire Council, in which we will include how impressed Imam Sohayb Peerbhai and Mark Michaels were and how they enjoyed talking to them.”