THIS year’s Holocaust Memorial Day event will take place at the war memorial in Park Gardens in Stroud on Sunday (January 30).

Rev Simon Howell will lead the memorial ceremony, which will include music from the Stroud Red Band.

Holocaust Memorial Day is an annual event which serves to remember six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as those who lost their lives in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

It takes place each year on (or close to) January 27, the date Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, was liberated.

A statement from the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, the charity which promotes and supports Holocaust Memorial Day, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) encourages remembrance in a world scarred by genocide.

"The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilisation, and genocide must still be resisted every day. Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable and we cannot be complacent. Even in the UK, prejudice and the language of hatred must be challenged by us all.

"Holocaust Memorial Day is for everyone. Each year across the UK, thousands of people come together to learn more about the past and take action to create a safer future.

"Together we bear witness for those who endured genocide, and honour the survivors and all those whose lives were changed beyond recognition."

The service in Park Gardens will take place from 2pm, and everyone is welcome to attend.