Thought For The Day – Tuesday 29th April 2025
Past, Present, Future.
Our appropriate school motto, “Respice, Aspice and Prospice”, encourages us to look to, and respect, the past, present and future.
Over the holidays, an important anniversary was remembered.
The 15th of April 2025 marked eighty years since the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, a Nazi concentration camp. One survivor, Renee Salt B.E.M., shared her testimony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL57aA1SuUU
Today we are so blessed, and honoured, to host Hannah Lewis M.B.E. once again to speak with the Sixth Form. We do not take Hannah’s visits for granted and treasure these moments.
Almost all of Hannah’s Jewish family were killed by the Nazis.
Hannah’s mother, Haya, or Chaya, sacrificed her life for Hannah as, when she was warned of further Nazi killing the next day, Hannah’s mother decided to stay with Hannah, then aged eight, who was very ill, and could not travel in freezing conditions.
When there was a knock at the door the next morning, Hannah’s mother kissed her daughter and went out to the Nazis where, as Hannah looked on, Hannah’s mother was shot and killed.
Hannah would survive the war, settle, and marry, in England, have children and grandchildren and be a wonderfully happy, positive and resilient inspiration beyond words.
Hannah, 87 years-of-age, continues to massively lead and inspire. Hannah was awarded an M.B.E. in 2018 for her work and witness.
These presentations are very challenging for Hannah to deliver. They are never routine. They are her life, her journey, her trauma, her integrity, her resilience, her precious gift to future generations.
For Hannah speaks so that we may learn and love.
Hannah once said she has learnt to “live alongside” the trauma of what has happened to her.
The most beautiful and perfect love and spirit of Hannah’s mother lives on through Hannah.
Hannah describes her visits to T.B.S.H.S. as like “coming home”. We hope Hannah feels our excellent new school facility here at Beaumont Avenue is equally loving, welcoming and homely. Very appropriately, Hannah was our last ever guest speaker at our London Road facility.
People transcend time, space and place.
We think of, and act for, all in need, the vulnerable and all who suffer, locally, nationally and internationally.
Hannah’s parents, including her brilliant father, Adam, and Hannah, are pictured below.
