Key Moments – Standing Together

Together Standing

Holocaust Memorial Day provides an opportunity for people in the UK to stand together with those of differing faiths, ages, and ethnicities within their communities. Each year, we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day at St Peter’s School with a special service in the Chapel and a range of associated events.

This year’s theme for Holocaust Memorial Day was ‘Stand Together’ and we joined the nation on Monday 27 January to remember the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. We were especially honoured to host BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship programme for Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday 26 January, broadcast live to the nation from the St Peter’s School Chapel. The service was led by the School Chaplain, Rev’d Daniel Jones, and the Chapel Choir was directed by Mr Paul Miles-Kingston, Director of Music at St Peter’s School. The Chapel Choir sang the congregational hymns ‘The God of Abraham praise’ and ‘Lord of all power’ and two anthems, featuring William Miles-Kingston who won

BBC Radio 2’s Young Chorister of the Year competition in December 2019. The Rev’d Daniel Jones said: “It was a privilege to host this special service for Holocaust Memorial Day. Here at St Peter’s School we encourage self-respect and care for others through the timeless Christian values of compassion, friendship, and humility. These values help to create a welcoming, caring and inclusive school community in which everyone can feel valued and grow in confidence.

“Holocaust Memorial Day encourages us to reflect on the significance of these values and the devastating consequences for society if we lose sight of them.”

Mr Miles-Kingston said: “The Chapel Choir were delighted to have the opportunity to sing live on BBC Radio 4. I am incredibly proud of each member of the choir for their wholehearted commitment and dedication, and the service enabled them to showcase their talents to the nation.”

Meanwhile, at St Peter’s 8-13 pupils created a ‘Stand Together Wall’, each writing down what this means for them on a flame. Their thoughts included ‘hope’, ‘belief’ and ‘peace’. The Stand Together Wall was coordinated by Mrs Helen Sayles, who was previously

“St Peter’s is a welcoming, caring and inclusive school community in which everyone can feel valued and grow in confidence.”

(Rev’d Daniel Jones, School Chaplain)

a freelance educator with the Holocaust Education Trust, to leave pupils with a positive message of hope out of a time of darkness. Mrs Sayles said: “The wall shows that even by doing something small we are stronger together and can support each other.”