The first Holocaust memorial event to be held in Watford will take place next week.

On Thursday, pupils at schools in Watford and Rickmansworth will be given the opportunity to listen to survivors of the Holocaust recount their personal experiences.

The Holocaust Memorial Day event takes place from 9am to 12.15pm, and then 12.30pm to 3.30pm in Watford and District Synagogue, Nascot Road.

The event is part of a larger programme held in Northwood, involving 54 schools from Hertfordshire, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Hillingdon.

This year’s event, the biggest to date, will see more than 3,000 local secondary school students attending one of the 20 half day sessions organised by local synagogues of various denominations.

Students will hear from Holocaust survivors Harry Olmer and Susan Pollock and participate in a workshop relating historical facts about the Holocaust to contemporary issues such as racism, discrimination, persecution and citizenship.

Each of the sessions will conclude with closing reflections from Watford Synagogue’s Rabbi Ephraim Levine and the lighting of a memorial candle.

Each session is free of charge, non denominational, has no religious content and meets the national curriculum requirements for many subjects including citizenship, English, history, RE and PSHE.

Any school or college wishing to register their interest in taking part in a Holocaust Memorial Day event in 2015 can email enquiries@northwoodhmd.org.uk