A £59,600 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant has been secured to commemorate a holocaust survivors’ exhibition in the district.

Epping Forest District Museum will focus their latest project on 23 boys who were evacuated from the concentration camps to Holmehurst, Buckhurst Hill, in 1945.

Holmehurst is now a private house but for twelve months it was home to those recovering from their traumatic experiences during World War II.

"The Holmehurst story is a little-known or forgotten piece of Epping Forest District History,” said Cllr Nigel Bedford, Cabinet member for Community and Partnerships, “Money raised by National Lottery players has made this exhibition possible.”

Objects featured in the exhibition include items from Belsen, Auschwitz and Theresienstadt, camps familiar to the 700 or so child survivors.

Angela Cohen, chairman of the 45 Aid Society: “In this 75th year since their liberation, the ’45 Aid Society charity is delighted to support Epping Forest District Museum in putting on this important exhibition.

“We are also very grateful to the National Lottery for their support with this project.”

Anne Jenkins, director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will strengthen the community’s knowledge of an important yet little-known element of their heritage and ensure that it won’t be forgotten.”

Epping Forest District Museum’s Holmehurst exhibition opens on Saturday, May 23 through to Saturday, September 26.