Project Volunteers

Anne is co-ordinating our research for Eastbourne.

She played the role of a local Jewish suffragette in a Tunbridge Wells community play and this gave her a taste for research. She discovered her character was related to Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols. Anne is an educator of young people with special needs, commended in the national Teaching Awards. She carried out research on the Sephardi community for the Pascal Theatre company's Discovering and Documenting England's Lost Jews project. She also has interviewed inspirational women for her local museum.  Anne has been researching Eastbourne Jewish history, including past figures in the community, its former kosher holiday hotels, shops and schools with Jewish connections. She is fascinated by the stories of Jewish refugee children who came to boarding schools in Eastbourne.

Rachel is co-ordinating our research for Sunderland.

Rachel has volunteered for her community both in Sunderland (where she grew up) and in Woodside Park, London where she has now lived for over 20 years.  Currently, she helps co-ordinate volunteers from her community to support vulnerable people with their shopping and other needs during this difficult time.  She was Editor of her Shul magazine for 10 years. She also volunteers for a local Beavers group and an organisation that supports primary school children develop their reading skills.

Rachel loves to hear about people’s life stories and is excited about helping with the research into the Sunderland community which she knows so well. Rachel is collecting people's memories and stories from the past concerning the Sunderland community.

Hilary is co-ordinating our research in St Annes.

Hilary has written several books on small Northern Jewish communities such as; 'From Poland to Paradise Lane and other journeys: a history of the Blackburn Jewish community’ and 'From Riga to Rock Street: A History of the Oldham Jewish Community’. She has also written about the history of the Manchester Jewish Representative Council.

Hilary has been exploring how the St Anne's community was involved in working to assist evacuees and refugees in WW2. She is seeking to rediscover and re-connect these hidden, and sometimes displaced, Jewish histories. She is interested in hearing from people who have personal or family connections to evacuees to St Annes.

Jane is co-ordinating our research in Somerset and the West Country.

A retired nurse after working for 40 years, Jane was also a lecturer in nurse education and a regular columnist for the Nursing Times for over 4 years. She has published to clinical journals including her most recent writing which is awaiting completion, "The Sister Broigus A-Z Guide to becoming an Invisible Practice Nurse". Jane co-founded the Somerset Jewish Social & Cultural Group nine years ago and loves creating and sharing traditional Jewish food when they get together.

For this project Jane has been researching into Myer Jacobs who became Mayor of Taunton in 1877 as well as Jewish families who were evacuated to Taunton in WW2. Additionally, she has been exploring a local school which has a Magen David (Star/Shield of David ) in many of their upper windows.