This Thursday (14th August), it will be 80 years since 300 child survivors of the Holocaust arrived in Windermere. The Windermere Children came to the former Calgarth Estate in the Lake District for a period of recuperation after being liberated from Nazi concentration camps at the end of the war.
Here they were given a Lakeland welcome, in a safe environment to begin to heal and adjust to their new lives.
In 2025, the Lakes Line Community Rail Partnership has brought 300 young people to Windermere by train, from as far afield as Blackburn as well as the South Lakes. For some of the children, this was the first time they had ever travelled by train.
After getting off at Windermere station, they were taken on a guided mindfulness walk up Orrest Head overlooking Calgarth, just as the Windermere Children did in 1945, followed by a visit to the Lake District Holocaust Project exhibition in Windermere Library. There they heard stories about the kindness the Windermere Children were shown during their time here.
The weekly trips over May to July have aimed to bring the modern-day children to the history, to celebrate the Windermere Children and their achievements. The young people have produced a range of artwork, from pictures to sound art and drama to the written word, to reflect on the experience. Some of this artwork will be collaged by local artists to be put on display on the Lakes Line.
In addition, each school that took part has received copies of Tom Palmer's children’s novel "After the War: from Auschwitz to Ambleside", which is inspired by the real Windermere Children.
On the actual 80th anniversary this week, an event will be held at the Lake District Holocaust Project, with invited guests.
The project has been a partnership between the Lakes Line CRP, train operator Northern, the Lake District Holocaust Project and the Lake District National Park Authority which provided the volunteer guides for the trip up Orrest Head. Funding came from Westmorland and Furness Council, the Community Rail Network and TransPennine Express.
A film is being made about the project by Lakeland Media, and is due to be released later in the year.
St Mark’s School Natland was one of the schools which took part. Anna Sykes, Year Five teacher said: “it was a great trip, and the children have really enjoyed it. It was a well thought out event and really brought to life some of the history we have been exploring in school.”
Councillor John Murray the Westmorland and Furness Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services welcomed the project. “It is so important to continue to share the story of how the 300 Windermere children came “from Hell to paradise” in 1945, and how the kindness of the local community allowed them to begin to rebuild their lives. This innovative project has done just that, and I look forward to seeing the film when it comes out.”
Community Rail Cumbria, the umbrella organisation for Cumbria’s Community Rail Partnerships, is a hosted service at Westmorland and Furness Council for all of Cumbria.