Charity launched in honour of couple who fled Nazis

The Thea and Heinz Skyte Charitable Trust launched on 10 May at the Caribbean Cricket Club in Leeds

A new charity has been set up in memory of a Jewish couple who escaped Nazi Germany and made Leeds their home.

The Thea and Heinz Skyte Charitable Trust will offer small grants to young adults to help improve their “social mobility, confidence and resilience”.

Thea and Heinz Skyte left Germany separately in 1939 and went on to raise their sons in the city.

The charity officially launched on 10 May at the Caribbean Cricket Club in Leeds.

Thea and Heinz’s son, Peter Skyte, a trustee of the charity, said: “I hope it will in a small way, help some who otherwise would be denied this opportunity to realise their potential and advance their life and career chances.”

The grants, of between £300 and £600, will be for people between the ages of 14 and 30.

Thea, from Berlin, was 15 when she came alone on the Kindertransport to Leeds.

Heinz was born in Bavaria and arrived, aged 19, to live with his brother.

They married and their sons, Peter and Michael, went on to study at Oxford University.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Al Garthwaite and the High Sheriff of West Yorkshire, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE DL were at the launch, as well as Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East, who is the chairman of the trustees.

Mr Hamilton said: “I wanted to see those that everyday have barriers put in front of them, through no fault of their own... I wanted to see those barriers overcome by this fantastic charity.

The couple's son, Peter Skyte, said he hopes the grants will open opportunities for young people in Leeds

“It’s not going to give out huge amounts of money, but so often it’s the small things that matter.

“For example, if you live in a crowded house and you’re 16 or 18 and you want to go to university but you can’t study because your younger siblings are sharing a bedroom - it gives them space.

“It gets them out of the house so they can actually study.”

He added: “Anything that removes that barrier to furthering their own education.”

The money will also assist refugees and asylum seekers to fully integrate into the local community, reducing the risk of them becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.

Al Garthwaite said: “This city is here for you, it’s here to make you fulfil your potential to its utmost and make you feel an equal citizen with everybody else”.

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