Jersey honours slave workers on Liberation Day

Jersey marks the anniversary of its liberation from Nazi occupation on 9 May each year

Human rights violations across the world will be remembered at a ceremony to mark Jersey's Liberation Day.

Jersey was liberated from Nazi occupation on 9 May, 1945.

For the first time, the Jersey Human Rights Group will lay a wreath at an event to remember slave workers brought to Jersey during the occupation.

Bob Hill, who set up the Jersey Human Rights Group three years ago, said: "It is important that the lessons of the past are not forgotten."

Mr Hill added: "We have always been very supportive of this event and we approached Mr Gary Font, the organiser, who was our guest speaker in February.

"We were moved by the story of his father, Francisco Font, who was a forced worker in the Channel Islands."

Meanwhile a 91-year-old Jersey man who risked his life to help others during the occupation is to be honoured at the service later.

Bob Le Sueur helped escaping Russian prisoners of war and will be at the Jersey Slave Workers Memorial to remember the thousands of people forced to work for the Nazis during World War II.

He will speak at the ceremony and will be joined by community leaders, representatives of faith groups and the families of forced workers at the commemoration later at the crematorium at Westmount in St Helier.