1. NEWS14
Twelfthannual
LiberationDay
atGreenBank
LeisureCentre
Collectors
neededfor
fundraising
challenge
GOTASTORY? 01530813101email: editor@timesandleader.co.uk ADVERTISING?01530813101email: advertising@timesandleader.co.uk
THE TWELFTH annual
Liberation Day
celebrations in South
Derbyshire are all set to
take place in May, with
few tickets remaining.
The event will take
place on Wednesday,
May 21, at Green Bank
Leisure Centre from
10am until 2:30pm.
Phil Marriott, of the
Safer South Derbyshire
Partnership, who have
organised the event,
said: “This year’s South
Derbyshire Liberation
Day is celebrating the
1950s and 1960s.
“We’ve got a fabulous
tribute group to the
Drifters, called “Let’s
Drift” who will be
singing many of the
famous songs that
anyone over 55 will
remember.
There’s also a free
packed lunch and a
lucky programme
draw.
“We have lowered the
age from 60 to 55 this
year as we know that
there are a lot more
younger retired people
now than when we first
started Liberation Day
back in 2003.
“As always, there will
be a wide range of
exhibitors offering
advice and information
on all manner of things
of interest to this age
group.
“The event is open only
to residents of South
Derbyshire and we
would like to see a few
more people from the
outlying villages come
along who may
otherwise find it
difficult to get to
Swadlincote by public
transport.”
A free park and ride
bus has also been set up
to operate to and from
the venue from Gresley
Common on York Road,
from 9:30 onwards and
throughout the day.
Anyone interested in
attending the event
should telephone 01283
595795 to register.
MEMBERS from the
RNLI are appealing for
people to help them
with their annual
fundraising challenge.
The charity is
appealing for collectors
to help out at Ashby’s
Tesco on Friday, May
23, Saturday 24 or
Sunday 25.
John Hill, of the
Royal National Lifeboat
Institution, said: “Can
you spare two hours?
“Your help will ensure
the RNLI raises vital
funds to keep on saving
lives and you won’t
even have to get wet!”
Anyone interested in
taking part should
telephone John on
07931 561791 or email:
MQUX7A@gmail.com
Opportunityfor
cyclistsand
runnerstocruise
roundracetrack
MPwelcomes
newson
subsidiesfor
windprojects
KEEN cyclists and runners
are being given the chance to
cruise round Donington
Park’s race circuit this sum-
mer as part of a series of spe-
cial community events.
Starting on May 6, with the
“Cycle in the Park”, the ven-
ture is designed to allow fit-
ness enthusiasts to run, jog,
walk or cycle one loop of the
2.5 mile course away from the
main roads.
Kirk Rothwell, Media
Manager at Donington Park,
said: “Our Cycle and Run in
the Park evenings offer a
safe, off-road route for cyclists
and runners, something
which is increasingly hard to
come by these days.
“We hope these evenings
will help instill a real sense of
community and they are per-
fect for running or cycling
clubs looking for something a
little bit different. After the
success of last year we’re real-
ly looking forward to seeing
the track filled with happy
runners and cyclists again.”
The runs take place on May
27, July 1, 29 and Spetember
9.
The cycle runs take place
May 12, June 19, 24, July 15,
22, August 12, 26 and
September 15 and 22.
Each evening will run from
5:30pm until 8pm with a
donation of £1 for paricipa-
tion.
Helmets must be worn dur-
ing the Cycle in the Park
event. Bikes are not provided
by the circuit and children
under 13 must be accompa-
nied by an adult.
For more information visit
www.donington-park.co.uk
NORTH West Leicestershire
MP Andrew Bridgen has wel-
comed the announcement that
the next Conservative
Government would end public
subsidies for newly planned
wind projects
The Conservatives would
also make changes to planning
rules to give greater protection
to an area’s valued countryside
and heritage.
The changes would mean
that any plans not already in
the pipeline for new offshore
wind projects would need to be
able to pay for themselves and
get local support now that
enough onshore wind has been
planned to meet the
Government’s legally-binding
renewables target for 2020.
These changes would be
delivered by a Conservative
Government within six months
of the next election.
Mr Bridgen commented:
“This is excellent news for peo-
ple in North West
Leicestershire who have been
worried that wind farms could
be approved locally without
their views being heard.
“Only the next
Conservative Government
would end bill payer funded
subsidies for any newly
planned onshore wind farms
and give local communities the
decisive say on them.
“This will give us the power
to protect our heritage and
natural beauty in North West
Leicestershire, keeping it safe
for our children and strength-
ening our local community.”
AS THE might of the
German Nazi war
machine prepared to
ripple through
Europe’s heart, in
1939, one 11-year-
old Berliner slipped
through the fingers
of the Wehrmacht to
live in Woodville.
Ernst Reinhard Huehns,
who grew up to become a
world-renowned professor
of haematology, fled from
his home in Germany’s cap-
ital with his mother, aunt
and sister the day before
Hitler invaded
Czechoslovakia, on March
16, 1939.
On Monday, April 14, the
Times caught up with
Professor Huehns as he
returned to the area to visit
his old schools in Woodville
and Ashby, as he writes his
autobiography.
With a wild and excitable
look in his eyes, he basked
in his memories of growing
up in wartime England.
“You know we never had a
school uniform but we were
forced to wear a school cap,”
he said many times, with
glee.
“It’s just fantastic to be
back visiting my old
schools, I have so many
memories of the area and
how things used to look, it’s
amazing to see how things
have changed but also how
they haven’t.
“Being in England, and
especially in Ashby and
Woodville, at this time was
a real inspiration to me and
was the start of everything
that I was to become and
achieve.
“I never had any trouble
because of my nationality,
the Ashby head master had
made it clear that I had
escaped from the Germans
and was therefore, on the
British side, so I didn’t suf-
fer at all.”
After arriving in
England, The professor’s
family made contact with
Bloomsbury House a
Jewish/Christian organisa-
tion which helped refugees
escaping from Nazi
Germany.
They, in turn, got in touch
with Ashby’s
Christadelphian’s who
found a spot for
Ernst in the
Midlands.
The Professor lived
with Mr Cyril and
Louise Clamp in
Moira Road and
went to Woodville
Council School
( W o o d v i l l e
Junior School)
until 1940.
He then moved to Ashby
Boys Grammar School
(Ashby School) which he
cycled to everyday.
He stayed there until
1942 before he moved back
to London to stay with his
mother, going to school in
Chelsea to complete his
school certificate.
He then attended Chelsea
Polytechnic and University
College London where he
achieved his medical
degree.
He admitted though, it
was his time in Woodville
and Ashby that had the
greatest influence on him.
He also got glimpses of
the distant rumbling war
seeing planes sweep the
skies, pilots caught by the
police and bombs falling on
Gresley-an insight into
what life could have been
like had he stayed in
Germany.
“Late one evening we
could see an eerie glow low
down in the dark towards
the east and often when I
was in bed I would hear the
drone of German planes fly-
ing over.
“It was really scary espe-
cially when Gresley got
bombed, we could hear the
bombs fall.
“Some German airmen
also got captured and taken
to Woodville Police Station,
my friends goaded me to
speak to them in German,
but I didn’t.”
The visit to Ashby and
Woodville came about after
the professor contacted
Ashby Museum to obtain
information for his upcom-
ing book.
One thing led to another
and it was decided that
Professor Huehns and his
wife, Yvonne, would travel
from their home in London
to see his old schools.
Rob Jones, from Ashby
Museum, who accompanied
them on their trip round the
schools said: “It was
delightful to listen to the
memories of Professor
Huehns and seeing him so
excited and passionate
about his time here was
enlightening.
“By an unbelievable coin-
cidence, we actually
bumped into one of his old
friends who would cycle to
school with him from
Woodville.
“It was a surreal moment
but perfect for the occasion.
“We would love to see the
professor come back again
soon, to tell us more of his
stories about his time here.”
Professor Huehns
describes himself in his
book as the luckiest boy in
Germany.
After escaping the
Germans, surviving school
and becoming a world-
renowned scientist nobody
could claim otherwise.
By NICK REID
WEHRMACHT
TOWOODVILLE
The Times, Friday, May 9, 2014 Fax No. 01530 811361 Editorial and Advertising 01530 813101
Old School: Professor Huehns shares an old yarn
from his schooldays with Rob Jones from Ashby
Museum
Top Man: 11-year-old
Professor Huehns sitting
on his brothers shoulders
in their garden in
England
Achtung!: German Army at its height, which professor
Huehns escaped from in 1939.
The Clamp’s house in
Woodville 2010 where
Professor Huehns spent
part of his childhood
ErnestReinhardHuehnsfledfromhishomeinGermany’s
capitalthedaybeforeHitlerinvadedCzechoslovakia