The ceremony was held on the anniversary of the birth of Sir Nicholas Winton. Members of his family were in attendance, lending the occasion a particularly personal dimension. The event reflected on the experiences of Jewish refugees from Czechoslovakia who found safety in the United Kingdom, including the children rescued through the Kindertransport.

Goodenough College holds particular historical significance as the original location of the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia (BCRC). From 1938, the Committee provided vital assistance to those fleeing Nazi persecution, helping to save the lives of many, including children transported to Britain. In 1939, its work continued under the Czech Refugee Trust Fund.

The programme featured contributions from:

• Alice Walpole, Director of Goodenough College
• Frank Harding, former AJR Trustee and initiator of the AJR Blue Plaque Scheme
• Professor Charmian Brinson, Emeritus Professor at Imperial College London, who spoke on the history of the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia
• Lydia Tischler, a first-generation AJR member and beneficiary of the Czech Refugee Trust

The plaque was formally unveiled by:

• H.E. Václav Bartuška, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Kingdom
• H.E. Peter Susko, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United Kingdom

The Association of Jewish Refugees is the UK’s national charity supporting Jewish refugees and Holocaust survivors, while also preserving the memory of their experiences.

The unveiling forms part of AJR’s wider Blue Plaque initiative, which commemorates locations connected to the history and contributions of Jewish refugees in the United Kingdom.