The council buildings will be illuminated for Holocaust Memorial Day.

The Westmorland and Furness Council buildings will bear a purple hue from dusk on Friday, January 26 to the morning of Monday, January 29, in a bid to remember the sufferers of genocide.

Barrow Town Hall, Kendal Town Hall, and Penrith Town Hall are all partaking in the visual tribute.

Councillor Matt Severn, chairman of Westmorland and Furness Council, said: "Holocaust Memorial Day acts as an ever-present reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust.

"Across Westmorland and Furness, we will be remembering the millions of victims and all those affected by the Holocaust and genocides around the world.

"We also remember the contribution made to our community by the child victims who came to live in the Lakes as refugees after the Second World War.

"It is essential for us to unite, reflect and learn about the past so that we can take action for a better future."

Holocaust Memorial Day which is observed on January 27 annually, encourages the memorialising of the millions who lost their lives to genocide during the Holocaust, and in Cambodian, Rwandan, Bosnian, and Darfurian genocides.

The day marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

Each year, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) formulates a theme for the observance and this year they have chosen the 'Fragility of Freedom'.

The council encourages local communities to stand united and refrain from taking our freedoms for granted.

They invite contemplation on the actions we may take to reinforce freedoms globally.

Along with the illuminations, several activities are arranged at libraries across Westmorland and Furness.

These include a "wish tree" at Barrow Library where people are encouraged to note down their wishes themed on freedom and attach them to the tree, and a "Heart from Auschwitz" activity at Penrith Library.

Beyond these, displays will be held at Askam, Grange, Sedbergh, Walney, and Windermere libraries, and Kendal Library will exhibit local information on the Kindertransport initiative.

For more about Holocaust Memorial Day, you may look up the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust website.