Members Volunteer at Violette Szabo Annual Event

Hereford City Rotary Club members are always keen to use their enthusiasm and skills to help others and recently they had the opportunity to help out the Violette Szabo Museum with their annual celebration.

Violette Szabo was a secret service agent who worked with the Resistance in France during World War Two until she was captured and killed by Nazis forces. She was only 23 when she died but her accomplishments and unflinching heroism during World War II resulted in her being labelled as one of the most heroic women in English history.

The Museum is located in Wormelow in Herefordshire in the grounds of a small house named Cartref where Violette spent many happy childhood days and did indeed stay between her missions to France during the war.

The Violette Szabo Museum opened its doors in June 2000 and was the brain child of Rosemary Rigby MBE who was Violette's aunt. Many years of fundraising and collecting artefacts from people who knew Violette or served with her during the war came to fruition on that day in June.

Each year an annual event is held in Violette's honour at the museum and our members were thrilled to be able to help with the preparation and organisation this year. Working with the Hit Squad over a period of four days the team erected gazebos, put out tables and chairs and worked hard to tidy up the gardens to ensure the event was success.

Around 150 people attended the event, held on Sunday 9th July 2023. It started with a wonderful parade from Wormelow Tump to the museum, where owner Rosemary Rigby MBE welcomed guests to her lovely garden and grounds. 

Speakers included Violette’s daughter Tanya and Professor Peter Lantos, who, at the age of five, was deported from his home in Hungary and imprisoned at a Nazi concentration camp, where most of his family was killed.

Local Mayors and dignitaries, together with some notable authors were also in attendance for this wonderful afternoon.

The museum opens every Wednesday - April through September.

Violette Szabo GC Museum, Cartref, Tump Lane, Wormelow Herefordshire HR2 8HN  

Phone: 01981 540 477

Find out more about the museum here 

1958 Film: Violette Szabo - 'Carve Her Name with Pride' - Buy here

If you would like to know more about becoming a Hereford City Rotary Club member or you would like to volunteer for this fabulous museum email us here.

Photo Credit: Pauline Strong