I was brought up in a family filled with stability, positivity, and love — and that foundation has shaped everything I’ve achieved in life. As a teenager, I was especially fortunate to have all four of my wonderful grandparents around me. I absorbed so much from them. My Grandpa Markie, in particular, was an exceptional man who had a profound influence on me — more about him later.

You could say that my career has unfolded in three chapters, though it wasn’t something I planned. I’ve always believed that life presents us with doors, and it’s up to us whether we open them. I’m the sort of person who can’t resist finding out what’s on the other side — after all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Both my parents were music teachers, so creativity and expression were central to my upbringing. Becoming a teacher myself felt like a natural path to follow. I spent sixteen years as a primary school teacher during the 1980s and 1990s, guided by one simple principle: treat every child with respect. I’ve long been inspired by the Polish educator Janusz Korczak, who, as early as the 1930s, insisted that a child isn’t “just a child” but a young adult deserving of dignity.

As adults and especially as teachers, we hold a privileged position — the ability to shape young lives through what we say, do, and model. I learned just as much from the children as they did from me. I have met many who have inspired me deeply, and it brings me great joy to tell a child that I was inspired by what they just said. Seeing the sparkle in their eyes is truly rewarding.

Brought up in a creative household, I had a vivid imagination. This naturally led me to write stories, and in 1988, while still teaching, I published my first children’s book. Over the following years, I wrote nine more, whilst teaching. Eventually, I found myself at a crossroads. The next step was a leadership role, but I knew that wasn’t for me. So, I stepped away from teaching and opened a new door — becoming a full-time author and leading creative writing workshops for children in schools. I visited over 2000 schools over the next decade, all over the UK and Europe, meeting thousands of children. I loved sharing the joy of “putting voice to paper,” which I’ve always felt is more sophisticated than speaking aloud. Writing gives you the chance to refine your thoughts until you’re truly satisfied with what you’ve said.

To date, I’ve written more than thirty children’s books, and I’m proud of each one. Every story connects back to something meaningful in my life. For example, Row Row Your Boat, my pop-up book, came out of singing made-up new verses to the familiar nursery rhyme for my baby daughter. Another personal favourite, Stars, is dedicated to my Grandpa Markie. It is inspired by the fact that hundreds of Polish Jews found shelter in the abandoned cages and underground rooms of the Warsaw Zoo, and follows twelve-year-old best friends, Stefan and Marcus (named after my grandpa), through Nazi Germany.

My Grandpa was my hero. He lived a remarkable life, much of which I’m still uncovering. After his passing, I met a distant relative for the first time, who told me that my grandfather had saved his life. As a young Jewish boy in Germany in 1935, he faced growing danger. My grandfather, who had been doing business with his father, invited him to spend the summer in London. As the situation in Germany worsened, the boy stayed — tragically losing his family in the Holocaust. My grandfather even began adoption proceedings, but the boy later discovered relatives in Chicago. So, he established a trust to help fund his education in America. That’s the kind of man he was — always wanting to make the world a better place. His example is a legacy I carry with me.

It’s one of the reasons I became a Holocaust educator. I want to tell these stories. Over the years, I’ve spoken with many survivors, and I am committed to doing all I can to amplify their testimonies as widely as possible. I founded the charity, Learning from the Righteous, an educational charity which uses stories of survival and rescue during the Holocaust to broaden children’s knowledge of the subject, and inspire them to do good in the world. I now visit schools across the country to teach about the Holocaust.

My aim is to help students connect the past to the present — to see how history can inform the way they view the world today. In my workshops, I show them an exhibition of ceramic shoes called “In their Footsteps” — each pair representing a stolen life. I then ask the children to bring in a shoe of their own and share its story. Some bring their first baby shoe, others a parent’s wedding shoe, or a father’s old football boot. Through these stories, the shoes become more than objects; but a life. Together, we reflect on the people who never had the chance to leave their mark, and I ask the children a question that always stays with them:

In memory of those who can no longer leave a mark, what will your footprint of change be?

I want them to understand that they, too, can make a difference. That’s the message I want to share as widely as I can. My goal is to reach people of all ages through the “In the Footsteps” exhibition. In fact, this coming January, we’ll be taking it to the Houses of Parliament, where I hope the message will reach many. If the exhibition takes root and continues to grow, then I will have done what I set out to do, honouring the survivors, the rescuers and my own Grandfather.

Circle Square Member Quick Fire Q&A

What 3 words best describe you? Husband, Father, Grandfather.

If you could offer your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be? No one can change the world, but you can move things forward little by little.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? I met a teacher at one of the schools I visited who had been a former student of mine. She reminded me of the time she was asked to play the cello at her school concert but felt very nervous about it. I showed up the next day with my cello, and we practised all morning. By the time of the concert, she went in feeling confident and ready to perform. Hearing how much that experience impacted her truly moved me. These are the achievements that mean the most.

Which person (dead or alive) would you most like to invite to dinner? Janusz Korczak. He was such an innovative educator. His book “How to Love a Child” was the basis of the United Nations Charter for Children’s Rights. He ran an orphanage in the Warsaw ghetto and he refused to leave his children. He tragically died with them in the gas chambers of Treblinka.

How has age strengthened your advantage? Realising that being right isn’t important, what really matters is listening to other points of view and engaging in dialogue.

What inspired you to join Circle Square? A conversation I had with Noam in a coffee shop. I really believe in the mission of Circle Square.