Lucy Naish (pictured), a Year 11 student from Ramsey Grammar School, has been chosen to serve as Youth Patron for the Anne Frank [+ You} Exhibition, which will be held during March 2010 at St German’s Cathedral, Peel. 

Lucy, 15, is the same age as Anne Frank was when she died.

President of Tynwald, Noel Cringle, OBE, and the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, Rt Revd Robert Paterson, have also agreed to be Patrons of the event. 

However, because the Exhibition focuses on issues which are relevant to young people in society, Lucy has been judged as a fitting standard-bearer for her peers.

Lucy's year group tutor, Mrs Josie Corrin, has described Lucy as a student "always willing to help and to engage in whatever is required of her".

Lucy says, "I am really looking forward to being involved in this the exhibition, not just learning more about Anne Frank's life and why she and her family and millions like her were persecuted, but also I think I'll be challenged about how I look at people who are different.

"It is much easier to go along with the crowd because none of us like to be the odd one out even if we think it's wrong.  We might see someone being bullied at school, maybe not always physically, sometimes it's bullying with words. 

"I want to be someone who will stand up for those who are being bullied or left out just because they are different in some way.  I don't want to be afraid of doing what I know is right. 

"I think the Anne Frank Exhibition is going to make us all think about the way we behave and how we can become better people and not stand by while others suffer. I think the people standing by watching the bullying are just as bad as the bullies themselves."  

For further details about how you can help with the Anne Frank [+ You} Exhibition, please contact Catherine Quirk on (01624) 840242.