Our Activities

News & Events 2008

3rd December 2008

"The Guernica Children"

Showing of Steve Bowles' film at Phoenix Film Society Southampton


12th October 2008

Unveiling of a blue plaque at Mall Park House, Montrose

This colony hosted Basque children from 1937-1939 and this is the seventh plaque that the Association has erected

It was a very moving occasion: Tom Borland who did the unveiling, was the son of a niña who was at Mall House, but unhappily she died of TB when she was 21, so he never really knew her.

There were about 50 people present, local dignitaries, people from the libraries and museums, relatives, three children of niños, as well as the MP, the Provost and the Spanish Consul for Edinburgh. After speeches lasting for about half an hour, the party repaired to a nearby hotel for refreshments which were kindly provided by Angus Town Council.

Report from local Dundee paper: The Courier Report by Carmen Coupland

August 2008

Clarion cycle ride, Glasgow to Barcelona
A report on the event by Colin Carritt Report from the press Diario de Noticias de Alava Three further press reports including El Mundo and El Pais Another press report from El Mundo Clarion Cycle Club news article

19th June 2008

Online Exhibition at Imperial War Museum in London

The story of the Basque children in Britain continues to spread. This exhibition included a strong element on the niños vascos.

The virtual exhibition called Through My Eyes formed part of the Their Past Your Future project which is funded by the National Lottery. The aim is to produce a web-based learning resource based on individual testimony. The exhibition includeed film interview material recorded by Steve Bowles at Eye Witness Productions and photos and other visual material supplied by the Basque Children’s Association.

Director of the Museum, Sir Robert Crawford underlined the key role of the Imperial War Museum in education and emphasized how at the heart of the Museum's raison d’être was the notion of toil and sacrifice as a result of war rather than any sense of military glory.

This has now been relocated to a separate web site:

Through My Eyes

13th May 2008

Manuel Moreno receives Orden de Merito Civil

At the Spanish Embassy, Manuel Moreno, chairman of the Basque Children of '37 Association, was awarded the Orden de Merito Civil by Carlos Miranda, the Spanish Ambassador, on behalf of King Juan Carlos and the Spanish government.

Manuel reports; "The event went off very well with over 50 people attending, including International Brigaders, the IBMT, Jersey contacts, Ninos, friends and family.

The Ambassador gave a very positive speech covering the pain of the past under the dictatorship; the exiles, the Spanish Republican slave labourers in Jersey, "historic memory", and the positive role that I have played in this, covering many areas.

The ambassador went on to say "Although this decoration will only be bestowed on to him, deservedly so, I do however believe there are lots of us here who can associate ourselves with this dignity. Manuel represents, in this sense, all of those who have fought to keep alive the memory of their struggle for democracy and that of their ancestors."

The speech for the investiture given by Spanish Ambassador, Carlos Miranda Acceptance speech given by Manuel Moreno

15 June 2008

Homenaje a los Ninos de la Guerra

This Bilbao event was organised by Idiez Kerra

A report by Herminio Martinez "Discurso en el Palacio Euskalduna"

21st June 2008

"The Blockade of Bilbao"

Talk by Professor Michael Alpert given at the Marx Memorial Library

Professor Michael Alpert, who has written extensively about the Spanish Civil War, gave a talk to Members of the Basque Children’s Association UK and interested parties. A transcript is available on the articles page.

Transcript of the talk

25th May 2008

Niños' Lunch

May 2008

"The Guernica Children" goes nationwide!

Following on from the successful screenings of The Guernica Children through the Summer and Autumn, the film is now set to go nationwide via the British Federation of Film Societies.

At the beginning of December the film's director Steve Bowles and Association stalwart Herminio Martinez made their way to Sheffield for the launch of The Guernica Children at the BFFS annual conference. Herminio gave a brief account of his own experience as one of the Basque children and Steve told how excited he was that the film would get such a wide airing. The film was very well received and scored one of the highest ratings ever for a BFFS screening.

The BFFS operates a scheme for screening films via film clubs and societies in the UK. There are currently more than 250 such organizations around the country.

The Association will collaborate closely with the BFFS with showings of "The Guernica Children" and where possible will send a representative to present the film.

Perhaps you are a member of a BFFS-affiliated film society? If so, you could request a screening of "The Guernica Children" in your area!

British Federation of Film Societies

26th April 2008

¡Viva la República!

At the Ya Asantewaa Centre, 1 Chippenham Mews, London W9

Fiesta from 3-11.30 pm with poetry, dance, film, music etc to remember and celebrate the Spanish Republic.
Spanish meal and bar.


8th March 2008

International Brigade Memorial Trust Day

Held at Imperial War Museum

Showing of "The Guernica Children"

Selected readings from "Beyond the Barricades" by John Langdon Davies

Len Crome Memorial Lecture

Dr Angel Viñas talked on:
"Old Wine in New Bottles – Resilience and resurgence of old myths about the Spanish Civil War"


28th February 2008

"The Guernica Children" Documentary Scoops Prestigious Royal Television Society Award

The epic documentary film project "The Guernica Children", directed and produced by Steve Bowles at Eye Witness Productions, won the award for Best Non-Broadcast Production at last night's Royal Television Society Awards held in Southampton.

The film tells the story of the four thousand Basque refugee children who were evacuated to Britain in 1937 in the wake of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.

At a packed event, Steve said how pleased he was that the film should be recognised in the city where the story had its beginnings just over seventy years ago. He dedicated the award to the memory of the Basque children and the ordinary people of Britain that cared for them.

Read the full press release

31st January 2008

"The Guernica Children" on the BBC
Buy the full feature-length version of the film

24th Jan - 6th Feb 2008

Art Exhibition

At the Centro Social de Mayores, 52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB

Works by Herminio Martínez, Koke Martínez and Dalia Guzmán