Anne Frank Trust UK co-founder and executive director, Gillian Walnes, has stepped down, happy that the charity “has become such a successful educational organisation”. Her successor is Robert Posner, who has been chief operating officer for five years.

“I am looking forward to some interesting new personal and professional challenges, both nationally and internationally,” Ms Walnes said. She is taking up the role of vice-president.

The trust’s chair, Daniel Mendoza, said it owed her a huge debt. “Gillian has family in the States and I think it is a chance for her to kick back a bit and visit them. She will continue to do what she does best for us, which is to be opportunistic, open doors and make things happen.”

“Robert is going to be great and it was a natural progression for him.”