Those who survived the Holocaust bear testament to the courage and bravery of the human spirit against hatred and genocide. Here is an account from an 89-year-old partisan and a memory of a beloved grandmother whose musical gift enabled her to survive the horrors.

Professor Stephen Hawking has miraculously survived his diagnosis at 21 of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) to pursue his eminent scientific career. On Sunday, his poor state of health rendered him unable to attend a conference held in honour of his 70th birthday.

A retired psychiatrist who is 83 and a bereavement counsellor, has been awarded this year's Times/Steinberg Active Life Award for his ground breaking work since he retired at 65.

Hetty Bower is 106 years old and has been an anti war activist since becoming aware of the horrors of the First World War.