President Lech Kaczynski of the Republic of Poland and former President in exile Ryszard Kaczorowski died in plane crash

24th February 2010
Visit of TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall organised by the Federation of Poles in GB at the Polish Social and Cultural Centre 

The Festiwal opens with Borys Lankosz's, Reverse (4 March, Riverside Studios), winner of the Golden Lion at 2009's Polish Film Festival and official Polish entry for the best foreign language Academy Award. Lankosz's darkly comic cross-generational drama kicks off a celebration of the best New Polish Cinema from 2009. Highlights include All That I Love (6 March, Riverside Studios), selected In Competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Jacek Boruch's film is a coming of age tale, set against the backdrop of early 80's Poland and the rise of Punk rock; Michal Rosa's Scratch (7 March, Riverside Studios), a tender and touching drama, looking at the personal impact of Poland's recent history, frequently compared to The Lives of Others, as well as Xawery Zulawski's (son of Andrzej), kinetic, larger-than-life adaptation of Dorota Maslowska's controversial, post modern, bestseller, Snow White, Russian Red (8 March, Empire Leicester Square); widely regarded as Poland's answer to Trainspotting with its portrait of the hedonistic, drug-fuelled excesses of Poland's post-Communist youth.

In stark contrast, legendary director Andrzej Wajda returns to the festival with Sweet Rush (7 March, Riverside Studios), his latest film, about desire and its consequences focusing on the story of a middle-aged married woman searching for happiness in the arms of a much younger man. Set in a retirement home for actors, well known documentarian Jacek Bawut's first feature film, Before Twilight (7 March, Riverside Studios), brings together the greats of Polish stage and screen (Jan Nowicki, Beata Tyszkiewicz, Nina Andrycz), as their characters rehearse for one last performance.

To coincide with the UK release of The Ghost Writer, Kinoteka has programmed a retrospective season of Roman Polanski's shorts (6 March, Riverside Studios) and early films focusing on his on-screen collaborations with the internationally acclaimed composer and jazz pianist Krzysztof Komeda; a crucial figure in the Polish Modern Jazz movement. The Barbican will screen Knife In The Water, Rosemary's Baby (for which Komeda was nominated for a Golden Globe), Cul-de-sac, and Dance of the Vampires (7, 13, 21, 27 March respectively, Barbican). The season is accompanied by a screening of Marina Zenovich's documentary, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (6 March, Riverside Studios).

Kinoteka's Centrepiece Gala is a spellbinding celebration of Krzysztof Komeda‘s film compositions (including his collaborations with Polanski) with a live concert by the internationally acclaimed and respected pioneering Jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, a close friend and member of The Komeda Quintet (the Barbican, 27 March). Preceeding the concert there will be the world premiere screening of the Quay Brothers new film Maska, adapted from The Mask, a short story by Stanislaw (Solaris) Lem.

In addition, in partnership with the London Documentary Film Festival, Kinoteka is screening Bartek Konopka's humorous, Oscar-nominated film, Rabbit a la Berlin, telling the untold story of the wild rabbits inhabiting the ‘Death Zone' between the Berlin Wall and the impact of their sudden liberation after the fall of the wall. (Tricycle Cinema, 23 March)

• NEWSLETTER ZPWB - December 2009
  
  

• NEWSLETTER ZPWB  - November 2009

• NEWSLETTER ZPWB  - October 2009

NEWSLETTER ZPWB  - September 2009

We must not forget the real causes of the war - Professor Norman Davies
The Independant - 29-th. August 2009. Click to read The Independent article.  

Polish Armed Forces Memorial inauguration ceremony-September 19th, 2009.

The Memorial is to be officially unveiled by HRH The Duke of Kent, KG at a ceremony starting at 12 pm.

"I feel deeply honoured to have been asked to unveil the Polish War Memorial on September 19th, and thus to pay tribute to the gallant Polish men and women, both civilian and military, who gave their lives in World War II in the cause of freedom."

HRH The Duke of Kent, KG

NEWSLETTER ZPWB - August 2009

NEWSLETTER ZPWB  

 ur4jobs OPEN DAY
Supporting people from Central & Eastern Europe
Thursday 23rd July 2009 14.00 - 17.00 at
The Upper Room (Downstairs Hall), St Saviour's Church, Cobbold Road, London W12 9LN

unionlearn is offering FREE additional service for migrant workers to identify their homeland qualifications to the UK equivalent using UK NARIC.

The National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) is the National Agency providing the only official source of comparison information and advice on international education and training systems and overseas skills and qualifications.
unionlearn East Midlands is offering FREE workplace or community based workshops on various topics to union members and their colleagues who work in the East Midlands region.
These workshops will help you to build on your own strengths and improve your confidence in dealing with people and situations. It will give you the knowledge and skills required to better perform as an employee and achieve your potential within the workplace.

This project is designed to help skilled migrants to fulfil their economic potential and increase their value to the regional economy as well as to help businesses to improve their performance.

FREE EDUCATION COMPARISON session

The Old TA Building,
Elizabeth Street,
Corby,
NN17 1PN

Tuesday 21 July 10:00 - 16:00

Return the completed booking form by email to jpranculyte@tuc.org.uk or post it to the address below. Phone Jurgita if you require more information on 07887797148.

BLETCHLEY PARK'S

ANNUAL POLISH DAY CELEBRATES ACHIEVEMENTS OF POLISH CODEBREAKERS

Bletchley Park's ninth annual Polish Day on Sunday 19 July will celebrate the important contribution made by the Poles to the breaking of the Enigma Cipher. Bletchley Park remembers the three mathematicians who are commemorated on its Polish Memorial - Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Różycki. This year is the 70th anniversary of their contribution.
Guided tours of Bletchley Park will be available in both Polish and English languages and there will be three lectures: Eugenia Maresch will talk about the handover by the Poles to the British of their Enigma research; Frank Carter will be discuss "Enigma; the Polish Contribution"; and Derek Celinski, a Polish World War Two veteran, will give a unique insight into life in Warsaw during the German occupation. Other Polish-themed activities throughout the day will be the showing of Polish films in the 1940's Enigma cinema, traditional folk dancers and a Polish mass. A full Polish menu will also be available in the restaurant.

For visitor information, contact 01908 640404, info@bletchleypark.org.uk, or go to www.bletchleypark.org.uk

 Is Warsaw a better place to live than London?
We would like to invite you to the next meeting within the framework of the "12 Cities
Project: Come back? But where? - let's talk about facts".
The Mayor of the City of Warsaw - Ms. Hanna Gronkiewicz - Waltz will talk about

the advantages of living in the Capital of Poland.
When: Saturday, 18th of July 2009
Start: 3PM
Where: Novotel London West Hoel (Hammersmith), W6 8DR
Entry: Free but registration is required: 12miast@polandstreet.org.uk
Meeting Agenda
Job market in Warsaw - why is it worth working in Warsaw
Warsaw - an attractive location for opening new businesses
Possibilities of using EU funds for opening a new business in Warsaw
Property market in Warsaw
Is Poland affected by the credit crunch? What are the possible precautionary
measures?
Cultural Warsaw
Warsaw after work hours
Take part in an open debate and ask the Mayor why is it better to live in
Warsaw!

Letter from Sadiq Khan MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State 

Self-Employment Information Workshops

MONDAY 22nd June 2009
at ur4jobs (the Upper Room) 14.30 - 16.30
The workshop will be delivered by a Taxation Specialist from HM Revenue & Customs
Polish, Romanian, Russian and Latvian speakers will be available to interpret
Areas covered will include - National Insurance contributions for the self employed - making a tax return - keeping correct records - avoiding fines and surcharges - how to get FREE help with your tax affairs

For more information please call 07772473554 or 07772 565815 or email: ur4jobs@yahoo.co.uk

‘The New Poland': Special Week of Programming is Prelude To Major ‘Autumn of Change' Initiative

Live reports and landmark documentary from Poland mark the launch of major programming concept embracing Hungary, Germany, Czech Republic,
Bulgaria and Romania

It has been nearly twenty years since Poland's Solidarity movement defeated the Communist Party in a historic election that prompted the fall of Communism across Central and Eastern Europe.

CNN International marks this significant anniversary with ‘The New Poland,' a week of programming examining the transformation of Poland from 1989 to where it sits today on the world stage. The combination of daily live programming and special reports from CNN correspondents in cities across Poland culminates June 4th with ‘Autumn of Change,' an in-depth documentary that take a retrospective look at the events leading up to the election that same day twenty years ago.

‘The New Poland' marks the start of one of CNN's most ambitious initiatives to date - the multi-country ‘Autumn of Change' strand. Reflecting the tumultuous year of 1989, which changed Europe forever, ‘Autumn of Change' will mix live programming and documentary programming, unforgettable historical images with interviews past and present, and a huge online audience initiative to take us through Hungary, Germany, former Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and Romania in a comprehensive narrative of events that continue to leave their heritage on the face of Europe today.

"CNN's combination of historic footage, comprehensive reporting and access to Poland's key figures puts us in an unparalleled position to set the scene for how Poland was the catalyst for the Europe of today," said Mike McCarthy, vice president of coverage and feature programming for CNN International. "In step with the anniversaries of the events themselves, CNN will invite viewers to take part in our ambitious account of how Europe has changed over the last 20 years and what the future may hold."

‘The New Poland':
About the programming:
Just eight months after reporting from Poland for a week-long ‘Eye on Poland' initiative, Fionnuala Sweeney returns to the country to anchor the network's live coverage for ‘The New Poland.' She will report on the various commemoration and celebration ceremonies throughout the week from cities across Poland including Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk. In addition to Sweeney's live reports, CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen will take viewers inside the Poland of today looking at the political, cultural, social and economic changes that have taken place in the past 20 years.
•Gdansk Today: CNN goes to the city of Gdansk, the birthplace of the Solidarity movement, to see a new ship building firm is coping with the economic crisis.
•Catholicism in Poland: CNN looks at the Catholic Church in Poland and the challenges it faces. We visit ‘Religia TV', a new project that aims to attract Catholics as well as viewers from other religions.
•Business in Poland: CNN talks to a Warsaw-based family business to see how the fall of Communism affected them and their views on the global economic crisis.
•Polish Cuisine: CNN speaks to Krakow's top celebrity chef and historian Robert Maklowicz about Polish cuisine and the recent trend to return to its roots.
•Poland's Film School: CNN visits Poland's largest film production centre, the National Film, Television and Theatre School in Lodz, and finds out what makes this school so unique.

About the documentary:
On the June 4th anniversary itself CNN will air ‘Autumn of Change,' a reflective, half-hour documentary, at 1300 ET and again on the weekend at [insert key regional time]. By combining narratives from key players within the Solidarity movement and the Communist leadership, both CNN reporters who covered the events and Polish civilians who lived through it all, ‘Autumn of Change' charts the individuals, relationships and astonishing chain of events that shook eastern Europe to its foundations.

EU citizens have the option to vote in the European elections either in their home country or in the country they live in. Usually, about 80% of EU ex-pats vote in the country they live in not the country they are citizens of in European elections.

However, in the UK EU-expats are four times less likely to be on the electoral register than UK citizens - which is why it is important for you to make sure you are on the register, and confirmed to vote here in the forthcoming election.

How you can vote

EU ex-pats who are already on the electoral register will have to fill in and sign an additional form. This ‘European Parliament voter declaration form' asks EU ex-pats to confirm that they will vote in the UK and not in their home country. This is to prevent individuals from voting twice, once in each country.

This is new for the 2009 election, no such form was necessary in 2004. Councils have already sent out these forms to EU ex-pats on the register. If you have not received it,contact your council and ask for it.

EU ex-pats not on the register will have to fill in a voter registration form as well.

The deadline for the registration and EP voter declaration is May 19, 2009.

Witajcie w świecie HAPPY!
www.PolskaYear.pl

The idea to create this performance arose as a result of an intensive improvisation project led by Nigel Charnock (a founding member of DV8) for young Polish dancers and choreographers that took place in March 2008 in Stary Browar (Old Brewery), Poznan. The project gave almost 20 artists from all over Poland a chance to discover their creative potential and ended with a public performance. Nigel was inspired to return to Poznan earlier this year to create a full-scale performance with a group of chosen dancers.

Nigel and Joanna Lesnierowska (curator of the Old Brewery new dance programme) came up with Happyproject, which included a residency at the Old Brewery Art Centre, a Polish premiere plus two performances at London's premier centre for contemporary dance, The Place, open classes for professional dancers given by Nigel and a creative writing workshop led by Jadwiga Majewska, all documented by a group of young artists from various fields in order to reveal the performance process.

Happyproject is part of Polska! Year 2009-2010
www.PolskaYear.pl

New Europe Film Festival

New Europe is a term used for the twelve new members of the European Union that joined the Community in May 2004 and January 2007. New Europe Film Festival has been bringing the films from the new EU member states to the Edinburgh Filmhouse cinema since 2007. This year, for the first time, the festival will also show part of the programme in the Barbican in London. Six films will be shown there on the 4th - 6th May.

The organisers hope that this annual event will help the local Edinburgh audience and the immigrants from Eastern and Central Europe to establish a dialogue about their life in the enlarged Europe. This year's films come from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. This year logo and trailer were made by a Polish animator, Magdalena Osinska.
Film reviews are available on the festival website www.neweuropefilm.com.

Contact:
Jan Naszewski, Festival Director
Email: jnaszewski@gmail.com
Tel. 07950400636

To mark the 5th anniversary of Poland's EU accession,
the Poles to Polls: European Chapter invites you to attend:
The Great European Parliamentary Debate:
"Finally You Decide"

with

Mr Warwick Lightfoot, Conservative Party
Ms Jean Lambert MEP, Green Party
Ms Anne Fairweather, Labour Party
Ms Dinti Batstone, Liberal Democratic Party
Guest Chair George Matlock, Radio ORLA
on
May 1st at 6.00pm for 6.30pm
Ognisko Polskie, 55 Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, SW7 2PN
The evening will include a guest performance by
bursars of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Please RSVP by April 27th to info@polacyglosuja.org.uk

7TH POLISH FILM FESTIWAL KINOTEKA

The Kinoteka Polish Film Festiwal is pleased to announce the full line-up of the 7th annual programme. Offering up an extraordinary visual feast of films and special events in 6 venues across the capital including Barbican, BFI Southbank, Prince Charles Cinema, Riverside Studios and Tate Modern, Kinoteka's exciting new programme is set to challenge UK audience perceptions by showcasing the very best of Polish culture, across visual arts, music and film. The Festiwal is organised by the Polish Cultural Institute in partnership with Wyborowa Wodka and supported by the Polska! Year. Kinoteka runs from 12th March to 8th April 2009 and tickets are on sale now.

The highlights of the Festiwal include:

• Locarno awarded, Malgośka Szumowska's sophisticated relationship drama, 33 Scenes from Life (12 March, Riverside Studios), followed by a Q&A with the director.
• A celebration of life and work of Krzysztof Kieślowski with an exhibition devoted to the director and screenings from both the original Dekalog and new films commissioned by Polish TV with contemporary filmmakers personal response to Kieślowski's interpretation Dekalog after Dekalog. (14th/15th March, Riverside Studios)
• Jerzy Skolimowski, feted director/actor (most recently seen in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises), will talk about his long and illustrious career at the BFI Southbank and present his latest film, 4 Nights With Anna (18th March, BFI Southbank)
• A retrospective of Skolimowski's early work at the Riverside Studios (21st/22nd March, Riverside Studios) including his influential feature debut, Identification Marks: None
• Polish New Wave at Tate Modern will bring a programme of groundbreaking fiction, documentary and video art films, in an attempt to capture and define this unique phenomenon. Visionary director Andrzej Żuławski will be in attendance to open the season at Tate Modern and will present a newly-mastered version of his legendary, existentialist sci-fi epic On the Silver Globe (4 April, Tate Modern).
• The extraordinary films of award-winning documentarian Marcin Koszałka, giving UK audiences an introduction to his playful and insightful filmmaking style (14th March, Riverside Studios)
• Screenings from the cream of contemporary Polish filmmaking talent including the highly anticipated, The Offsiders (14 March, Riverside Studios), a comedy drama following the ups and downs of a homeless football team, by Kasia Adamik, who is following the footsteps of her mother, acclaimed director Agnieszka Holland.
• A special preview of the recent Polish box office hit comedy Ideal Boyfriend For My Girlfriend at the Prince Charles (16th March).
• The Closing Night Gala concert, on 8th April at the Barbican, brings together Michael Nyman, performing the world premiere of a new version of MGV in collaboration with Poland's cutting-edge accordion group, Motion Trio as well as his latest work, a personal tribute to Polish cinema in honour of Kinoteka, alongside a montage of classic Polish films.

For information visit the website www.kinoteka.org.uk

POLISH COMMUNITY INFORMATION DAY

Monday 23rd March at Greenford Green Assembly Hall Greenford Broadway
Time 4.00pm - 8.00pm
Do you need professional advice about employment rights, legal advice including landlord issues, traffic regulations, homeless advice, drug or alcohol programme, or money transfers?
Take this opportunity to meet professional representatives from various organisations to discuss in confidence, any issues or problems and seek their advice. Representatives will also be able to provide you with printed literature both useful and informative.
Professional advice and literature

Polish representatives and/or Polish translators
Free car parking spaces (limited availability)
Public transport - buses E7 E9 E10 to Greenford Broadway or train (over rail) to Greenford Station then take bus E6 from opposite Greenford Station to Greenford Broadway

All information and advice will be provided free and in confidence. So please come along yourself or bring friends we look forward to meeting you.

On March 18th in the Jazz Cafe in POSK at 15.00 hours
meeting will take place entitled
"Poles who have put something back into UK society"
Chaired by Dr Jan Mokrzycki amongst confirmed speakers we have Izabella Sowe and Monika Skowrońska
This will be followed by a Q&A session and
At 16.30 - 17.15 the launch of
"Liberal Democrat Friends of Poland" will take place over tea and bisquits, and general mingling and networking.
Press Release from : Liberal Democrat Friends of Poland, 9/03/09
Event: a Launch Event (preceding the 2009 Liberal Democrat London
Spring Conference)
Date /Time: Wed March 18 3pm-5.15 pm (Conference 6- 9.30pm )
Venue: POSK, King St Hammersmith (tube: Ravenscourt Park)
London's Liberal Democrats invite you to their first Friends of Poland Launch Event at Posk, Hammersmith, on Wednesday March 18th.
First on the bill will be a session entitled "Poles, get involved.". This will concentrate NOT on Party Politics, but on the many ways that Poles can get involved in and influence UK society, and the benefits that this can bring to the Polish community and the way it is viewed here.
You will hear from people who have already done this in a number of ways, and this non-political opening session will be chaired by one of them, Dr Jan Mokrzycki, President of the UK's Polish Federation
Among later speakers will be the Mayor of Islington, Stefan Kasprczyk, the UK's first Polish mayor, (see picture attached to this release).
Stefan ,who is heavily engaged in fund raising for his Mayoral Charity, Islington Kids Afloat, said this week: "Poles who come to Britain have chosen to make the idea of a Europe open to all its citizens a reality, by living and working away from home. They deserve a voice in Brussels which promotes their aspirations by establishing a fair labour market."
"The Liberal Democrats are the only party who have consistently supported these aims, and who remain fully committed to the European ideal; so we are the natural choice for those seeking to build a better life for us all in a true European Community."

The programme will also include a talk from Liberal Democrat Euro-Candidate Dinti Batstone , (picture attached) who has just been interviewed on Radio Orla: you can tune into that on http://www.orla.fm/re-play/3985.
Dinti said this week: "The EU gives all European citizens political rights as well as economic ones. As an Italian citizen who has for many years benefited from EU freedom of movement, I want to encourage all London's Europeans to make their voices heard on 4th June - it's your London, your Europe, your vote!".

Those who are interested will also be able to take part (for half price) in the London Region Liberal Democrat Spring Conference, which will be held at POSK immediately after the Friends of Poland launch. One of its star features will be a talk by Vince Cable MP, the Liberal Democrats' Economic spokesman, whose analysis of the economic crisis has won international acclaim.
PRESS RELEASE ENDS. For more information contact Councillor John Oakes, Community Involvement spokesman, Haringey Council, on 07973 223150

UK Poles still await Apology from "The Times"

P R E S S R E L E A S E - 24th February 2009

On February 21st 2009 the full Council meeting in London of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain authorised the Federation spokesman Wiktor Moszczynski to lodge a formal complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against The Times and its columnist Giles Coren because of his Polonophobic outburst against young Poles returning from the UK to Poland.

The Application was sent to the Court on the same day with 41 supporting documents. It requested the Court to issue a statement:
"1/ that the abusive word 'Polacks' is in transgression of Article 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights
2/ that Giles Coren and The Times should apologise for using such a word,
3/ that notice be given to the UK Government that current UK legislation does not enforce Article 14 on the protection of minorities in the British media as the self-regulatory Editor' Code of Practice Article 12 only protects individuals and not groups of people against discrimination and pejorative comments." Court ref is 2921/09.

Background of the complaint. On July 26th 2008 The Times had published a highly emotional column by its restaurant critic Giles Coren which urged young Poles "to clear off out of" England, referred to them contemptuously as 'Polacks' and depicted their ancestors as murderers and religious fanatics "who used to amuse themselves at Easter by locking Jews in the synagogue and setting fire to it." The column appeared in both the printed edition and on the website Timesonline.com.
Along with other Polish organisations the Federation protested and urged The Times to apologise to its Polish readers but although the Editorial Board admitted that the column was "highly controversial and indeed prejudiced", they saw no need to be "in thrall to so-called political correctness" and refused to make any apology.
The original Coren column had been criticised not only by Polish individuals and organisations, but also by Jewish writers who saw it as a threat "to the consensus acceptable to all people of good will that will bring about a degree of normalisation both of Poles' attitude to the past and of Polish-Jewish relations."
Although Mr Coren often presents himself as a humorous columnist there is no question of any humour in this column and no question of the abusive word being intended as anything but a calculated gratuitous insult. Mr Coren's passionate dislike of Poles was evidenced on 14th August 2008 when he responded to a later statement from the Federation of Poles published in the Jewish Chronicle with the quoted words "F*** the Poles!"

A formal complaint had been lodged on August 8th by the Federation with the Press Complaints Commission. Eventually on November 10th the PCC stated that they could not intervene because Clause 12 of the Editor's Code of Practice was "designed to protect the rights of the individual and was not applicable to groups of people". A complaint had also been lodged by the Federation with the Equality and Human Rights Commission which stated that it had no authority to intervene here because the UK press is supposed to regulate itself and is outside the remit of the EHRC.
The original column, the reaction of The Times and the decision by the Press Complaints Commission not to pursue the matter, had been condemned by 43 British MPs in 2 successive Early Day Motions lodged by Stephen Pound MP and Greg Hands MP respectively (EDM 2529 dated 19/11/08 and EDM173 dated 8th December 2008). There were 33 Labour MPs, 5 Liberal Democrats, 2 Conservatives, 2 SNP, 1 SDLP. There were further individual letters of support from Lord Belhaven and Stenton, Lord Bassam and Sir George Young MP. We have had much support from the Institute of Polish Jewish Studies.

A formal protest with the British Embassy was lodged by the Commissioner for Human Rights in Poland - Dr Janusz Kochanowski and separately by Polish parliamentarians. On November 21st 2008, the Polish Prime Minister Mr Donald Tusk turned down a request for an interview with The Times during his visit to the UK, as a mark of protest at the refusal of The Times to apologise to the Polish community.

More recently, members of the Federation Council had also been appalled by a statement by Giles Coren in The Times on February 17th 2009 that he had received "some bison grass vodka sent to me as a peace offering from the Polish community after they ganged up to say mean things about me."
"We challenge Times columnist Giles Coren to identify which section of the Polish community allegedly donated a bottle of bison grass vodka for his freezer as a peace offering," says Federation Press Spokesman, Wiktor Moszczynski. "It is probably a figment of his fevered imagination. Polish public opinion, both in Poland and the UK, remains enraged at the Giles Coren column of July 26th 2008, and appalled that a responsible newspaper such as The Times lacks the sensitivity to apologise for the words used. We are also astonished that unlike other minorities in this country Poles are unprotected from mindless pejorative insults except by appealing to the European Court of Human Rights. It seems inconceivable that Somalis, Indians, Jews or other such minorities would have to take such an extreme recourse to protect themselves from pejorative epithets appearing in the national press."

In a letter on this matter to Mr Chris Grayling MP, dated 26th January 2009, the Minister for Culture Ms Barbara Follett MP has stated that the PCC exists to give the newspaper "industry a firm set of principles to guide it" and that she has "no locus to intervene in investigations undertaken, or decisions made by the Press Complaints Commission". The Federation of Poles is effectively challenging whether this "firm set of principles" is in fact adequate to protect minorities from gratuitous insults in the name of freedom of the press. "Plainly, in the eyes of the Polish community, the Code is not adequate in dealing with breaches of the EHRC under Article 14," says Federation Spokesman Wiktor Moszczynski.

The Federation ofPoles in Great Britain, founded in 1946, is the umbrella organisation for Polish social organisations in the UK. It is based in London. See website www.zpwb.org.uk. Address: 240 King Street, London W6 0FR. Daytime telephone 0208 741 1606. Chairman Dr Jan Mokrzycki.

Annex A:
Text of Early Day Motion EDM 173 with initial signatoties
EDM 173
PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION AND GILES COREN
08.12.2008
Hands, Greg

Hands, Greg
Pound, Stephen
Dhanda, Parmjit
Lazarowicz, Mark
Dismore, Andrew
Durkan, Mark
McDonnell, John
Corbyn, Jeremy
Cryer, Ann
Taylor, David
Leech, John
MacNeil, Angus
Devine, Jim
Sheridan, Jim
Lepper, David
Campbell, Ronnie
Jenkins, Brian
Gerrard, Neil
Cohen, Harry
Williams, Betty
Illsley, Eric
Cook, Frank
Slaughter, Andy
Weir, Mike

Annex B
Text of EHRC Article 14 - "Prohibition of Discrimination.
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status."

Annex C
Text of Editors' Code of Practice Article 12 "Discrimination.
i)The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual's race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability.
ii)Details of an individual's race, colour, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability must be avoided unless genuinely relevant to the story".

"British Jobs for British Workers" is NOT the Right Slogan

The Federation of Poles in Great Britain, which is the main London-based organisation representing Polish associations in the United Kingdom, has received a response yesterday (see third attachment) from Communities Minister Mr Sadiq Khan MP to our letter dated 12th January 2009 (see first attachment) addressed to Secretary of State Hazel Blears, concerning the apparent 20% rise in hate crimes and discrimination against Poles in the UK throughout 2008 (see second attachment). Many of Mr Khan's responses to our six proposals (see conclusion to second attachment) for reducing inter-community tension in the UK, specifically in relation to Poles, were positive and we welcome them.

However the Federation remains very concerned by the "British Jobs for British Workers" slogan as it is likely to raise community tension further. We understand the increasing social stress caused by the threat of job losses and the resentment of companies in the UK utilising subcontractors who rely exclusively on cheaper labour from outside the UK. The Federation wishes to point out, however, that many Polish workers, like other EU citizens, work legally in the UK, pay taxes and national insurance, as well as local council tax. They have contributed considerably to the British economy as skilled employees, wealth-creators, consumers and even as employers. They have every right to seek and obtain work on the same level playing field in the UK as British indigenous workers. British workers enjoy similar rights in other EU countries. British unions have recruited many workers as members and sought to ensure for them similar wage levels and working conditions as for British workers.

If the British trade unions and the national press wish to pursue the campaign against contracts that specifically discriminate against workers in this country, they should change their slogan to "UK jobs for UK taxpayers". In this way they would not be discriminationg against Polish and other EU workers working legitimately in this country and they would reduce the tension arisen in the last 3 weeks against all long term foreign residents in this country.

For any further comments please contact Wiktor Moszczynski, Press Spokesperson, Federation of Poles in Great Britain.

SINGLE POLES ARE LEAVING UK, BUT.......
POLISH FAMILIES ARE STAYING
42% more Polish children in London schools

P R E S S R E L E A S E - 28th January 2009

The London-based Federation of Poles in Great Britain states today that recent reports by the British press on Polish workers abandoning the UK are greatly exaggerated. The Federation has been in contact with its own branches and organisations, with trade unions and with commercial organisations and finds that, despite the credit crunch, Polish working families are increasingly seeking to stay and work in the UK. Their stay is not necessarily permanent, but it is likely to be more than short term. It is true that some 200,000 Poles may have departed in the last year, predominantly single Poles or childless couples from rural areas, who had lost their jobs or were looking for better work prospects in countries such as Norway or Holland. It is also true that far fewer new Poles are coming to Britain because of the strength of the zloty against the pound.

However the Federation estimates that some 500,000 Poles will still remain here and a large proportion of these are families with young children. Our estimates are confirmed by our research on the number of Polish-speaking children in London state schools. After contacting the education departments of all 33 London Boroughs, first in May 2007 and then again in December 2008, we have found a 42.9% increase in the number of Polish-speaking children over that period. This trend will be reflected to a lesser degree in other parts of the UK. The detailed London results are in Annex A.

"The statistics are interesting" says Professor George Kolankiewicz, Managing Director of the Centre for East European Language Based Area Studies UCL. "With the 5 year permanent residence status now coming closer for the first wave of post 2004 migrants we are seeing labour migration turning into settlement. All research indicates that they are not likely to seek UK citizenship in the short term but will make their future here as Polish citizens under the umbrella of EU legislation. They are generally young, educated and ambitious and will be an injection of human capital for London!"

Mrs Aleksandra Podhoredecka, Chair of the London-based Polish Education Society, says "The enclosed statistics indicate clearly that the number of Polish children in schools in London is growing steadily. Judging by recent reports(1) many are doing extremely well once they have mastered English. They will prove to be valuable members of society."

One of the causes of this increase in children is the increasing role in the UK of Polish women deciding on where to settle and bring up their children. They do not want to disrupt their children's education. "Nearly half of all workers registered with the Workers Registration Scheme by 2007 are now women," says migration expert Dr Louise Ryan. "It is apparent that women are active players in the decision-making process." She concludes: "Migrants' planning and decision-making are often implicated in complex family relationships and considerations. While some people migrated alone to support family members in Poland, others decided to reunite their families in London."(2)
ANNEX A

A Better Deal for Polish Workers

The VWP has joined forces with the Federation of Poles in Great Britain to run major event, A Better Deal for Polish Workers, on Saturday, 7th February, 11.00am - 5.00pm at POSK Centre, 238-246 King Street, London W6.

All unions in the Southern & Eastern Region of the TUC, as well as service providers from the statutory and voluntary sectors, have been invited to attend and run a stall.
There will be information on
• Your rights at work;
• Trade unions;
• Accessing service providers useful to Polish workers.

We will also be running a series of workshops throughout the day. These include
• Obtaining qualifications in the Building Services sector;
• Advice and support to enforce your employment rights;
• Getting involved and building strength in the workplace;
• Tax and National Insurance.

Hundreds are expected to attend the event based on past experience.

For further details, please contact Bob Blyth, Project Manager, Vulnerable Workers Project (020 7467 1355, bblyth@tuc.org.uk) or Jan Mokrzycki, President of Federation of Poles in Great Britain (020 8741 1606, office@zpwb.org.uk).

PRESS RELEASE 9th January 2009

issued by Federation of Poles in Great Britain, 238-246 King Street, London W6 0RF; www.zpwb.org.uk
Tel 0208 741 1606

UK Recession increases Hate Crimes against Poles in 2008

The Federation of Poles in Great Britain, which is the main umbrella organisation for the Polish community groups in the UK, is increasingly concerned by the growing number of racist incidents in which Poles have been victims during 2008. This year there has been at least a 20% increase in the number of such incidents reported in the British national and local media in comparison to the previous year - 2007, as evidenced by the list of reported incidents below.

We are aware that many of these incidents occur because of growing tension in the traditional indigenous population following increasing anxiety about job losses. While the Polish workforce has proved to be highly flexible and some 300,000 appear to have left the country now as the economic situation deteriorates, a large number who still have jobs are staying, particularly if they have their families here as well. The stress from the recession is affecting everybody, both the traditional white population in the UK and the various ethnic minorities that have either been established here over many generations or that have arrived more recently. We share to some extent the concerns raised last year by Mr Trevor Phillips, Chairman of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, about a new possible "race cold war" between the different communities.

That is why we urge the Government, the police and the local authorities to take appropriate measures to counter this, including our six proposals which appear in the last paragraph.

Here is a list of 60 UK press reports on a growing number of anti-Polish incidents in the UK:-

1/ The Guardian 05-01-08 - Householder in Salford threatened to "Get them Polish out of your house or I'll burn it down"

2/ Edinburgh News 08-01-08 - New police probe urged into "sinister" death of Polish engineer found in alleyway in Cowgate

3/ Lancashire Evening Post 08-01-08 - Polish woman pub employee in Blackpool assaulted and called "a Polish cow" and told "Get back to your own country"

4/ BBC News 10-01-08 - Bus passenger in Dalkieth, Scotland, fined in court for head-butting Polish bus driver and for using racist abuse

5/ Fife Free Press 20-02-08 - Report states that 25% of Poles in Scotland experienced verbal abuse because of their nationality and 5% experienced physical assault

6/ Portadown Times 27-02-08 - Police announce increase in patrols in Kilcomayne after 2 Polish boys attacked by 2 other youths

7/ Scotsman - 29-02-08 - Glasgow High Court sentences 19 year old thug for killing a Hungarian driver and boasting "I have just killed a Pole"

8/ Evesham Journal - 06-03-08 - Polish worker had concrete block thrown through his caravan window in "racially motivated attack"

9/ The Press, Selby - 06-03-08 - British soldier accused of "racially motivated attack" on Polish man in Selby Town Centre

10/ Farmers Weekly - 17-03-08 - 13 gangmasters in Spalding and Boston area under investigation for exploiting and bullying Poles and other migrants

11/ Shropshire Star - 19-03-08 - Home of Polish family in Shrewsbury set alight and daubed with racist symbols

12/ This is Wiltshire - 24-03-08 - Serious outbreak of anti-Polish graffiti in Trowbridge

13/ Sunderland Echo - 25-03-08 - Turkish man driven by racial abuse into a suicide attempt after being accused of being Iraqi or Polish

14/ News & Star - 25-03-08 - 31 year old Pole stabbed by a Kurd in Carlisle on Good Friday

15/ Daily Post - 04-04-08 - Killer of Pole in Wrexham who is "sick of Polish immigrants" failed to get his jail term reduced at London's Criminal Appeal Court

16/ ThisisPlymouth 10-04-08 - Polish taxi driver needed 12 stitches after attack by 2 thugs shouting "cut him!"

17/ Daily Record - 17-04-08 - Three racist thugs beat up Pole in Edinburgh and one films part of attack on his mobile phone

18/ Wiltshire Times - 20-04-08 - Polish delicatessen in Trowbridge suffered criminal damage from racist attack by 3 teenagers

19/ Evening Telegraph - 20-04-08 - School governing body suspended because it failed to protect Polish children from bullying in Peterborough

20/ Evening Leader - 23-04-08 - Teenage girl convicted of racially motivated harassment of a Polish family in Wrexham

21/ This is Cornwall - 07-05-08 - Report on mysterious damage to Polish shop

22/ Blackpool Gazette - 16-05-08 - Woman fined for ethnic abuse of Ukrainian shopkeeper whom she accused of being Polish

23/ BBC News - 27-05-08 - Two Polish men assaulted in racist attack in Newent, Goucestershire

24/ Wales on Line - 25-05-08 - Facebook refuses to act against Facebook group "Get the Poles out of Llanelli" with 148 members

25/ Ealing Times - 26-05-08 - Racial conflict at school in Acton between Polish and Somali kids

26/ Sunday Mail - 25-05-08 - Racist thug jailed for assaulting a Polish man in Hawick Scotland

27/ Swindon Advertiser - 14-07-08 - British man and Polish wife abused by a man kicking their garden gate and threatening to kill them

28/ Edinburgh Evening News - 03-06-08 - 19 month jail sentence for racially aggravated physical assault on Polish waiter in Edinburgh

29/ Glasgow Herald - 03-06-08 - Polish Muslim awarded ₤22,000 compensation for racial abuse while working for Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox Park Stadium

30/ Harrow Times - 07-06-08 - Teenager charged for taking part in a gang killing of a Polish tramp

31/ Swindon Advertiser - 14-07-08 - Three Polish men warned by judge in Swindon not to respond physically in future to racist abuse

32/ This is Wiltshire - 11-08-08 - Polish man bruised by 19 year old youth in Trowbridge

33/ Liverpool Echo - 13-08-08 - Racism suspected in cause of fire in Polish house in Anfield

34/ Wiltshire Times - 15-08-08 - Judge warns 21 year old man he could face jail sentence for kicking a Polish man 5 times in Warminster

35/ Press & Journal - 28-08-08 - Polish man in hospital after city centre knife incident in Aberdeen

36/ Nottingham Evening Post - 04-09-08 - Polish workers punched and kicked by racist mob in Ilkeston

37/ Hamilton Adviser - 04-09-08 - Polish man punched and permanently disfigured by "Hamilton thug"

38/ Evening Telegraph - 16-09-08 - Polish man had his ear slashed during incident with two men in a Corby pub

39/ Fenland Citizen - 17-09-08 - Polish man found murdered by canal side in Peterborough - two Lithuanians charged

40/ Burnley Express - 18-09-08 - Police investigation into Polish house set ablaze in Burnley

41/ Hereford Times - 19-09-08 - Illiterate racists left anti-Polish graffiti by River Wye in Hereford

42/ Newtownabbey Times - 24-09-08 - Polish families in Rathcoole driven out by racist threats

43/ Express & Star - 07-10-08 - 3 Polish men hospitalized after racially aggravated assault by 20 youths in Kidderminster

44/ Warrington Guardian - 12-10-08 - Two racist thugs jailed for verbal and physical assault on a Polish man in Warrington

45/ Swansea Evening Post - 17-10-08 - Police suspect racism in attempt to force Polish man out of caravan home after explosive gas canisters set alight on his doorstep

46/ Lurgan Mail - 23-10-08 - anti-Polish graffiti and paint-bomb attacks on a house rented by Poles in Mournview Estate in Lurgan

47/ Hornsey & Crouch End Journal - 30-10-08 - Council fears over persistent anti-Polish street graffiti

48/ Northampton Chronicle - 10-11-08 - Polish man sustained fractured skull in racist attack by 4 men in Kettering

49/ Louth Leader - 10-11-08 - Butlins employee hits Polish co-worker in the face after yelling "Go back to Poland"

50/ Yorkshire Post - 12-11-08 - Court finds that Polish woman was strangled in Leeds by Iraqi who objected to her nationality and religion

51/ The Voice - 11-11-08 - 2 Polish bin men accuse black actor in Brent of attacking them with a knife and racial abuse when they failed to collect his rubbish

52/ Bradford Telegraph & Argus - 13-11-08 - Teenager attacked Polish man in Bradford with brick

53/ Croydon Guardian - 13-11-08 - 43 stitches for 2 Poles on night bus in Kingston after bottle attack by two men

54/ Linlithgow Gazette - 14-11-08 - Polish family forced to close food store in Bo'ness, Scotland after suffering racist graffiti and break ins

55/ Inverness Courier - 18-11-08 - Highland police report increase in racist incidents against Eastern Europeans

56/ Chad. Co.uk - 27-11-08 - Drunk man in Mansfield has court appearance for ramming wheelie bin against door of Polish man and making racist comments

57/ Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser - 10-12-08 - Polish brothers attacked with flammable liquid in assault by 10 youths in Airdrie

58/ Bristol Evening Post - 17-12-08 - Police claim that Asian gang attack on Pole in Bristol is racially motivated

59/ BBC News Channel - 19-12-08 - Welsh court jails man for a year for punching and racially abusing a Polish man waiting for an Irish ferry in Caernarfon

60/ Grimsby Telegraph - 29-12-08 - Owner of Trentside Fisheries announces he will impose illegal ban on Eastern Europeans entering his property.

The above list does not include any incidents which were motivated by other causes, e.g. burglaries, sexual crimes, road accidents or domestic incidents.

However it does show that the spread of new anti-Polish incidents covers all parts of the United Kingdom, namely, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The influx of some 1 million Poles into this country in the last 4 years appears to have been largely beneficial to the British economy as Poles filled the gaps in job vacancies which the indigenous population had not been able to fill. The inevitable social costs of their presence on education, the health service and on the police had been more than offset by their contribution to the economy and the exchequer. The recent Polish arrivals appear to have been largely law abiding and had registered with the Worker Registration Scheme in order to work and pay taxes nationally and locally.

Many of the Poles who arrived here after 2004 have had to adjust themselves to the reality of a multi-ethnic society in the big cities and this has sometimes been a slow learning process, especially if they came from smaller provincial towns in Poland which are largely mono-ethnic. They were helped by the welcome they have received from British charitable institutions, schools, health trusts, police authorities and local government organisations as well as by the existing British spirit of tolerance that has given Britain's metropolitan areas their economic dynamism and social cohesion. Where the newcomers have learned the English language sufficiently, then their positive work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to integrate had been appreciated and helped them in making that adjustment during the recent period of economic growth.

In the more rural areas of the United Kingdom this adjustment had not always been so easy, despite the efforts of local authorities. It is noticeable that more than 70% of the incidents in the above list have occurred in smaller towns. A recent report by Business in the Community on the impact of migrant workers on rural communities has stated that "while migrants bring a number of benefits, such as raising economic output and filling labour shortages and skill gaps, they also pose a number of challenges ... on community cohesion and the provision of adequate housing and services". A recent survey in Yorkshire by Hull University staff has described "an infrastructure that cannot cope with the new arrivals, where few statistics are collected and where exploitation runs rife."

Much of the tension in the smaller towns comes from the high visibility of a large number of Polish workers employed in agriculture, construction or the hotel industry. These areas had not usually had to experience such a large concerted influx of people from abroad at once. Many of the Poles in the country areas have a rural background themselves and have had little opportunity to learn English, either in Poland, or after their arrival in the UK. They often live in squalor in isolated Polish communities, vulnerable to exploitation by landlords and employers and subject to occasional outbursts of local panic, which had been stirred up by negative stories about Poles and other Central Europeans in certain national newspapers. There is often resentment at the high cost of interpreting for them in their contact with schools, hospitals, the police and the magistrates' courts. There are also exaggerated scare stories about Polish workers claiming benefits, swamping local hospital services and council house provision or still working at rates of pay which undermined the wage levels of indigenous workers. The difficulty of integrating these rural communities has now been aggravated further by the economic crisis.

We propose that the Government should introduce six measures which should minimise the risk of future inter-community tension:-

1/ provide appropriate independent statistics on how many citizens from the 8 EU accession states are living in each district and in which the public and local authorities can have sufficient confidence as a trustworthy record,

2/ ensure that the programme for free English language lessons for EU citizens is made more widely available, including the provision of lessons at places of work,

3/ encourage further recruitment of Polish-speaking staff by local services, including the police, in order to facilitate communications with Polish families and ensure that the excessive costs of interpreters and translators are kept low,

4/ ensure proper licensing and monitoring of employers and gangmasters, especially in the construction and hospitality sectors, similar to that already operating effectively in agriculture and food industries,

5/ empower local housing authorities to enforce proper housing conditions and tenancy terms for Polish and other A8 workers in the private sector, especially in non-metropolitan areas, and encourage companies to provide housing provision more integrated with the indigenous population,

6/ local health trusts should organise registration drives to ensure that all EU citizens living in their area have the opportunity to register with a local doctor or health clinic.

Wiktor Moszczyński, Spokesperson,
Federation of Poles in Great Britain.

Federation of Poles in Great Britain

Press Release - issued 17th December 2008 - London
"UK Poles not responsible for Unemployment"

British press lies raise social tension in UK towards Poles and other EU citizens

The Federation of Poles in Great Britain, based in London, which speaks for the Polish community in Great Britain, is concerned about recent alarmist articles about immigrant workers, particularly those from the EU, that appeared on December 15th and 16th 2008 in British national newspapers.

The articles are based mainly on a Migration Watch report about immigrant and EU workers "taking the majority of new jobs created in the UK". They include sensational front page headlines such as "Immigrants have Stolen ALL Our Jobs" in the Daily Star.

Also on December 15th a number of reports stating that 10,000 Polish women have come to Britain specifically to get an abortion. There have been instances where Polish women, who are registered to work in the UK, have taken advantage of the differences in legislation between Poland and the UK on abortion, but the figures quoted and the implication that they are not entitled to this treatment are quite spurious and have been falsely attributed to the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, which has denied ever making such a statement or providing such statistics. We intend to refer this misrepresentation of facts by certain British newspapers to the Press Complaints Commission.

Dr Jan Mokrzycki, President of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain, says: "Such false and irresponsible press reports will cause increasing inter-community tension as the recession bites and more and more British and EU workers are made redundant. Please remember that all workers compete for new jobs on a level playing field and employers choose those who show the appropriate skills and commitment. This is the moment where all responsible newspapers should show caution before printing such potentially inflammatory information. Let us also remember that Migration Watch is an organisation with a specific anti-immigration agenda and any statistics they put forward are suspect as they are intended to serve their cause."

For further information please contact press spokesman Wiktor Moszczynski on 07711 912188
Details of headlines of offending articles and other background information attached:

IMMIGRANTS HAVE STOLEN ALL OUR JOBS
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/62426/Immigrants-have-stolen-all-our-jobs/

MILLION NEW JOBS GO TO MIGRANTS AS SLUMP DEEPENS
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/75906/Million-new-jobs-go-to-migrants-as-slump-deepens

Fresh calls for cap on migrant workers after figures reveal foreigners have taken most of the 1.3m jobs created since 2001
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1095154/Fresh-calls-cap-migrant-workers-figures-reveal-foreigners-taken-1-3m-jobs-created-2001.html

Migrants account for almost all new jobs
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/3776088/Migrants-account-for-almost-all-new-jobs.html

Immigrants take 1.4m new jobs
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2041493.ece

Most new jobs created in last seven years have gone to immigrants, figures show
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2008/12/16/most-new-jobs-created-in-last-seven-years-have-gone-to-immigrants-figures-show-86908-20974443/
===

=====================
10,000 Poles in UK for free abortions
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/article2037352.ece

10,000 Polish women get abortions in Britain
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/3773733/10000-Polish-women-get-abortions-in-Britain.html
=======================

Background information:-
Some 1 million Poles have come here to work legally since 2004 and have found employment at a time when Poland itself had high unemployment rates. They have contributed around £3 billion a year annually to the British economy, pay taxes and national insurance and kept vital branches of the economy alive, especially in agriculture, social services and public transport. More than 10,000 new enterprises have been set up Poles in the UK. Their mobility has helped the British economy grow after 2004. Now some 300,000 have returned or are planning their return to Poland as the Polish economy improves and the British economy faces recession. Many Poles could face redundancy in the UK in the coming year so more could return. They have usually been well received by the local press and local communities and praised for their positive work ethic both by employers and trades unions. Many older Britons also remember Poland's considerable contribution to the Allied effort during the Second World War, especially during the Battle of Britain, and are aware of the suffering of Poland under Nazi and Soviet occupation when 6 million Polish citizens perished.

• On Friday 8th August 2008 in London the Federation of Poles in Great Britain lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission against "The Times" newspaper, following large scale protests in the Polish media and Polish parliament over the Giles Coren column in "The Times" (which was published on July 26th).

Our member organisations (Polish Professionals and Poland Street) back up petition addressed to the editor - in chief of The Times.

3. "The Times" article 1
4. "The Times" article 2
5. Petition

6th December between 10am and 3pm Polonia House
231 CHESTERTON ROAD, CB4 1AS

- 10 MINUTE FILM VIEWING
- PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
- FREE REFRESHMENTS
- GIFTS TO WIN FOR VISITORS

The Boat is making waves with a little help from the East of England Polish Community Organisation and the City of Lodz. Lodz literally means ‘the Boat' and is the nineteenth century capital of Polish textile industry. Today it is dynamically developing metropolitan area in a very centre of Poland and a candidate city for European Capital of Culture 2016.

The event takes place in Polonia House, Cambridge, on 6th December and consists of two main parts: a photographic exhibition featuring images of Lodz and a short film in which cultural icons such as David Lynch reflect on the city and their connections to it.

There will be information about upcoming international events in Lodz, including Fotofestival (photo festival), Cameraimage (film festival), Reanimation (animation festival), Ballet Meetings, Jazz Oscars, the International Festival of Comics and many others.

Everyone is welcome to drop in to Polonia House on 6th December between 10am and 3pm. There will be free refreshments, further information about activities organised by EEPCO in Cambridge, and the opportunity to win souvenirs from the City of Lodz.

For further information please contact:
Maciej Pawlikowski Spokesperson, on 07875 003 892, email: mac.paw@gmail.com

The East of England Polish Community Organisation is a voluntary group that provides information and support to the Polish community in Cambridge and the surrounding areas.

The organisation also promotes Polish culture at multi-cultural events organised by the voluntary-sector and/or local authorities. The group has organised several social and cultural events promoting both Polish community cohesion and integration with the wider population of Cambridgeshire.

For further information please contact:
Marta Maj, Chairperson on 07914 493 352, email: marta.maj@eepco.co.uk

• An opportunity for London's Polish Community to raise their concerns with representatives at national, city and local level

Questions & Answers
with
Nick Clegg MP - Leader of the Liberal Democrats
and
Simon Hughes MP - Liberal Democrat Party President
Hosted by The Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group

Monday 17th November 2008, 6pm, City Hall, Committee Room 5

please RSVP to libdemleader@parliament.uk

• Haringey Council is hosting an Access to Services Day for local members of the Polish community, on Saturday 15 November 2008, between 11am and 3pm at the Triangle Community Centre, St Ann's Road, N15. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of local services and strengthen links between the Polish community and service providers. It will have a specific focus on services for children and families, health and wellbeing and advice and training. Refreshments including Polish food will also be available, plus entertainment. For information call Iwona Guzel on 07817290096.

On Saturday afternoon November 8th 2008 Polish Londoners and their British friends will celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Poland's Independence with a parade led by the Polish Navy Band from Westminster Cathedral marching to a rally in Trafalgar Square.
Speakers at the rally will include prominent Poles and distinguished British parliamentarians.
The parade will follow a Celebratory Mass of Thanksgiving in the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral concelebrated by Poland's Primate, Cardinal Jozef Glemp.
Mr Janusz Sikora-Sikorski, Chairman of the Organising Committee says: "It is the first time that this Polish anniversary is being celebrated in such a public way in the UK. Many young Poles in this country wanted to participate in such a large-scale colourful event. War veterans will attend with their battle standards. Polish organizations and trade union branches will march behind their banners. Young and old will march proudly together."
Polish Independence Day commemorates the date, November 11th 1918, when Poland regained its sovereignty at the end of the First World War. In fact, Poland had first been a sovereign nation more than a thousand years ago, after it had embraced Western Christianity. However in 1795 it lost that sovereignty and endured 123 years of bitter struggle for freedom against its three partitioning oppressors.
When Polish leader Jozef Pilsudski was able to proclaim the rebirth of a strong independent Poland in 1918 it was important news not only for Poles themselves, but for Europe too.
Barely 2 years later the newly independent Poland was able to defeat the Soviet Army in 1920 at the gates of Warsaw and thus saved Europe from revolution and tyranny.
In 1939 Poland was also the first country to say "No" to Hitler's demands. Then its pilots, sailors and soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with the British Armed Forces as this country's most long-lasting wartime ally.

Poland paid a terrible price for its defiance of tyranny. 6 million were killed and its major cities destroyed. There followed 44 more years of struggle and deprivation under Soviet rule.

Poland only regained its independence again in 1989 thanks to the Solidarity movement and the guiding spirit of Pope John Paul II. Now Poland is a member of NATO and the EU. It is again a democratic state with a successful modern economy and has restored Polish Independence Day as a national holiday.

TIMETABLE FOR NOVEMBER 8th 2008:

1500hrs Parade forms up in Ambrosden Avenue, alongside the Cathedral. At the head of the parade - the Polish Navy Band. Followed by wartime veterans.
1515hrs March proceeds along Victoria Street, then Parliament Square and Whitehall to Trafalgar Square

1615hrs Rally begins in Trafalgar Square.
Speakers: HE Jan Borkowski, Secretary of State, Polish Foreign Ministry
HE Barbara Tuge-Erecinska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland
HE Dr Ryszard Kaczorowski, last President of Polish Government in Exile
Rt Hon Dr Denis MacShane MP for Rotherham, former Minister for Europe
Mr Greg Hands, MP for Hammersmith and Fulham
Polish patriotic songs and hymns by the Polish Navy Band, the "Ave Verum" Choir and the Balham Polish parish choir

1700hrs Polish and British national anthems - end of Rally.

• "Eye on Poland: Country at the Crossroads” Special week of CNN programming on Poland. Click this link to find out more and watch the CNN video.

Polish workers who are employed in London as cleaners, security guards or receptionists are being offered free training and advice on their rights at work and how to secure them. The TUC/BERR Vulnerable Workers Project is running a one-day course that will cover issues that Polish workers often experience, such as:

problems with pay,
excessive working hours,
the withholding of holiday entitlement,
how to resolve problems in the workplace and secure rights at work.
Training materials will be available in Polish and English and a Polish interpreter will be available to support participants in the sessions. The event is also being supported by Primus Personnel and Andrzej Garus, from Primus, will be attending.

The Vulnerable Workers Project has found that Polish workers often lose out because they do not know all the employment rights that they are entitled to or how to raise a complaint if they are not getting their rights. As a result Polish workers sometimes suffer exploitation from employers who take advantage of their lack of awareness.

Polish workers form by far the biggest group of workers from A8 countries. Government figures show that 67 percent of all applications to the Workers Registration Scheme, between May 2004 and March 2008, were Polish, and these totalled more than 540,000. Yet, despite contributing hugely to the success of the UK economy, Polish workers often endure poor terms and conditions of employment at work.

Research shows that 70 percent of workers who applied to the Workers Registration Scheme, between April 2007 and March 2008, had earnings between £4.50 and £5.99 an hour. The average worker in UK earns £10.22 an hour.

The Vulnerable Workers project is targeting the ‘Building Service Sector', (cleaners, security and other workers who provide services in buildings), as this sector has consistently been one of the lowest paid. 58 percent of workers in the cleaning industry in London are migrant workers. Of these, Polish workers are the biggest group making up 26 percent of migrant workers in the cleaning industry.

The TUC/BERR Vulnerable Workers Project is a pilot that will report to Government in March 2009 on good practice and innovative ways of improving the working lives of low paid and vulnerable workers by helping them to understand and secure their full entitlement to employment rights.

The training for Polish workers will be held on Saturday 12 July 10.00am to 4.00pm in the Trade Union and Workplace Training Centre, 70 Clifton Street, EC2A 4HB (near Liverpool St Station).

NOTES TO EDITORS:

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet
BERR is a Government Department of ‘Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform', which was formerly known as the ‘Department of Trade and Industry'
Primus Personnel is a social business that aims to provide an employment and advice service for the diverse workforce of the 21sst Century. T: 020 7692 5544
The A8 nations of the EU are Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Bob Blyth (Project Manager) T: 020 7467 1248 E: bblyth@tuc.org.uk
Laurie Heselden (Press Officer) T: 020 7467 1292 E: lheselden@tuc.org.uk

Learn more

http://www.positivelypoland.com/

1. Address of independent group promoting Polish involvement in the Elections on 1st. May 2008: http://www.polacyglosuja.org.uk/?strona,glowna
2. Here you can find a form to register on the Electoral Roll with polish language translation: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/toolkit/languages.cfm?OfficeID=250

1. Poles and Daily Mail - 80 Headlines
2. Wiktor Moszczyński Poles in UK House of Commons Report 12.03.2008
3. GLA Ken Livingstone Press Release 15.03.2008
4. 80 ways to say "Welcome to Central European Workers" - courtesy of the "Daily Mail"
5. Complaint by Federation of Poles in GB versus "Daily Mail"
6. Response from "Daily Mail"
7. Response from Federation of Poles
8. Further response from "Daily Mail"
9. Poles in the UK and the"Daily Mail"
10. Federation of Poles: online Daily Mail article by Wiktor Moszczynski
11. Information about the case - Press Complaints Commission website

1. Election Meeting with Ken Livingstone, The White Eagle Club, Balham.
   Sunday 20-th. April 2008 4pm to 5pm.
2. Wiktor Moszczyński Speech at Ken Livingstone Meeting 15.02.2008

• Meeting with Boris Johnson - POSK, Sala Malinowa, Wednesday 19.03.2008 at 19:00