Over 50 candidates of Polish origin are running in the upcoming local elections in London. One of them is Monika Williams, who represents the London borough of Ealing. The number of Poles taking part in the elections is increasing every year. According to data provided by the ONS (Office for National Statistics), 96 296 Polish citizens registered for voting in London.

The Ealing district has the largest concentration of Poles who registered for the elections – 12,377 people. British Poles contacted Monika Williams, who is running on the Conservative list.

British Poles: Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Monika Williams: I warmly greet British Poles’ readers. My name is Monika Williams. I am an ordinary person, no different from the others. Unfortunately, I have experienced a lot of harm in my life. It motivated me to make a decision to fight for my happiness and the well-being of my family. So I decided to take my life into my own hands. I flew to Great Britain and finished my studies for higher education in order to get the necessary qualification to be able to help people like me. Most of my life consists of social work for others. I have a strong need to help others and I stick to it. By helping others, I help myself.

BP: Since when have you been living in England, and what prompted you to move to London?

MW: I’ve been living in England for about 14 years. The main reason for moving abroad was to escape from the hands of the monster. As a victim of domestic violence, I was looking for a shelter and a safe place to live for me and my child. I wanted to start all over again, leaving the past behind. I took everything that was most precious to me at that moment, that is my son, and set off into the world. With £10 in my pocket, a  bag, a child, and self-confidence, I flew here to the UK. Originally, I lived in a beautiful area called 'London bedroom’ – in Kent. After a few years, I had the opportunity to move to London, to the municipality of Ealing. I was offered an internship at Christian Dior, which motivated me to start a new phase of life in a big city. Today, I know for sure that it was a wise decision.

BP: Can you describe your involvement in individual social campaigns? How do you get involved in improving the life of your community?

MW: I get involved in many initiatives. Allow me to mention only the ones I have supported here in my Ealing Borough. For many years, I have been helping homeless people by cooking for them at Ealing Soup Kitchen. I am also a sponsor – I buy food and other products of first necessity. I support elderly people by visiting them in hospitals or at home and I spend time with them. In addition, I help to pack food for local relief organisations at City Harvest London, which receive food with a short expiry date and prepare crates full of food for families in need. Recently, I also volunteered in three district libraries, helping the local community. My help comes in many forms – from helping the elderly with their groceries to delivering necessary things to people who have lost their jobs or facing challenging times. Today, for example, in front of my eyes, an old lady fell down in the street, so I helped her up and accompanied her all the way to the place she was heading to. I could go on with similar examples. I am a person of great empathy, and I share other people’s concerns and problems. Likewise, I feel the pain and suffering from others, and then I feel very sorry. Therefore, whenever I can change it, I do it without often looking at the consequences. Due to my own experiences, I cannot pass by human grievances indifferently. My greatest weakness has most certainly always been, is, and will always remain, women in distress. Women, victims of domestic violence or human trafficking, helpless victims of assault, rape, and the ones in seek of shelter. I have been helping such women for many years, trying to show that in the UK help is available and that they can feel safe here. I myself am a walking example that you can change your fate for the better.

BP: What are the main challenges your borough is confronted with? What does your party propose to confront them?

MW: According to Walpole residents, the biggest local problem is definitely the LTN, which represents the much-unwanted blockade on the streets that we have been struggling with for a long time. I, together with other conservatives in Ealing, as well as a large crowd of people in our borough participated in the march against the LTN last year. We protested mainly because the decisions to install them were made without prior consultation with us – the residents. Another big local problem is the proliferation of high-maintenance, high-end residential flats and high-rise buildings instead of building much-needed family homes. Walpole residents also complain about the lack of communication between their district and the Ealing Council. The building of this office exists, but no one really works there. In addition, residents of many streets complain about the constant increase in council tax fees, the lack of regular rubbish collection, or even street cleaning. We Walpole conservatives also support the idea of ​​opening more police stations and installing surveillance cameras and better lighting to improve the safety of residents, especially women. And finally, I will just add that due to the expansion of the ULEZ zone, our residents must have cars that meet these requirements, without being able to charge their vehicles. Therefore, we want to install 2,000 electric vehicle charging points. We have many ideas up our sleeve thanks to the consultation with the residents. First, our residents must know that they have the right to implement new ideas, and we are here to listen to them and decide together on the next local projects.

BP: Do you have any message for Poles in England in the context of the upcoming elections?

MW: There is only one message for our compatriots: My dear Poles, we have the same rights here as everyone else. Let us show that we have an influence on the development of our commune by voting on May 5, 2022, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Since we live here, work, and pay taxes, it is high time for us to become a constructive part of this country, in the full sense of the word. We know very well that our local town hall could be better, so help me change it and vote for me!

BP: Thank you for your time, and we keep our fingers crossed.

Interviewed by Maria Byczynski

Pictures: Monika Williams