The Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, Councillor William Lane, took part in the Polish Family Picnic in Ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith.

The Polish community in London had a wonderful experience on Sunday, 23 June. The Polish Library organised the picnic in Ravenscourt Park on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Polish Social & Cultural Association POSK. It was was a day-long event for Poles living outside their homeland.

The event was attended by the President of POSK, Dr. Marek Laskiewicz; the Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Patricia Quigley; the Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, Will Lane; the Consul General of the Republic of Poland, Mateusz Stąsiek; the Consul Tomasz Balcerowski; representatives of the English-Polish community; Polish organisations; and hundreds of Poles yearning for Polish music, cuisine and tradition.

Mayor Will Lane spoke at the opening of the Picnic.

Below is the entire text of his speech.

Dzień Dobry.

My sincere thanks to the Polish Social and Cultural Association, and Marek Laskiewicz, for granting me the honour of speaking at this 60^th anniversary of POSK.

When I think of Poland I think of a people who value their tradition, their culture, and their long and storied history, and who proudly pass this precious knowledge on to the next generation, for instance, through the many Saturday schools in the UK teaching Polish language and history.

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But what strikes me most is that Poles in the UK carry on their traditions in a way that also carries great respect for British traditions, they celebrate their Polish culture in a way that works with British culture, that is integrated, successfully, into the proud history of both our nations.

A love for two countries, two common histories bound together – often fighting for freedom. This is brought home by the work of organisations like POSK.

I mentioned Poland’s history, so I think it’s now time actually talk about this!

So let’s move to 1932, when Polish mathematician and cryptologist, Marian Rejewski, led the work that would later save millions of lives in World War 2, the quest to crack the Enigma Code. When war broke out in 1939, the Polish authorities passed all of the work done, along with the Enigma machines to the British and French. The code was eventually cracked in Britain, at Bletchley Park, but historians agree that this would never have happened in time, had it not been for the work of Polish cryptographers like Rejewski.

But it was also in the air that Poles fought side by side with Britons in the Battle of Britain.

In the summer of 1940 France had just fallen, and the fate of the entire civilised world hung in the balance. RAF Fighter Command was engaged in a desperate defence of these islands against the Luftwaffe.

”Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” – but there were more than a few Polish airmen. In fact, by July 1940 there were over 8,000 Polish airmen on British soil, pilots serving in 302 and 303 squadron – with 303 the highest scoring Hurricane squadron of the war.

We owe those Polish pilots a debt of gratitude we will never be able to repay.

After the war, though under the oppression of a communist regime, Poles continued to keep the torch of freedom alive through the founding of organisations like POSK in 1964, carrying the proud motto ”Poland and free Poles for the benefit of Poland”.  And 1989, Poland become free again.

Today, in 2024, Britain and Poland continue that special bond, through permanent memorials to our heroes like General Anders, who led the Polish Corps at Monte Cassino. We also continue to fight for freedom in Europe, through our immense support for Ukraine.

As Mayor, I will do all I can to promote that shared history, and especially amongst young people in schools in Kensington and Chelsea. I’m very thankful for the warm hospitality POSK have shown me, and all of our past RBKC Mayors.

So once again, congratulations on your 60^th anniversary, and thank you.

Maria Byczynski

Photos: POSK and British Poles