Twinning links with Sochaczew have received much support from Melton's 300-strong Polish Community which is now in its fourth generation. Children continue to learn the Polish language and study the history and culture of the country at the weekly Saturday School.
Melton's Polish community originally settled in the town after the end of WWII - in the late 1940s the community numbered more than 2,000.
Many of Melton's Polish community served in the POLISH AIR FORCE (POLSKIE SILY POWIETRZNE) both in Scotland and in LINCOLNSHIRE and there is a video available of The Free Polish Army which formed after the German invasion in 1939, under the leadership of General Wladyslaw Sikorski. In revenge for the occupation, the army went on to fight in France alongside the British Forces - 48 minutes (PAL system) in the BBC series Gladiators of World War 2.
POLISH NATIONAL ANTHEM
Click to play
RADIO POLONIA has an external service which can be heard on the internet - it includes daily news from Warsaw.
Reduced to paper and a mere 420pp at that, Annette Kobak's description of her father's WWII experiences is a fascinating read. Entitled "Joe's War: My Father decoded" is published by Virago at £16.99 and is a story memoir from her childhood in the 1950s through to her dad's current 83rd year. It tells in much detail Joe Kobak's Polish parents, his student days in Lwow, the outbreak of war, his break eastwards and his capture by the Red Army, followed by his escape to Nazi-occupied Poland and his long brave journey to France, his volunteering for the Polish Army in exile, his journey to Britain and following the absorption of the Polish Army into the British Army his task as a Radio Interceptor, marriage to an English girl, and demob. The "Sunday Telegraph" critic Aileen Reid describes the story in her review as "gripping and studded with humour" and of lasting effect. This book is highly recommended.
Kosciol katolicki
"Our Lady of Czestochowa"
Fr. Stanislaw Tylka
The Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa was built by the community 35 years ago and to mark the Millennium, a stained glass window has been installed. The window was funded by the Melton Polish Ladies Circle who raised the money by serving coffee and cakes in the Polish Church Hall after Sunday Mass over a period of two years.
This Church window shows three saints - St. Wojciech; St. Stanislaw and St. Andrzej (the first has no English translation
but the others are Stanley and Andrew). Underneath the picture of each saint is the city which which he was associated: Gniezno (the ancient capital of Poland), Krakow (the Medieval capital of Poland) and Wilno (the capital of Lithuania which was part of Poland from 1920 to 1939).
In the bottom right hand corner is an inscription commemorating 2000 years of Christianity and explaining that the window was funded by the Ladies Circle of the Melton Polish community.
While playing a full part in the life of Melton, the community maintains the traditions of its homeland, including an Annual Harvest Ball (pictured below).
Members of the Melton-based Syrena Polish Dance Group welcomed guests-of-honour the Mayor and Mayoress of Melton, Councillor Nigel Angrave and his wife, Carmel, to the event. The traditional Polish greeting is with chleb (bread) and sól (salt) - to signify a plentiful harvest. Later the Group performed harvest dances and presented their guests with gifts.
About 120 people attended the ball at the Polski Klub (Polish Centre) Sandy Lane, Melton.
"According to the joy of Harvest"
Melton's Polish Church was ablaze with colour for the annual Harvest Mass, as well from the flowers and fruit on display as the national costumes worn by several of the congregation.
The Mass was celebrated by parish priest Father Tylka.
Adults were joined by children from the Polish Saturday School in a colourful procession, bringing harvest produce to the altar. Several committee members of the Polish Catholic Association gave readings.
Afterwards the Melton Polish Ladies Circle invited everyone to the Church Hall for complimentary coffee and cakes and children distributed the flowers so that those attending were able to take home something of the flavour of the day.
"KOPCIUSZEK"
Children from Melton Polish Saturday School presenting Cinderella at the Polish Centre in May 2000.
• There is also a Polish Social Club which meets at True Lovers Walk, Loughborough, Leics. Tel: 01509 215813.
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