On Polish spirit

I do like and admire Polish people, their great resilience and character.

So I was pleased to learn recently that the Polish British Integration Centre project has scooped the young innovators award held by the East of England Development Agency (I thought they were being shut down?) and Government Office – East co.

I love the part of 'The Battle of Britain' film, where the Polish pilots keep saying 'Repeat please', then disobey their flight leader and enter battle with the German stukas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXf1bhEEXd0&feature=related
Life enhancing:-) just as my friendship with Polish people has been.

And by the way, I recommend Barbara Porajska's book, 'From the Steppes to the Savannah' of her real life experience as a child then teenager of her life being overrun by the Germans, then she was shipped out on cattle trucks with her mother, sister and others, to the Russian Steppes to eke out a near starvation living for two years until the Russians turned coat to work with the Allies. After that, their trip through Persia (now Iran) led to Uganda, where they lived out the war. Thereafter, family members went to Canada, Australia and Britain, never to return to Poland as their home had been appropriated by others who knew nothing of the history of its owners.

Barbara's husband Andrew died just a few years ago. A furniture designer and carpenter who made pieces for pop stars of the 1960s in swinging London, on retirement he volunteered at the Sikorsky museum in Kensington, London. Each year, he and other Poles who had fought in the Monte Casino campaign would meet up.

Ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives in those times. We are lucky to be in a peaceful Europe now.