LCA POLISH LANGUAGE. CULTURE, AND AFFAIRS TRUSTEE'S ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022 NIC107785
Contents: l. Introduction 2. During Covid fime 3. Year 2021-2022 activity 4. Events and celebrations 5. POLCA Board 6. Grant providers 7. Other projects and future plans 8. Finances
l.Introduttion The Polish Language, Culture, and Affairs is a constrtuted organisation created bythe Polish emigrants. We are registered Charity INIC1077851 and company Itd recognized by Companies House. We do run Polish Saturday school POLCA for children from Polish families or mixed relation5hip5. Our school is to provide an additional Polish education.. Polish language. history. geography of Poland, art, and culture. We do have a team of teachers and assistants and several volunteers. including Board members. Polish Saturday school started in 2017 and It 15 our main projert. As an organisation we do support Polish community in Northern Ireland at many different fields. We are also coopernting with the local organisations and bodies. working as a part of rnulti-cultural Belfast. 2. During covid time Due covid 19 pandemi3 we were forced to close our services in March 2020. We were able to reopen in October 2020, with significant help of many people and organisations, including Polish Consulate in Northern Ireland. Harding Memorial Primary. Belfast City Council. Black Asian Minority Ethnics and Wspolnota Polska Foundation. We were also supported voluntary by many members of the Polish community in Northern Ireland. As almost all other Polish Saturday schools had to work with their pupils online, we were able to work more-tradttional" way. wÉth some anti covid regulations adopted by POLCA and accepted bythe members of ourcommunity and our partner Harding Memorial Primary and Education Authority. Our work was disrupted by another lockdown in January 2021. We could reopen again in April. and we were able to finish the School year in June with a nearly g) pupils. Due covid 19 we had to cancel or FK)stpone our usual events and project= Bilingual Belfast Ip05tFM)ned to Decemberl. Polish day, Sport Day Imulti - ethnicall and other usual sch(xJl and national celebrations. However. our effort5 were appreciated by our community. which resulted in an increase in number of pupils in September 2021. when we were able to provide services for over 150 pupils. led by the team of 16 teacher5 and a several volunteers. Again. we recerved a strong support from our partners and several organisations and bodies. We did receive funds from Belfast City Council. Wspolnota Polska foundation and Aid the Poles in the East Foundation Ithiou8h Polish Teachers Association in Dublin). Thanks to the sUPPOrt of the Polish Consulate in Belfast we were also able to hold a -Bilingual Belfasv event lincludin8 bilingualism workshops) and Polish Independence Day. As the pandemic situation has changed, and the restrictions were gradually lifted we could come back to our usual activity- 3. Year 2021- 2022 We have started in September 2021 with over 150 pupils. Due covid restrictions and agreement taken between POLCA and our partner Harding Memorial Primary we were obliged to not exceed this number of attending children. to avoid risk of spreading the virus. This unfortunately was the reason
why we could not accept more applicants. however, when the restrictions were lifted. we could bring more young people to our organisation. In September 2022. the number of our pupils reached 170 and we can expert that the next season can be even higher, as the Polish emigrant community is one of the largest in Northern Ireland. Even though many Poles are permanently settled in UK and Ireland and coexisting with the local communities. they are Strongly interested to cultivate Polish language. culture, and art. The Polish communtty want our children to be able speak Polish language and gain an acknowledge about our country of origin. also because many of our families are existing in Poland. Due the number of the children we had to increase a number of teachers and asSlStant- it was 20-22 people working for Saturday school. We also allocated several young volunteers- mostly teenager5 to every class. Some of these young people attended to POLCA school in the past. During thi5 year we faced several different nature problems. starting with post-brexit reality and financial difficulties of group of our parents. Another significant matter was an unprovoked Russian aggression to Ukraine. Poland's neighbour, and the country whose history and roots are related to Poland. To show our support to the fighting Ukrainians we have organised on 5 of March 2022 collection for Ukraine, in cooperation with Polish Consulate and Harding Memorial Primary. We have received a great response not only from Polish community but also from many other Belfast people. among them many residents of Cregagh road area. In Au8U5t 2022 we have lost one of our most valuable members. Jacek Kocofi, member of the board died after a long battle with cancer. He was a great personality and was always supporting Polish community and ourorganisation and will be never forgotten by our communtty. We have started a new school Season in September 2022 with nearly 170 pupils and 22 teachers. The number of our youn8 participants is still growin& and it is possible, that due this situation we would have to expand our activity by opening another unit to provide servi$ for everyone who is happy to join POLCA school. 4. Events and celebrations Carnival Ball for POLCA children- 1210212022 A great costume party with several games and competitions organised by the teachers and parents. Collection for Ukraine- 05/0312022 A community collection to support Ukraine. OfBanised in cooperation wtth the Polish Consulate and Harding Memorial Primary, with the great response of the local community. All collected items were delivered to the Polish- Ukrainian border and donated to organisations delrvering directly delivering goods to Ukraine. Polish Heritage Day- 0310512022 oaniSed in cooperation of the Polish Consulate. in memory of the first Polish Constitution. also kr)own as Constitution of the 3 May 1791. This is one of the most important national celebrations in Poland. Our children could participate in workshops. gaffle5 and competitions and learn about Polish history. A separate topic Wd5 devoted to the history of Polish Amiy, fighting in North Africa. Italy. and Great Britain durinE11 World War.
A Family Day- 281512023 An event held by POLCA in Malone Rugby Club- games and competttions for the children and parents including football tournament and art competttions with over participants. This is also commonly known in Poland a5 a "Childrens Darf.. It was organised with support of the Polish Consulate, local Polish busine55es and- m05t important- by the parents of our pupils. End of khool Year-1910612022 A ceremony of the end of school year- a great meeting of teachers. children, and parents. Children were awarded for their hard work during this year and the parent could accompany them. The audience could also watch performances prepared by our young members of POLCA Theatre. 3 Years Old Admission Ceremony- 2111012022 . An official ceremony of "acceptance" dedicated to the youngest group in presence of their parents. This ceremony is usually organised On 3 year in October. to create a bond between the school and new pupils. Polish Independence Day 11 November- 1211112022 ' A celebration in memory of the Independen of Poland, regained on Il/ll11918, after 123 years of Russian, Prussian, and Austrian occupation. This day was especially celebrated by our community member5. A variety of different activities were provided, including poetry toumament. history workshops and art competitions. A group of our pupils and teachers also visited Milltown Cemetery to commemorate the Polish Milttary Eraves. Christmas in POLCA- 17112/2022 . A celebration known also as"Jaselka" one of the Polish traditions lebrated with Christmas songs and performances created by our pupils. with- of course- Santa'5 Vistt! Similar events were organised in 2021 5. POLCA current Board Chairnian- rev David Samuel Armstrong Reappointed for further tenn at the Annual General Meeting on1911112022. Secretary- Aleksander Paprocki Reappointed for further temi at the AGM on 1911112022. Trustee- Mateusz Gawlik Appointed on 1710912022. Reappointed for further terni at the AGM on 1911V2022. Trustee- John CleIk Appointed on 410312023.
Changes within the Board= Trnstee-jacek Kocon- passed away on 18/0812022. Tru5tee- Przemyslaw Straus-ternporary member from 25108n022 to 1910812022. 6.Grant Providers During financial year 2021-2022, POLCA was sUPPOrted bv-. Aid the Poles in the East Foundation Polish Foundation supporting Polish community abroad in cooperation wtth Polish govemment. "Wspolnota Polska" Association Polish association supporting Polish community abroad in cooperation with Polish government. 'Wspolnots Polska" Assocciation- RZesz( city unit A regional unit of WsFK)Inota Polska, placed in Rzeszow in Poland. supporting projects related to the history and patriotism. Belfast Gty Council Belfast City Council supported POLCA several times. funding our activtties. helping to cover part of our expenses during covid 19 pandemia. Polish Consulate in Belfast Polish Consulate in Belfast supporting projects dedicated to development of Polish community in Northern Ireland in cooperation with Polish Authorities. In the past 5 years POLCA was also supported by= Cornmunty Foundation for Northern Ireland. Volunteer Now. Youth Action, Halifax Foundation and Black Asian Minority Ethnic& 7. Other Projects As our main project was always Saturday school and our priority especially during covid 19 pandemia was to save existence of the school for the last 2 years we were not able to participate in many projects. As we are gradually developing we can see some opportunities to expand our activity. In December 2022 we have reopened POLCA Sport Club- project supported by Belfast City Council. We do have a dancing group arid'young Theatre" and a small Art Academy. We are also planning to open a Youth Club - project addressed to the Polish teenagers. As the number of participants is still growin& it is possible that we will need to open another school unit to provide services for more children. In 2022 POLCA supported - among the other rninority ethnic groups - Belfast Inequalitie5 Research 2021-2022. This project was coordinated by Belfast City Counul. and was to explore inequalities
experienced by minority ethnics and migrant residents in Belfast. POLCA in this program was represented by one of our members - Barbara Snowarska. and some members of our community were involved in several group's meetings and consultation-. We are certain. that we can do more for our communty and our partners in the future. however it .Jepends on our finances and number of people ready to SUPF)Ort our organisation. 8.Finances {0110612021- 3110512022) Total incomes: 60818.06 Total expenses". 64454.30 Net profit/los5= _3636.24 All other figures can be found in POLCA Micr(pentity Accounts for 3110512022. This report was created by the secretary of the Board. Aleksander Paprocki On behalf of the Board