A COMMUNITY leader who organised the first Polish Heritage Day in Worcester hopes it will become a popular part of the city's calendar and bring people together.

The heritage day in the city's Cathedral Plaza on Saturday, May 4, commemorated the sacrifices made by Polish people during the Second World War but also celebrated their ongoing contribution to Worcester and to Britain.

Thousands of people enjoyed music, street food and dancing, admired a Spitfire and had the opportunity to listen to talks, some about the courage of Polish servicemen including Polish aircrews who played such a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain.

Among those to attend the event was Second World War veteran Edward Szymczak, a 96-year-old Polish lieutenant who served with II Corps and is a personal friend of the organiser, Tomasz Wisniewski, founder and sitting president of the Worcestershire Polish Association.

The day was also a way to mark this year’s 250th anniversary of the formal establishment of Polish–British diplomatic relations and the centenary of the renewal of Polish–British bilateral relations.

Mr Wisniewski hopes the event will be repeated after it was well-received by the British Government, MPs, the Polish Embassy in the UK and even by a senator and soldiers in the US.

He said: "It was so lovely to see so much happy and friendly feedback about Polish Heritage Day in Worcester. It was personally important to me to show “our” Worcester to the whole world, because this is a lovely city and has a massive potential.

"Worcester has been seen after Polish Heritage Day very positively not only across the UK, but in EU, USA, and in the world."

Mr Wisniewski said the work was still 'not finished' and that his promotion of Worcester was still a work in progress.

He added: "I would very much like to continue this event in the future as I passionately believe in bringing our two communities closer together. Polish people have been a part of Worcester for some time, choosing to live have a business and work in the city."

He estimates about 36,000 people attended the event throughout the day. Mr Wisniewski wished to extend his thanks to the Mayor of Worcester Cllr Jabba Riaz who gave a speech at the event, Consul Maria Łukowska, Father Marek Ogorzała SChr, Canon Parish Broker Brian McGinley, Chris Jelfs from City Church Worcester, Muslim Welfare Association General Secretary Mohammed Iqbal, Roger Brunt Worcestershire County President of the Royal British Legion, all representatives of the Royal British Legion, all MPs, police, the fire service, Worcester City Council, British Army, and 'dear friends' Marcin Szczygieł, Dr Mark Stella-Sawicki and Dilip Sarkar, friends, doctors and professors who attended and all delegations from Belgium, France, Poland, Germany, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.