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A POLISH Member of the European Parliament spoke at a gathering in Southport about the challenges and opportunities facing her country.
Urszula Gacek MEP told of a fast-growing economy and a bid to free up Polish entrepreneurship in her address to the annual luncheon of Southport and District Anglo-Polish Society (APS).
In her audience at the Scarisbrick Hotel last Sunday were almost a hundred members and friends of the local group that exists to build further ties with Poland.
Beata Kowalska, society treasurer, said Mrs Gacek referred to the efforts of her government to stem a ‘brain drain’ of educated young Poles overseas.
“The Polish economy is already in better shape,” said Mrs Kowalska.
“The zloty (Polish currency) is very strong against the pound so it means working in Britain is less attractive.
“They are encouraging a lot of young people to come back to Poland.”
Mrs Gacek, who was born in Manchester, also told guests of her time as a student at Oxford University, where she was a contemporary of shadow foreign secretary William Hague.
Beata’s husband, society chairman Richard Kowalski, mentioned in his speech the contribution made in Southport by PC Andrew Billingsworth.
PC Billingsworth has been learning Polish to bolster police links with the estimated 4,000 Poles living in and around the town.
Attending the function held in the hotel’s Isherwood Suite were the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Richard Hands, and Mayoress, Katy Hibbert.
Also among the guests were Southport MP John Pugh and his wife Annette, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Councillor Brenda Porter and her husband Ken, Lord Ronnie Fearn of Southport and Lady Joyce Fearn, Southport Conservative Association chairman Phil King, and Cllrs Tom Glover, David Pearson and Anthony Hill.
Mrs Kowalska said of the dinner: “It was a lovely relaxed afternoon and much enjoyed by all.”
Mr Kowalski added: “It is the formal annual event to celebrate our birthday. It is looked forward to by members and friends, who enjoy a lovely relaxed atmosphere which is also quite informative.”
The next key event for Southport and District APS is its Easter-themed afternoon on March 30, with a midsummer ball later in the year.
