 | 13 November 2014 |
|
| 91Èȱ¬ 91Èȱ¬page | | |
| |||
| Contact Us | | |
Polish CommunityYou are in: Suffolk > People > Polish Community > Ipswich's Polish community  Ipswich's Polish communityBy Rebecca Barry The congregation at the Polish Church has swelled, a help centre has been set up and recruitment agencies are seeing a huge rise in Polish workers. The familyAnna and David Czerpkow came to Ipswich from Poland seven months ago. They arrived with the hope of finding work and a better future for their baby daughter Abigail.  David, Abigail & Anna Czerpkow Anna was five months pregnant when she arrived after a 27-hour bus journey "There are better opportunities for us here. We don't want to forget about Poland, but England will be good for our daughter's future." In 2004, Poland became part of the EU.Ìý The UK granted free movement of workers, allowing people like Anna and David to come to Suffolk to find jobs.
David trained as a plumber in Poland but isn't Corgi registered here, so he's working as a builder.Ìý He says his wage would go a long way in Poland. Jark Recruitment is one of the biggest recruitment agency's in the region. Director Richard Morrissey says 60-70% of the people they find jobs for in factories or warehouses are from Eastern Europe. Richard says any fears that British workers are losing out are unfounded "There's a huge labour gap in manufacturing industry, not just in Suffolk but across the UK. Those jobs need to be filled." The Community CentreThe Polish community in Ipswich has grown so much that an organisation has been set up especially to help migrant workers.Ìý The Polskie Biuro on Argyle Street has been open since February and is helping around a hundred Polish people every week.  Behind the scenes at the Polskie Biuro Edward Chwastek, whose parents are Polish, hopes that people find the centre useful "We know that many people need help because they don't have credit cards or a bank account, so simple things like booking a flight home can be difficult. Migrant workers can be taken advantage of." People like Leshek come to the Polish Bureau to get help with housing problems. He's living in a one bedroom flat with his two sons. The Polskie Biuro can help translate documents and explain legislation. But Edward Chwastek is worried about the emotional damage to Polish families "There's a lot of stress being put on family life if one parent is over here and the other parent is back with the children in Poland. There are a lot of young people who've left their wives and children and are working here on a temporary basis, and that's very uncertain because you've got very few legal rights." The Council for Racial Equality fears many migrant workers in Suffolk are open to exploitation.Ìý They're worried that many people aren't aware of their employment rights, but at least one woman is working successfully... The Corner ShopKowalski shop on Woodbridge Road is more than a Polish food store - it's a focus for the new community.  Eva Kowalska Eva Kowalska came to Ipswich a year and a half ago and six months ago set up the business.Ìý Eva says over a hundred people regularly come to the store, not just as customers, but to meet fellow Polish migrants "There's a piece of Poland here.Ìý We can speak in Polish, people come and want to talk, they like the Polish food." Eva's life here in Suffolk is a far cry from the one she left behind "In Poland I had a small flat on the fourth floor. Here I have a big four-bedroom house for the same money. I didn't have a garden, here I have a garden. It's easier." 91Èȱ¬ Radio Suffolk will be broadcasting a series of three reports on the Polish community by Rebecca Barry on Mark Murphy's breakfast show Monday 22-Wednesday 24 May 2006. last updated: 04/08/2009 at 09:44 Have Your Say
England is great.
Whilst I have no problem with the people coming to work in this country, I do have a problem with the massive numbers. Perhaps those in charge should look at reducing the number of migrants so that those who are already here (and those native to these shores) have a fair share of the jobs on offer! Just an idea...
i need some help to try and trace my ancestors who cam from what was then litzmanstadt and is now lodzany information would be gratefully reveived
I like to see my Fathers countrymen and women coming to the UK after all this is what part of being a soldier in WWII was about...freedom. What I don't like though is the publication in Polish which shows how to cheat the British system.....that is not nice and not what my Papa fought for. It's bad enough that Brits rip the system off.
Hello there, i think your point is clear here but i think if we imploy many more polish people there will be no jobs for the people that live in ipswich.
Ipswich town is a large place but soon there will be no jobs for anybody else.
fnkyooh and i hope you take this to mind.
We Have Used This For A Geography Project! Twas Fabbb :D Taaaa x
is this shop is open?
I live in Doncaster I need adres organisation in Doncaster, I would like meet polish people and work in my ocupation
I think it's a danger situation for many newcomers to UK. I mean agencies. They treat unfair their workers, charging to much for transport, flat etc. Problems have those who don't speak English. They don't understand mechanism and rules in Britain. even in banks if they want to open an account, they can't because they do not have work. Or you to have to show bills... If they offer you an account, whilst you need "basic" one, you can bank give you "advantage gold". What for?? And they charge you for it! Very often agencies will not give you job, because you don't have NIN yet. You need to wait for it. Jobcenter will not register you for NIN'cause you are not working... "Death end"!Now agencies in Reading for example even don't register you. They treat people like "meat". Once lady from one of agncies didn't want talk with me. She said drop your CV in letterplate on the floor. The office of agency is on the first floor. How she could do that? It's not only a paper. This is someone life, his skills, knowledge. A lot of Polish well educated with degrees can't work and use it because their are Poles. Is this a equal opportunity?
We should never have gone into the EU, when we also had so many people coming from the old empire. Nothing wrong with them as people, but it is already one of the world's most densely populated country. SEE ALSOYou are in: Suffolk > People > Polish Community > Ipswich's Polish community |
| | About the 91Èȱ¬ | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy Ìý |
