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Registration number of Learning Providers in the UK (UKPRN) is 10066595

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Polish Dinner at Salvation Army

On the 16th December EUSS supporter together with Vie Clerc from Settled went to Salvation Army to run a training around with EU Settlement Scheme as we work as immigration advisers for EU27/EEA/EFTA citizens.

When we got there, there was a group of men speaking Polish. We asked them what do they know about the EU Settlement Scheme and the new settled status.

They said they know nothing, so we asked the manager of Salvation Army, David Myers, if we could run an information session and assess their service users in regards to the EU settlement scheme. He was more than happy, very supportive and grateful for our support.

We spent entire week at Salvation Army assessing people for their status eligibility, gathering documents, sending applications for pre settled and settled status and giving out information and support.

On Friday, it was supposed to be our last day at Salvation Army, we were completing an application of one of the service users; a deaf Polish lady, who is 5 months pregnant; while I overheard a conversation about the food provisions in Bradford. The Polish men were exchanging information where to get food during the Christmas period.

They were talking about how much they miss Polish food and that they would give everything for a Polish Traditional Sunday Dinner. Even though, the food provisions in Bradford are great, it is mostly British or Asian cuisine.

On Friday, when went back from SA, Aleks put out a post on Facebook asking for donations and support to be able to host the Polish Dinner for 30 Polish service users. I also asked if anyone would like to co-organise it with me and the response I got, was massive. We were able to serve 50 people instead of 30.

Saba Moussa, Compliance and claim officer NRPF team from the council, who also supports the council with Settled status and is one of the EU Settlement Scheme champions together with myself and Darryl Smith said, she will support me and help me to organise everything. Darryl offered his help too and they both were helping to prepare the dinner. Also Karolina Dybala, one of the directors of UK Butterflies helped together with Dominika Marcinkowska, EUSS Immigration Adviser. We spent Sunday to prepare the dinner to be ready for Monday to be served

On Monday the 23rd December, Aleks together with Saba Moussa, Dominika Marcinkowska, Shine from Bradford Lions, Matt Henderson, project support officer with Bradford For Everyone, Council Stronger Communities, Anne - Laure Corcol, housing options officer and is now placed to this pilot called the Bradford Homeless Outreach Partnership, Simon Emery and David Mayers from Salvation Army hosted a Polish Dinner for diverse service users (British, Asians, Latvian, Lithuanians, Czechs, Slovaks but predominantly Polish)

A day before Christmas Eve we have served a Polish Traditional Sunday Dinner for the most vulnerable people in our community. We have opted for a Sunday dinner instead of food that is served in Poland during Christmas Eve simply because we wanted to make Polish people happy and to feel like home.

A traditional Sunday dinner in Poland consists of a Chicken Soup which is cooked using a whole chicken, served with noodles, carrot, other vegetables and chicken pieces.

For the main, we traditionally have mashed potato, chicken breast or pork loin fried in bread crumbs. As a side for the main we have mizeria which is cucumber with sour cream, sour cabbage with onion and carrot, grated carrot with apple, sour pickled cucumber

The dinner was a massive success. Everyone loved the food that we have been preparing for 2 days.

I would like to thank everyone who donated food, ingredients and their time to volunteer with us on Sunday and Monday.

As a person who was raised in England and not having a large group of Polish friends I was surprised at how many Polish people were so vulnerable and in need of help. Despite those people are in such difficult situations and have been mistreated during their life they were so great full for the dinner and remained so happy throughout the entire day - says Dominika Marcinkowska.

It made me feel so warm inside that people from different communities were out there helping Polish people in such a short notice before Christmas and dedicated themselves to helping our community. I only regret it was just one off and we do not have funding to run a project with Salvation Army Polish users says Aleksandra Marcinkowska

Saba Moussa said: The diner was opened to everybody who wanted to try tradional Polish Food. A very good story in the spirit of Christmas when people from various join together to help vulnerable people.

UK-Butterflies LTD Organisation number 08676364 4 Eldon Place, BD1 3AZ Bradford, United Kingdom

PIC number for Erasmus+ 935743093 info@uk-butterflies.com Contact nr 074 532 78 703

OISC accredited organisation N201900061
EUSS Level 1

UK - Butterflies LTD non profit organisation REGISTERED AT UK Register of Learning Providers Registration number of Learning Providers in the UK (UKPRN) is 10066595

Because Every Person Matters...

UK - Butterflies LTD non profit organisation REGISTERED AT UK Register of Learning Providers
Registration number of Learning Providers in the UK (UKPRN) is 10066595