’I don’t miss Poland because I’ve made a home here’ BBC present Poles living in the UK.
Since Poland joined the EU in 2004, over 70,000 Polish nationals have settled in Yorkshire and the Humber. It makes the third-largest foreign-born group in the UK. The article explores how Polish migrants have integrated into British society over the past two decades.
Several individuals share their migration experiences. Maciej Bujakowski, a chef who arrived in 2005, built a successful career in Harrogate, running multiple businesses. Lukasz and Wioletta Garbacik, who initially planned to stay temporarily, now have a family in Doncaster, where the Polish community is thriving with churches and schools preserving Polish heritage. Aleksandra Wilińska, who arrived in 2015, transitioned from warehouse work to becoming a mortgage advisor, highlighting the UK as a land of opportunity.
Despite economic challenges and concerns about rising anti-immigrant sentiment post-Brexit, many Poles feel at home in the UK and have no plans to return to Poland. The article also features Dorota Spilman, who moved to North Yorkshire after falling in love with a local farmer, emphasizing the personal and cultural ties formed through migration.
Overall, the article reflects on the resilience, work ethic, and contributions of Polish migrants, as well as the evolving challenges they face in modern Britain.
Full article here.