Polish War memorial In Spotlight

Issue Date: Wednesday 4 January 2005

POLISH WAR MEMORIAL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Highland Council has responded to a request to floodlight the Polish War Memorial in Castle Avenue, Invergordon, and to resurface and tidy up the area surrounding the landmark.

Local Councillor John Connell contacted the Council’s Transport Environmental and Community Services after being approached by Mrs Vanda Hardy on behalf of the Polish community in the area.

The Council has spent £9,000 at Castle Avenue on extending the lighting in the area as well as installing new drainage, resurfacing the road and adjoining car parking and cutting back some nearby shrubs and improving the environment of the area.

Councillor Connell said: "I am delighted with the Council’s response to the request to more suitably recognise this important landmark in Invergordon."

Invergordon was home to a large Polish contingent during World War 2 and the memorial was built on the site of the wartime encampment.

Mrs Hardy, whose father Jozef Zawinski helped build the memorial 60 years ago with stones from the beach at Invergordon, is pleased with the floodlighting of the area and improvements carried out to the environment. "The work is very much appreciated", she said.

She intends to establish a Ross-shire Polish/Scottish Association for the growing number of Polish people living in the area. Among the activities will be to maintain the memorial, organise the annual Remembrance Day service and other social events.

Anyone wishing to join the proposed new association should contact Mrs Hardy on 01349 853106.