Our school has received a thank-you from Głuchołazy. The certificate, entitled ‘Podziękowanie’ (Thank You), was addressed to the leadership and the entire school community of the Frederic Chopin Polish Saturday School in South Croydon. The signed document came in a purple folder bearing the town's name and coat of arms.
A town at the foot of the Opawskie Mountains
Głuchołazy is a small town in the Opole Voivodeship, at the foot of the Opawskie Mountains, on the Biała Głuchołaska river, right by the border with the Czech Republic. The town's coat of arms, visible on the cover of the folder, features a goat's head – a reference to Głuchołazy's former German name, Ziegenhals, which literally means ‘goat's neck’.
A joint effort by the school community
This thank-you is the fruit of many people's work. It would not have happened without the spark lit in the school by one of the members of our team. Nor would it have happened without another member of the team, who came up with the idea and took care of all the organisation: buying the collection boxes, preparing the posters and overseeing the collection. And finally, it would not have happened without the hearts of the teachers, parents and pupils – sensitive to the suffering and needs of others.
We warmly thank everyone who joined in this initiative. In a Polish community school, activities like this also have an educational dimension: they show children growing up in the UK that the bond with Poland is not only about language and tradition, but also about caring for people who need support. They also teach that even small donations dropped into a school collection box, combined with the commitment of many people, can grow into real help.
The certificate from Głuchołazy remains a memento of this shared initiative.
