Thank You!
There would have been no Medical Aid for Poland Fund if it had not been for Britain, which has hosted a large Polish community since the Second World War, and our many English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish friends who, not having any Polish ancestry, and even in the early days when it was still not "politically correct" in Britain to doubt the prerogative of the Soviet Empire to run Poland for ever, were willing and able to defy mainstream opinion and give vital help to the establishment of our Fund, its promotion and administration. They sacrificed their own time and energy to load trucks and travel in them to Poland and to work in our office, and make generous financial donations. We deeply appreciate what you did even if we do not name you all individually.
Many members of the Polish community in Britain devoted years to fundraising and working for Medical Aid in the UK, travelling with our trucks to Poland and helping us make sure that the right people received our aid at the other end.
Lech Wałesa, leader and Chairman of Solidarity, and later President of the Republic of Poland, by appealing to the Polish communities abroad for medical help in 1981, triggered the foundation of our organisation and inspired our work ever since. We are extremely grateful that he found time to visit us in 1988. The photo shows him visiting our warehouse with Janusz Onyszkiewicz, another leader of the fight against communism, and Dr. Bożena Laskiewicz.
Father Jerzy Popiełuszko was chaplain to the medical community from 1978, priest at the church of St Stanisław Kostka in the Warsaw suburb of Zoliborz from 1980, and was a charismatic figure, a great friend of our Fund, who always offered us hospitality when we brought aid to the country. He was famous for his crowded "Masses for Poland" and had enormous support from the ordinary people. Even in the worst days of Martial Law and food rationing, they gave him food, clothing and medications, all of which he passed on to the families of internees and the oppressed. He was constantly spied upon, attacked and arrested by the Security Police. In October 1984 he was arrested for the last time, tortured and brutally murdered. He was Beatified by Papal Delegate Archbishop Amato at an open air ceremony in Warsaw's Piludski Square attended by about 100 bishops, 1,600 priests and 150,000 faithful on 6th June 2010.
We have been and still are helped by numerous people throughout Poland, institutions who gave us hospitality, individuals who off-loaded our trucks, and many others who helped us make sure that aid went to the most deserving.
It will never be possible to make a complete list of those who helped us over the years. We are grateful to every one of them but the list would be too long for a web page! However we have decided to try to start making a "short" list of those who were particularly outstanding for their effort and/or their contribution. Lest we forget. The beginning of the list is below. If you think we have been unfair in leaving someone out - please let us know.
THANK YOU!
Some of our helpers:
Eric Adams, Birmingham; Neal Ascherson, journalist, truck to Poland; Alex & Joanna Bienek, Cambridge; Irena Borejko, supporter; Hanna Broncel, large bequest; Barbara Buczek, warehouse; Ewa Szugajew-Brzeska, R.I.P., lottery; Kazik Brzeski R.I.P., transport manager; Maryna Buchwald, large bequest; Danuta Car R.I.P., warehouse; Ela Cembala, warehouse, shop; Jan Chmielewski truck to Poland; Olenka Chrzanowska R.I.P., warehouse; Iwona Ciecierska executive committee; Dr. Gertruda Collie Kolibabka, R.I.P., supporter; Salomea Daniewska, large bequest; Teofila Dauman R.I.P., supporter; Bruce Dehn, solicitor, Trustee 1981 -1993; Urszula Dzieduszycka R.I.P., office; K. Dudzik, Wolverhampton; Józef Dulat, large donation; Mr. Fedorowicz, Oxford; Maria Gawor, large bequest; Dr. S. Gebbertt R.I.P., Perth; Sir John Gielgud R.I.P., Patron; Teresa Glazer, R.I.P., office; Lord Harris of Greenwich R.I.P., Patron; Ella Heath, fundraising; J. T. Herman, pharmacist and supporter; Joanna Hermaszewska, office manager; Ewa & Andrew Howard, warehouse; Kazik Jaczyński, trucks, fundraising; Jurek Jarosz R.I.P. fundraising; Olga Jabłkowska R.I.P., warehouse; W. Jerzewski, large bequest; Andrzej Jonscher R.I.P., supporter; Charles & Renata Jonscher, supporters; Izabelle Kay, Bloxham Galleries; A. Kędzierawski, large bequest; Ewa Kochanowska, supporter; Małgorzata Koraszewska, office; Sarah Lawson, office, truck to Poland; E. Leonard, Devizes; Rula Lenska, fundraising; Wanda Lesisz, Manchester; Drs. Andrzej & Alina Lichtarowicz, Nottingham Medical Aid; Danuta Łochowska, office; Kazimierz Łubieński R.I.P., graphic design, publishing; Count Ludwik Łubieński R.I.P., supporter; W.K. Maciejewski, large bequest; Z. Malczewska, Hull; Sheila Maxwell, Chichester; Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott R.I.P., Scottish-Polish Friendship Fund; Hanna McClusky, fundraiser; M.H. Mikołajczyk R.I.P., large bequest; Sir Reginald Murley R.I.P., Patron; Jerzy Nowiak R.I.P, chronicle; Dr. Zofia Nowiak, R.I.P., warehouse; Ewa O'Brien R.I.P., shop manager; Maria Owsianka office, MAPF Bulletin Editor, Secretary; Alicja Ozimek, large bequest; Maryna Palmer, Sheffield; Irene Parkes, supporter; Natalie Peucker, large bequest; Danuta Piesakowska R.I.P., artist, Christmas card; Embassy & Consulate of the Republic of Poland, ongoing help; Polish Ball, large donation; Polish Naval Association, large donation; Helena Rankowicz R.I.P., office; Danuta Richardson R.I.P., supporter and large bequest; Nancy Rómmel R.I.P., office; Julia Rosińska, large bequest; Małgosia & Ryszard Ruda R.I.P., warehouse; Dr. P.M.T. Rudkowska, large bequest; Stanisława Rybczyńska, large bequest; Maria Rydzykowska, large bequest; Jean Sell, Cambridge supporter; Artur Rynkiewicz, R.I.P., a founding member of MAPF, vice-chairman and Executive Committee member 1981-2019; Irene Thornton, Scottish-Polish Friendship Fund; Princess Maria Sapieha R.I.P., fundraiser; Princess Renata Sapieha R.I.P., fundraiser; Wanda Sarnecka, R.I.P., executive committee; Dame Cicely Saunders R.I.P., Patron; Irena Słowińska, large bequest; Janina Staniszewska, office; Andrzej Twardzicki, concerts; Dr. Danuta Urbanowska, Liverpool; Prof. D.W. Vere R.I.P., Patron; Marta Walter R.I.P., concerts; Wiesław Wańkowski R.I.P.,executive committee; Eileen Warr, large donation; Iwona Więckowska, office manager; Zosia Wielogórska R.I.P., treasurer; Ania Wielogórska, treasurer; Kathlyn Wilson, Allerdale, Cumbria; Ludwika Wodianikow, large bequest; inż. Jarosław Zaba R.I.P, one of the founders of MAPF; Z. Zaba, Manchester; Joanna Zakrzewska-Ledóchowska, two trucks to Poland, Secretary, Trustee 1981 - 1993.