Memorial garden to wartime Polish refugees created on old chapel site

MORE than 40 people attended the unveiling of a Polish community memorial garden and a plaque in Whitchurch on Sunday.

The event celebrated the completion of a five-year project to commemorate Polish migrants who settled in Nissen huts at Canadian Air Force and American Army bases in the village and built a chapel after the Second World War.

The hut where the memorial garden is now was converted into a Polish church in 1956 before being demolished in 2014 after deteriorating from lack of use.

More than 40 volunteers helped create the garden, including the Green Team, Whitchurch-on-Thames Habitat Study Group and the parish council. The project received a £3,400 grant from the Lottery Heritage Fund for the plaque, bat boxes, tree guards and planting.

Six heritage trees were donated by Alistair Dunstan and a cherry tree by Soha. The site should become a haven for wildlife.

John Bradon, chairman of the Whitchurch Society, said: “The project started when I was writing up the village plan in 2019.

“We’d suggested setting up a Green Team to look after eight green spaces around the village, including this one, and Alexa Drummond-Briggs kindly took on the role of co-ordinating the team.

“Sally Woolhouse, Gill Goodwin and Anna Szczeponek had already thought about what could be done and made some notes and Alexa organised meetings to help clear the site and discuss what we should do. Others whose homes back on to the garden all got involved and were keen that it should be a habitat for wildlife.”

At the ceremomy, Rev James Leach, the vicar of Whitchurch, gave a short speech and encouraged those present to reflect on the positive story about the site. He said: “We are reminded that our village has been a place of refuge where people in need have been welcomed and given hospitality.

“The site of the Polish church, marked by the cross, is a reminder of the part that faith has played in the lives of many of those who have found refuge here.

“The garden is a reminder of the beauty of nature and its power to refresh the soul. This whole project is a reminder of what can be done when members of a community bring their time, energy and skills together for the common good. These are all things worth celebrating.

“Whether or not we believe in a God, from whom all good things come, it is good to be able to express gratitude for things in life that bring us joy or peace or whatever else we value.”

Ms Szczeponek, one of the few original camp residents still living in Manor Road, recalled the chapel’s history.

She said: “In 1950, one of the Nissen huts was converted into a chapel but as the community expanded, eventually to 48 families, this proved too small and in 1956 one of the flat-roofed buildings was converted into a chapel.

“My grandfather made the altar for the new chapel as he was a skilled carpenter and painter.”

Drinks and food with a Polish theme were provided by Doreen Gow, of Manor Road.