A celebration has taken place in Penrhos to mark 70 years of caring for people from Poland who stayed in the UK following the Second World War.

The Penrhos Polish Home on the Llyn Peninsula is owned by the Polish Housing Society Limited, a registered charitable organisation founded in 1949 to provide accommodation and support to Polish ex-service men and women.

The old air base at RAF Penrhos was chosen because it had served as a demobilisation camp for Polish servicemen after the war, and the facilities on site were ideal for providing instant accommodation.

Over time, the wooden barracks were replaced by purpose-built flats suitable for elderly people requiring sheltered housing, residential and nursing care.

What had started as a former air base became a Polish village with a church, library, common rooms, shop and allotments.

The home lies in approximately 20 acres of grounds with a wide variety of trees, shrubs and flowers and lawns surrounding the buildings on the site. There is a walled garden and plenty of areas where residents may walk.

Last month marked the 70th anniversary of the start of the home, and a celebratory mass took place in the church, led by resident priest Fr Ryszard and Bishop Peter Brignall, the RC Bishop of Wrexham.

Following mass, a monument to mark the 70th anniversary was unveiled by the vice consul, Emilia Furmaniuk, from the Polish Consulate in Manchester, followed by a blessing by the Bishop.

A special lunch was held in the dining rooms attended by 80 people made up of residents, board members and guests.

Cllr Angela Russell attended to represent the local area. After raising a toast to the occasion whilst singing Sto lat (may we live a hundred years), a delicious lunch was enjoyed by all.

With little time to digest the meal it was off to the Friendship Hall where there was an afternoon of entertainment which consisted of speeches, poetry dedicated to Penrhos, a slide show showing photographs over the last 70 years, and musical entertainment by a Polish group from Liverpool.

The afternoon finished off with a huge birthday cake being carried in to the hall where it was portioned and distributed to those present with tea and coffee to finish.

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