11th November 2018 – 11th November 2019: Celebrating 100 Years of Polish Independence – An Exhibition of Polish Heritage in Bedford
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Polish Independence, established after the First World War, The Higgins Bedford presents an exhibition celebrating and exploring the shared stories of Bedford’s Polish community. The exhibition opens on 11th November 2018 in the Great Bedfordians Gallery and is free to visit.
The exhibition includes a film featuring ‘history keepers’ – young people from the Polish community who have been trained to interview parents, grandparents and older people about their experiences of migration, early lives in Poland and journeys to Bedford.
The Higgins Bedford has worked in collaboration with the Polish British Integration Centre (PBIC) and the Heritage Lottery Fund to launch the MYID Project, which has provided training workshops for young people to collect and showcase the stories, artefacts, and photographs presented in this exhibition.
Cllr Sarah-Jayne Gallagher said ‘This project has uncovered some remarkable stories of survival and adventure that will now be part of the museum archive – a wonderful way for Bedford to celebrate its Polish Heritage.’
