24 listopada 2025 / 24 November 2025 In cooperation with Aktywny Dialog Poland
This Aktywny Dialog workshop with the 1st Wolds Scout Group in Wymeswold formed a meaningful part of our commemorations marking the 85th anniversary of the Soviet deportations of Poles to Siberia. The session honoured not only the hundreds of thousands who suffered under Soviet repression, but also the Sybirak survivors who later rebuilt their lives in the Wymeswold and Burton on the Wolds resettlement camps after the Second World War. Their presence in these villages remains a powerful chapter in the shared British–Polish story of resilience, community, and hope.
🏕️ 1st Wolds Scouts Workshop – History, Courage, and Connection
On 24 November, I had the honour of joining the 1st Wolds Scout Group for an evening dedicated to memory, resilience, and the shared values of Scouting. Together, we explored:
- the history of Polish Scouting under occupation
- the crimes of communism and the deportations to Siberia
- the role of Scouts in resisting oppression
- the importance of solidarity between British and Polish Scouts
The Scouts were attentive, thoughtful, and deeply engaged. It was inspiring to see young people connect so naturally with this history and recognise the bravery of those who came before them.
🎬 Kazik and the Kommander’s Car – Film Screening & Discussion
I was honoured to share my film Kazik and the Kommander’s Car, inspired by the legendary escape of Kazimierz Piechowski, a Polish Boy Scout who broke out of Auschwitz in June 1942. 🎥 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwxzIArOIFc
Piechowski’s story — full of courage, ingenuity, and the spirit of Scouting — captivated the group. We explored how his Scouting skills helped him survive the war, and the Scouts reflected on what bravery and responsibility mean in their own lives.
I also performed my song “Kommander’s Car”, and the Scouts joined in with enthusiasm — a moment of shared energy and connection across generations.
💌 A Special Message from Krystyna Małkowska
We were deeply honoured to receive a message from Krystyna Małkowska, granddaughter of the founders of Polish Scouting, Andrzej and Olga Małkowski.
Her message reminded the Scouts that:
- Polish and British Scouting have been connected since 1908, from the very beginning
- Scouting in Poland had to be practised underground, in secret, under occupation
- In 1913, Andrzej Małkowski brought 70 Polish Scouts to the World Jamboree in Birmingham
- Despite German protests, Lord Baden-Powell insisted the Polish flag must stay, awarding Andrzej a medal now kept in the Kraków Museum of Scouting
- During WWII, Olga Małkowska led Guides with extraordinary bravery, protecting girls during bombings, organising panicked train passengers, and later continuing her service in London
- For her courage, she received the Guides Bronze Medal from the Queen, which she accepted “for the Guides of Poland”
Her message was a powerful reminder of the resilience, bravery, and deep friendship between British and Polish Scouting. Czuwaj!
🎖️ Honouring Scouting Friendship – A Special Moment
One of the most touching moments of the evening was when Peter Blount MBE, Scout Leader of the 1st Wolds, presented me with an honorary 1st Wolds Scout necker.
This gesture — welcoming me into the global Scouting family — was one of the greatest honours I could receive. Czuwaj!
🙏 Thank You
My heartfelt thanks go to:
- Peter Blount MBE, Scout Leader in Wymeswold
- Jane Arnold, Scout Secretary
- Michael Windsor, for supporting the film presentation and historical discussion
- Krystyna Małkowska, for her moving message and for sharing her family’s extraordinary legacy
Together, we commemorated not only the Sybiracy but also two towering figures of Polish courage:
Kazimierz Piechowski
Polish Boy Scout, Auschwitz escapee, symbol of resistance.
Witold Pilecki
Cavalry officer, volunteer to Auschwitz, author of the first report on its atrocities, murdered under Soviet oppression. His legacy remains a beacon of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring values of Scouting.
🌲 Honouring the Sybirak Survivors of Wymeswold & Burton on the Wolds
This workshop also paid tribute to the Sybirak survivors who were resettled in the Wymeswold and Burton on the Wolds camps after the war. These men, women, and children — deported to Siberia in 1940–41 — rebuilt their lives in these Leicestershire villages, contributing to local life while preserving their Polish identity and memories of survival.
Their presence remains a profound reminder of:
- the human cost of Soviet aggression
- the resilience of the Polish spirit
- the generosity of British communities who welcomed them
- the importance of remembering their stories
Their legacy continues to inspire both Polish and British generations today.
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#AktywnyDialog #AktywnyDialogPoland #1stWoldsScouts #ScoutingHistory #PolishScouts #KazikAndTheKommandersCar #KazimierzPiechowski #WitoldPilecki #Sybiracy #85Rocznica #DeportacjeNaSybir #Wymeswold #BurtonOnTheWolds #PolishResettlement #BritishPolishHistory #Czuwaj #ScoutsUK #HistoryMatters #WeRemember #Pamiętamy
In cooperation with Aktywny Dialog Poland