POHOS chairperson’s report 2012

Polish Heritage Trust of Otago and Southland

 

Chairperson’s Report

1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012

 

On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to present the Annual Report on Activities of the Trust which took place during the last 12 months. These activities benefited local and wider New Zealand communities in many ways while we were working steadily towards achieving the following Trust’s objectives:

 

• We tried to enrich New Zealand society by promoting cultural and spiritual awareness of Polish heritage in New Zealand by:

 

• Marie Curie-Sklodowska –Polish born French physicist and chemist Marie Curie was a pioneer in her field, discovering two new elements and coining the term radioactivity. Marie Curie-Sklodowska was the first women to be awarded Nobel Prize and first person ever to be awarded Nobel Prce twice.

 

May 2011

 

To celebrate the centennial anniversary of Marie Curie’s Nobel Price win University of Otago chemist Dr Carla J Meledandri shared her insight of fascinating private life and professional achievements of Marie Curie 100 years ago at Otago Museums at Barclays Theatre on 12^th May 2011.

 

• Winsome Dormer – Honorary Polish Consul

 

On the 15^th of May 2011 Winsome Dormer visited Dunedin for the first time in her official role as Honorary Polish Consul. Board and Members of POHOS welcome Winsome with the following programme:

1. Trip to Polish Church at Broad Bay on Otago Peninsula
2. Lunch at sea side restaurant Pier 24
3. Attending screening at Rialto Cinema the film “The Way Back”. 2010 drama film about a group of prisoners who escape from a Siberian Gulag camp during World War II. The film was directed by Peter Weir inspired by The Long Walka book bt Slawomir Rawicz, a Polish POW in the Soviet Gulag.

 

August 2011

 

• Anna Kijanowska – Polish born USA based pianist.

Anna Kijanowska has established herself as a multi faceted musician, smoothly transitioning among her roles as a performing and recording artist, pedagogue, coach, and advocate of contemporary classical music around the world. She has performed, taught and collaborated in North and South America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand, Africa and Australia.

Dr Anna Kijanowska held a lecture on Polish Mazurka at Marama Hall, Otago University on Monday, 1st  August 2011.

October 2011

 

• Polish Church, Broad Bay, Otago Peninsula

 

October 2011 was a very busy time for Board Members, Members of Polish Community and Broad Bay Society, sincere thanks to everybody for your hard work. We now have a new roof (repaired and re-painted) and all outside weatherboards and windows have been repaired and painted. Splendid result.

 

 

November 2011

 

• Szafarnia – village in Pomarenian Voidevoship where young Fryderyk Chopin spent long holidays with Dziewanowski Family. Today, stately home is part of Frydery Chopin Information Centre. The Centre organises concerts, music workshops and masterclasses, plein-air painting workshops, reciting and art competitions, exhibitions, tournaments of knowledge about Chopin and above all the Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition for children and youngsters, which has been held since 1993.

 

On the 13^th of November 2012 after anniversary concert held in Szafarnia Memeber of Polish Trust from Warsaw gifted 3^rd copy of Margaret Howard print commemorating bicentenary of birth of Fryderyk Chopin. (1^st copy of the preint has been donated to the Chopin Museum in Warsaw and 2^nd to New Zealand Ambasy in Warsaw).

December 2011

 

• Christmas

 

Before we knew it, it was Christmas again.

 

Greeting Cards has been send to all members and friends of POHOS and Church at Broad Bay has been full to a brim for our customary Christmas Carols Service.

 

January 2012

 

• Polish Ambasador to New Zealand – Bozena Stoczynka & Polish Consul – J.Stoczynski in Dunedin

 

12^th of January 2012 we had an honour to welcome Polish Ambasador & Consul to New Zealand for a cocktail function in Dunedin. Weather and company of about 40 guests proved excellent. I had a great pleasure and honour to host such gathering of Polish and New Zealand friend of our organization.

 

• We supported the maintenance of historical properties of Polish heritage in New Zealand:

 

• Work in progress on preservation of the Historic Polish Church, Mary Queen of Peace at Broad Bay on the Otago Peninsula: year around.
• We also maintain the gardens surrounding the Church.

 

• We co-operated with other historical trusts and organizations:
• The Trust is a Member of the Otago Settlers Association and Taieri Historical Society.
• We co-operate with Port Chalmers Historical Society, Polish Heritage Trust and Associations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch. Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

 

 

• We support and encourage cultural, educational and economic links and exchanges between Poland and New Zealand

 

• See above –
• Limited edition of Margaret Ann Howard print (no.3) was ere donated to Szafarnia (see above) Other prints (no.1 & 2) were donated to Chopin Museum and New Zealand Embassy in Warsaw in the previous year.
• Polish national flag is now traditionally raised at the municipal building in Octagon, Dunedin Town Centre at Polish National Day 3^rdof May.

 

 

Current and future projects:

 

• Celebration of 140 anniversary of the arrival of PALMERSTON to Port Chalmers
• Otago Settlers Museum display
• Revival of the dance group

 

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I would like to thank all members and friends of the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland here in New Zealand and Poland specially to: Czesia Panek, Jeanie and Peter Hayden, Margaret and Neil Howard, Carol Meikle, Bozena and Alfred Haug, the Schep Family, Angela Donaldson, Ula Nowostawski, Lynnette Chiles, Wojciech Klobukowski, Mary-Beth Mitchell and many others.

 

A final vote of thank goes to the current trustees: the Secretary of the Trust Russell Chiles, Trust Treasurer Cecylia Klobukowska, board members Mariusz Nowostawski, Paul Klemick, Carol Mikle, Lisa Warrington and John Roy-Wojciechowski.

 

It has been an honour and privilege to be part of the Board dedicated to the Polish Heritage of Otago and Southland. Thank you for your commitment, reliability and dedicated work. On behalf of the Trust I would like to thank John Devereux, the Trust’s Auditor for his professional service done on a voluntary basis.

 

We look forward to the year 2012 – 2013.

 

Thank you

 

 

Ewa Rozecka-Pollard

Chairperson

6^th November 2012