Don't be Poles apart (From Dorset Echo)

Don't be Poles apart

10:03am Tuesday 12th February 2008 in

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COMMUNITY leaders want to hear from Weymouth's growing Polish population.

A call has gone out to Polish immigrants and other people who are not represented at community meetings.

By turning up at meetings and supporting events they can have a say in how the community is run and influence priorities to be tackled by the police.

Dr James Gunn Atanasov is encouraging more people to get involved in Partners and Communities Together panels - a scheme which involves residents in the decision-making process.

Dr Atanasov is vice chairman of Melcombe Regis Pact, the biggest group in Weymouth which covers the Park District, town centre and Lodmoor.

Due to the large amount of rented accommodation in the area it is home to many migrant workers.

The appeal comes a week after a horrific road crash in which three Polish men living in the Melcombe Regis area died.

Dr Atanasov said this had been a huge personal tragedy for all those involved, including the wider community in Weymouth.

Long-term Park District resident Alicia Watkins, who is Polish, has been liaising with families through her involvement with St Augustine's Catholic Church and arranging interpreters for families.

She also hopes more Polish people will get involved in Pact.

Dr Atanasov said: "We have an average attendance of 70 people at our meetings which is good, but it's important the whole community is represented.

"Polish people and other Eastern Europeans, ethnic groups, teenagers and young families all have a voice but we're not hearing it.

"We'd like to know how we can help them to aid their integration.

"Safer neighbourhood and environment concerns can be raised at the Pact meeting."

The group won an award last year for its efforts to reduce crime and tidy up the streets of the Park District. Among the Pact success stories are getting rid of junkies' needles from alleyways, clearing graffiti from walls, improving leisure facilities for children and tackling the boy-racer problem in the town's car parks.

* The next meeting of Partners and Communities Together in Melcombe Regis takes place on Monday, March 31, at 7pm, Park Centre, Chelmsford Street, Weymouth.