History
The Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) in London was founded by the Polish community in Great Britain on the initiative of Prof. Roman Ludwik Wajda (1901-1974), who was also the first chairman of POSK. In 1964, on his initiative, the first public meetings began to take place in the UK, aimed at informing the Polish community about the idea of building the Centre and gathering funds for the implementation of this idea.
Numerous Polish organizations and associations as well as private individuals supported the visionary idea of Professor Wajda and began to donate or organize fundraising for this noble purpose.
In 1972, the buildings on King Street, Hammersmith were purchased, including shops and an already decommissioned Baptist Church - this is where the POSK building was due to stand in the near future.
After demolition works and the digging of trenches for foundations the actual building work was started. It was such a great event for Poles scattered around the UK that there were even trips from various corners of the United Kingdom to see how the construction works were going.
In 1974, the main building was completed and on December 29, after 3 years of intensive work, the official opening day came. Unfortunately, Professor Wajda was not able to see his dream of building and creating a Polish centre fulfilled - he died on December 8, 1974, three weeks before the opening.
The last part of the building where the theater is located was finished and solemnly opened in 1982.
POSK is guided by the slogan "for the benefit of Poland and free Poles". It was created, among other things, to save and maintain the Polish Library in London, which was established in 1942 and continues to fulfill its tasks and develop its activities. Many exhibitions, meetings, concerts, film screenings and theatre performances take place at POSK - both for adults and for children.
Many Polish organizations have their home here: some of them, over time, are being dissolved or transformed, but new ones appear, created by successive generations of Poles arriving in the UK.
In 2014, the Polish Social and Cultural Association proudly celebrated its 50th birthday with a year-round series of outstanding cultural events that were specially prepared for this momentous anniversary.
POSK currently maintains this huge edifice mainly from its own resources, developed by a prudent policy of self-sufficiency - rents from office and apartment tenants and hire of function rooms for both Poles and Britons. Gifts and donations, both from individuals and Polish foundations, help POSK to conduct the social and cultural activities for which it was created. The day to day management of POSK is performed by members of the Management Board on a voluntary basis.
