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Janina Kulak, Coventry

She is over 80 years old. Her journey from Poland to England started in 1940 when Russian soldiers took her and her family to Siberia and ended seven years later in 1947.

The story of her childhood is very emotional, she spent a few years in cold Russia, travelled through the Far East, lived and studied for four years in Palestine to finally come to England with Anders’ Army in 1947. This portrait shows all her wrinkles, her past troubles, but at the same time she’s drinking her tea with closed eyes, finally calm and safe.

“You can never buy freedom, you have to fight for it,” she says.

Polish concert

12,000 young Poles filled Wembley Arena in September 2008 for London Live, a Polish music festival.

“I chose a photo of this event as, never having been to Poland, this is the most Polish people I’ve ever seen in one place at one time, having such a good time!”

Len Garrison

Lenford (Kwesi) Garrison (1943–2003) was an educationalist and historian whose life’s work was to catalogue the development of the black British identity and its history and promote the works of young black writers.

He was born in St Thomas, Jamaica. His father and mother migrated to Britain in 1952 and 1953 respectively, and Len joined them there in west London in 1954.