An exhibition looking at the experiences of Polish people since their post-war settlement has gone on display in the district.

Bradford freelance photographer Tim Smith has captured images of Polish people at events around the country, ranging from big celebrations attended by thousands of people to small family gatherings.

His exhibition, Polski Do Anglii: Polish Communities In Britain, focuses on their experiences at work, at school, at prayer and at leisure, providing insights into the vibrant mix making up Britain’s Polish population today.

“As football fans look towards Poland as it hosts the Euro 2012 tournament, this exhibition focuses on the experiences of Polish people closer to home,” said Mr Smith.

“Britain’s long-established Polish community began with people displaced during the Second World War. Despite their vital role in the defeat of the Nazis in 1945 they were unable to return to a Soviet-controlled Poland, and became the largest group of political exiles ever to settle in Britain. They were later joined by others fleeing political and economic problems in Poland during the Communist era. The majority of Poles now living in Britain came from a free and independent Poland, leaving after the country joined the European Union in 2004, and are the biggest group of economic migrants ever to arrive in Britain.” Mr Smith’s interest in Polish affairs began more than 20 years ago when, working as a photojournalist, he covered the collapse of Communism in Europe.

He said: “Travelling through the disintegrating Soviet empire in the early 1990s was an amazing introduction to the complex history of the region and opened my eyes to the extraordinary stories of its people. On returning home I sought out the Poles living around me in Bradford, and those in other towns around Britain. This work resulted in the book Keeping the Faith - The Polish Community in Britain. Published in 2000, it told the stories of those who settled here in the 1940s and 50s.

“This latest exhibition has been a great opportunity to bring the story of Poles in Britain up to date by exploring the experiences of those who have come since 2004 and their relationships with the established communities.”

The exhibition is accompanied by a film by Polish film-maker Magdalena Oczkowska, illustrating the stories of Poles who have settled in Britain for very different reasons.

Her award-winning film, Finding Home Again, is a moving portrait of a Polish retirement village in North Wales.

- Polski Do Anglii: Polish Communities in Britain runs at Shipley Focus’d Gallery, Market Square, Shipley, until the end of July.