A hundred years for Ziggy

The Medway Hall was full when the parish gathered to mark Ziggy Paczynski’s hundredth birthday. Gold balloons shaped into 100 stood behind the family group at the centre of the montage, with Ziggy in a pale suit and tie among them. Tables ran the length of the hall, each set with tea, sandwiches and a single rose, and the Union Flag was out in more than one corner. Look across the photos and the whole parish is there, babies in arms, children at the tables, parishioners who have known the hall for years, and Father Adrian among them.

The cake drew its own crowd. White iced, ringed with strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, it carried a Polish greeting piped in red across the top: Wszystkiego Najlepszego, all the best. He cut it while the room sang Happy Birthday and clapped. Video of the cake cutting is below.

Ziggy spoke to everyone, and a hundred years sat lightly on him. He had reached Britain at twenty. He gave himself up to the Americans in World War 2 who then passed him onto the Polish Army. He spent the birthday itself loading a ship at Naples bound for England. A few nights at Gainsborough in Lincolnshire came first.

What stayed with him was the welcome. He described a country where no one was ranked better or worse, where people took you as they found you. If you were honest, he said, they were honest back. “The best people in Europe.” When the Polish Corps was settled here, some of his companions sailed on to America, Canada and Australia. He stayed. Part of it was a feeling that he was a European and meant to remain one. Something told him he liked the place, and he was glad he had listened.

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)

Billingham became home. He remembered the shipyard and the whalers built on the river, the men he worked beside as their mate handing out tools, and how they pulled him into dances and evenings out while his English was still finding its feet. “My life wasn’t exciting,” he told the room, “but it was steady.”

His son spoke too. He thanked the whole parish, Father Adrian, Janet and the many others whose work had gone into the day, and whoever had made the cake. It showed, he said, how much love and support there is in the parish, and he was glad of the way the Parish had looked after his dad. “So thank you very much, everybody.” Then, turning to Ziggy as the room applauded, “Well done, Dad.” His thanks were filmed as well, and that video is below.

Ziggy said something early on about anybody wandering past, looking in from the street. Suppose one had. A hall of tables and tea, a family gathered close around a man of a hundred, and around them a parish that had turned out to make the day happen, setting the room, baking, pouring and laughing. Nobody at the door would have needed it explained. The family's love and the parish's care had run together until they were hard to tell apart.

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)

Thanks from family

The family of Ziggy Paczynski send their heartfelt thanks for the lovely time they had with parishioners celebrating his 100th birthday. A big thank you to all those who organised things and made it such a special occasion for their dad.