I am just back from a long weekend working visit to Warminsko Mazurskie region in North Eastern Poland. It was a reminder that there is a lot more to Poland than cities like Warsaw.
The region has a complex history. I visited the site of the Battle of Grunwald where Poles and Lithuanians defeated the Teutonic Knights in 1410 and Frombork, where Copernicus lived for many years.
There is a British connection. Pinewood from Rybno was exported to the UK in the 19th century. Over 40 British POWs, who died in a camp near Lidzbark Warminski in 1917/1918, are buried in the military cemetery there. There are plans for renovation supported by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
I also visited two remote lodges, where brave Poles hid British pilots during World War Two, at huge personal risk since the region was then part of East Prussia.
We visited communities across Warminsko. The warmth and variety of our engagement was moving and fun.
Traditional bread and salt in Lubawa, a siren and the National Anthem from volunteer firemen in Grodziczno, giving out prizes at an entrepreneurship ceremony in Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, viewing Saturn through a telescope in Truszczyny, addressing a sports picnic in Lubawa and eating deer and freshly baked bread at a peaceful agro tourist lodge.
Our abiding memory is the range of delicious cakes we ate. We lost count at a dozen! Climbing to the top of Frombork tower was no compensation for that many calories. But the hospitality was amazing.
The trip had a commercial focus too. There is a regional furniture cluster. We visited two such firms. One is a highly successful business with an export focus, including on the UK, and the other, a growing SME, also with UK customers.
We also visited a successful engineering firm and a producer of dairy products. I was struck by the infectious optimism of businessmen like Eurostyl or Szynaka who believe that we can certainly compete with countries like China. We agreed an action plan with the Marshal of Warminsko Mazurskie and the Mayor of Olsztyn to promote trade and investment with the region.
There are great opportunities for British firms and scope for local entrepreneurs to invest in the UK to help grow their businesses.
After 1050 Kilometres and far too much food, I returned home to my rowing machine.