Negative headlines about immigrants were everywhere when thousands of Poles flocked to Britain after their country joined the EU in 2004. Photographer JULIA HORBASCHK was so incensed she set about documenting the realities of their situation. ANDY CHILES reports.

IN 2006, two years after Poland joined the European Union, there were more than 1,500 Poles living in Brighton and Hove.

The community brought a wave of Polish shops, cafes and bars. Catholic churches had to start providing extra services to accommodate new parishioners from the country where 98% of the population practise the religion.

The same happened elsewhere in Sussex, notably in Bognor and Eastbourne, and all over Britain. The mass migration spawned headlines criticising the incomers for taking jobs or using social services and health care.

Photographer Julia Horbaschk, who had migrated from her native Germany in 1999, was disappointed and angry, and to balance the picture she set about a new project, documenting the real lives of many of the Poles and other migrants in Brighton, showing the jobs they did and the way they lived.

Now the photography tutor at City College Brighton and Hove has published a book of the images and is staging two exhibitions.

She said: “I just try to get away from stereotypes. I noticed prejudice against migrant workers, so I made it my task to find out more about them and portray them as part of our community.

“Some feel very happy in their work and want to stay in the UK but many feel they are underpaid or they have too few breaks. She took the photographs between September 2007 and February 2008.

Since then, some of the Polish community have gone home and the number moving to the area is falling. The departures have been largely due to economic concerns. Poland’s own economy has been improving while in Britain it has slowed.

Ms Horbaschk said the nature of the city may also have been a contributory factor. She said: “I think Brighton is quite competitive. Some migrant workers worry that if they say anything negative about their job they might lose it so they just get on with it.”

Father Tadeusz Bialas, a Polish Catholic priest, estimates there are more than 3,000 Poles living in the city. His weekly Polish language mass at St Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Upper North Street attracts a congregation of around 300.

He said: “I see new people in the church all the time. Life is still very hard in Poland and for many it is still worth moving to the UK.” Ms Horbaschk said her experience of Polish workers showed many had a dedication above that normally seen in Britain.

She said: “I noticed they had a more proactive role at work such as painting the staff room and making it friendlier or learning new languages such as Arabic.

“Overall, they work hard and long hours, often over the weekend when local workers just want their time off.”

Regina, Janek and Robert Koenig

This picture was taken behind St Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Upper North Street, Brighton, which has been a focal point for the city’s Polish community. The church puts on a weekly mass in Polish, which has been so popular parishioners have been spilling on to the pavement outside.

It backs on to St Mary Magdalen Catholic Primary School, which has a large proportion of children from the community.

Regina Koenig travels around schools in the area, helping Polish children to adapt to the British school system.

Ms Horbaschk said: “She is a good example of someone who has had an important part to play in making it work, helping to make a cohesive society.”

Robert Koenig’s parents migrated to Britain at the end of the Second World War and he grew up in the country.

He is a sculptor whose work features wooden figures of his Polish ancestors.

Pawlel and Gregor

These young workers are among several who found jobs at the Palace Pier in Brighton.

They provide an example of the thousands who were willing to take on low-paid manual work.

Ms Horbaschk said about Pawlel and Gregor: “I chose not to ask them about their situation.

“I thought it was quite interesting that they were pictured loading Coca-Cola drinks, having come from a country which rejected consumerism for many years.”

Richard

Richard, from the former Czechoslovakia, works trying to help people from his home country to settle in Brighton. He organises parties for migrants from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are open to others.

His events take place once a month at Kulture Club in West Street.

Pick up your copy of Labour Of Love

Julia Horbaschk's book Labour Of Love is available for £14 at the Jubilee Library in Jubilee Square, Brighton. An exhibition of the photographs finishes at the library today. It will be moved to City College in Pelham Street, next Thursday, where she will be selling discounted copies at £11 from 3pm to 5pm. The exhibition runs until Thursday, December 4.