BUBBLY marked the third birthday of Setlak PR, a St Neots agency which specialises in reaching the Polish community in Great Britain. Owner Matylda Setlak set the business up within a year of her arrival in the UK in 2006, helped by Business Link, and mov

BUBBLY marked the third birthday of Setlak PR, a St Neots agency which specialises in reaching the Polish community in Great Britain.

Owner Matylda Setlak set the business up within a year of her arrival in the UK in 2006, helped by Business Link, and moved it to St Neots earlier this year.

She said: "It was an uphill struggle at the beginning. I had no experience whatsoever in running a business. But I kept learning from my mistakes and, little by little, we managed to attract more and more clients."

Matylda is a graduate in advertising and public relations from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. She didn't start off in Britain in her own field, but began as a data entry clerk before working as a waitress on a train.

"I knew that wasn't the right work for me," she said. "I dreamt about challenges, developing my skills and taking risks.

"Several things attracted us to St Neots: its close proximity and good transport to London, its peaceful atmosphere and - last but not least - its attractive property prices compared to London. A friend, who had bought a house here earlier, recommended the place to me. It was a great choice. I love St Neots."

In the past three years, Setlak PR has successfully carried out some 40 projects, involving promoting products, services and events targeted at the Polish community.

One of the company's most notable events was Scottish Tides-Polish Spring, a Scottish-Polish cultural festival which lasted several months.

The agency has now carried out projects in co-operation with British businesses in sectors as diverse as finance, education and telecommunications. Setlak PR has also acted as an adviser to government bodies such as the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority.

"More and more businesses realise that the Poles in Britain are an attractive niche market, with specific consumer needs to cater for," said Matylda.

There are some 60 Polish-language media in the UK and many Polish organisations dispersed throughout the British Isles. Each year, many Polish events take place, from Southampton to Edinburgh.

"This makes for wide opportunities for business promotion. Not all the Poles are going back home. On the contrary, many are settling down. Even though there are no conclusive data, my guess is that there are at least a million Poles in Britain. This is a sizeable market by any standards."

INFORMATION: For more details, visit www.setlakpr.com