It was a typical Friday afternoon for PC Patryk Polom, or so he thought.
He attended what he believed was a meeting at Lynn Town Football Club, but was left speechless after he received a community champion award for the work he does alongside the Linnets.
PC Polom has been a beat manager for North Lynn just shy of a year and has been a Linnets fan since he was a teenager. He now works alongside Sergeant Darryl Grief to strengthen links between the football club and the wider community.
He is often found around the ground on a match day and “never fails to have a smile on his face” and has also had heavy involvement with Lynn’s College of West Anglia, ensuring that it works with the football club and Linnets in the Community.
PC Polom was nominated as part of the Premier League’s ‘More Than A Game’ initative. He said: “I’m overwhelmed, it's not about doing good work for me, it's just doing my job.
“Working with people in North Lynn and the football club has been great. I can’t fault it.”
He was presented with his Community Captain award by Linnets manager Adam Lakeland and his assistant Sam Walker.
His award was presented in front of West Norfolk Mayor Cllr Margaret Wilkinson and Deputy Mayor Paul Bland who is also affiliated to the club, alongside his policing team colleagues and his family.
Safety officer at Lynn Town Football Club Sarah Ryan explained why she decided to nominate PC Polom for the award.
She said: “Patryk first became acquainted with King’s Lynn Town FC when he was a teenage boy, having worked in our catering department because he loved the club.
“Fast forward a decade and he is now a Police Constable and is keen to get stuck in with engaging the community. Alongside his Sergeant Darryl Grief, he has worked with the club to enhance the links with the community.
“From next month Patryk and the Linnets in the community team will be visiting schools in the area to get them involved in our up and coming community football match, opening them up to the possibilities of community engagement.
“Patryk has worked with the football club to identify areas of engagement and opened up opportunities for the club to link with other community services having been a pillar for North Lynn and their targeted youth support services which has provided purposeful engagement within the area.
“He has been a key person in the involvement of The College of West Anglia working in collaboration with both Lynn Town FC and Linnets in the Community.”
Ben Griffin, a youth support worker who has been working with Pc Polom, said: “I have been working closely with Pat for nearly four months now, he has been a regular visitor to our youth group ‘Pizza Projects’ on a Friday.
“He has built meaningful relationships with the young people present and is now seen and respected by all of them. The young people are often asking: ‘Is Patryk coming?’
“He is a favourite visitor for all the young people. Patryk has been a huge help with establishing a core group of professionals dedicated to helping young people in North Lynn. We cannot thank him enough.”
Tracey Hall from the College of West Anglia added: “Patryk has been a constant source of support to the PPS department at CWA for the past couple of years.
“As an ex-student who has made the transition from student to PC he is a source of inspiration to our students and always makes himself available when we need a bit of help.
“He has assisted us with mock interviews, taken part in Q&A sessions, taken part in a ten-mile walk to name but a few.
We are truly lucky to have him as a mentor and this award is richly deserved, cheers Patryk and thank you.”
