Greater Govanhill Issue 14: Community Action

COMMUNITY ACTION

INCLUDING : history of radical community media • a tale of two cities • the importance of international solidarity • the destruction of art for activism • Agnew Lane Community Garden’s bid for land ownership • the sound of collective action • introduction to our photography group the spirit of Kenmure Street • chai recipe • crossword • local news • what’s on • and more Featuring articles

Letter from the Team

Dear Readers,

Govanhill is an area that is constantly in flux; its character influenced by the different communities who make it their own. Yet throughout its history, local people have banded together to fight for their rights and others – it’s in our DNA.

This issue showcases the activism happening in our communities to inspire hope and bring the lessons from our past into the fight for our shared future.

From conversations with community growers in Agnew Lane, to a showcase of our new photography group capturing ‘small acts of resistance’, and a timeline of successful protests –there’s something for everyone in this issue, platforming different voices while exploring themes of community and social action.

We are also still celebrating after winning the Reporting Communities Award at this year’s Regional Press Awards. The judges said: ‘Greater Govanhill has become a powerful example of how local, community-led journalism can bring about real change’ – something we couldn’t do without the support of our readers. So, thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Devon McCole Journalist

A special thanks to our advertisers: Garolla, Glasgow Urban Sports, Glasgow Social Enterprise Network, Govanhill Housing Association, Home Energy Scotland, Magikats, Street Level Photoworks, Studio 70, Tramway

Want to advertise in our next issue? Email advertising@greatergovanhill.com

Editor-in-Chief Rhiannon J Davies

We’re also grateful to every one of our members who help us to keep going, even when times are tight. If you enjoy the magazine and want to keep it free for all, and can afford £4 each month, support us here: community.greatergovanhill.com/join

Creative Director Laura Hurst paperarcade.co.uk

Journalism Team Devon McCole and Samar Jamal

Picture Editor Iain McLellan

Cover Image Govanhill Spring Clean by Iain McLellan

Words by

Featured Contributors

Rob Reid is an amateur photographer documenting community gardening in Crosshill. He also restores photographic slides, bringing a new life to forgotten images on @rescuedslides.

Check out his photos of the Agnew Lane Community Garden on page 22

Naaz Sidhu graduated from Kwantlen University with a BA in Sociology. She is currently pursuing a Masters exploring global migration and social justice. Naaz has been a poet for eight years and uses art and academia in the pursuit for social justice and awareness.

Read her recipe for chai on page 9

Daniel Mwangi, Devon McCole, Jill Clark, Kate Wilson, Katherine Mackinnon, Lena Popikova, Marzanna Antoniak, Paula Larkin, Naaz Sidhu, Rhiannon J Davies, Rory MacNeish, Samar Jamal, Sehar Mehmood, Tabasssum Niamat, Pinar Aksu, St Bride’s P6s, The Anymen, We Are Many

Photos by

Audrey Bizouerne, Iain McLellan, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, John Bowden, Karen Gordon, Laura Vroomen, Michael Paley, Miriam Ali, Niall Miller, Rob Reid, Rhiannon J Davies, Raia Gadiaga, Ryan Federman, Simon Murphy, Stefan Krajcik, STUC archive, Syeda Sadaf Anwar, This is Rigged, Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Translations by Romano Lav and Naaz Sidhu

Printed by Gladstone Media Ltd

Jill Clark

My name is Jill, I am 32, and I love music, especially country music. I love swimming and I love going to Florida. Read her article on campaigning for disability rights on page 30

A

social enterprise is run like a business, but the profits are invested back into the local area to create meaningful change

At GSEN, we’re creating a space for different organisations to come together and exchange ideas, resources, and support. Our membership is growing and we’re always open to new members. GSEN brings together over 200 social enterprises (our members) and organisations that support their work (associate members)

We Support We Develop

Offering bespoke services, provide information and signposting to specialist services

Offering a platform for members to form partnerships and collaborations

Providing and enabling access to events and training

Undertaking research to influence policy and strategy development

We’re a growing movement.

We Promote

Providing an outlet for awareness raising of social enterprises

Engaging and consulting with social enterprises to ensure their views are represented

The past year has shown how valuable relationships with others in our local area can be. It has never been more important that we can share our skills and create opportunities for each other.

Not a social enterprise? Don’t worry, you can still be part of our network. Whether you’re starting up a social enterprise, or your organisation supports them, there’s a membership for you. GSEN membership is free for everyone.

Full membership? You’re an established social enterprise in the Greater Glasgow area and you meet the voluntary code for social enterprise in Scotland

We Connect

Facilitating a safe space for members to share resources, ideas and

Aspiring Membership? You’re developing your organisation, and you’re working towards the voluntary code for social enterprise

Associate Membership? You’re a supporter or partner of social enterprises in the Greater Glasgow area

Some of our members (from bottom to top, left to right): Jeely Piece Club and African Challenge Scotland. GalGael and Locavore. Urban Roots and People’s Pantry (Govanhill Baths)

News in Brief

All the latest from around the neighbourhood

Roma News and Views

“The film is a story of overcoming adversity despite all odds”

Recipe:

Khaar De Chaa

“South Asian chai represents a form of resistance”

11

POV: Dee & Talitha

“My hair is definitely my confidence”

12

Behind the Portrait:

Kev Kiernan

“We fought Nazis in the streets”

14

My Life Before Govanhill: Ghaleb and Mariela

“Our dream is to help as many people as we can”

Like the sound of all this? Want to help keep us going? Scan this code to support the magazine by becoming a member!

Introducing… The Greater Govanhill Photography Group

“ I hope we can bring new perspectives into the field so that it better reflects our neighbourhood”.

The History of Radical Community Media

“Where do stories about the city come from, and who gets to tell them?”

On the Destruction of Art for Activism

“Activists’ ‘Robin Hood’ activities are about bringing attention back to the cost-of-living crisis.”

The Sound of Collective Action

“Through radio, our voices are amplified”

Community Growers of Agnew Lane

“We need hopeful spaces, and the buyout signifies hope.”

A Tale of Two Cities

“I see Glasgow as a radical city. It feels like that’s always been the case but it didn’t happen out of thin air.”

Timeline of Resistance

“Govanhill has long been known as a place of resistance, where solidarity spills over into protest,”

International Solidarity in Glasgow

“Just because we’re not talking about it, doesn’t mean it’s not affecting us or we don’t need help.”

Why I Campaign For Disability Rights

“Disability is an ability to do something”

The Spirit of Kenmure Street

“Against all the odds, this became the most peaceful almighty standoff.”

want the community and government to help us shine again and make Govanhill the greenest place.”

The latest events from around the Southside

The Anymen return with another cryptic crossword

Multilingual Quiz On Equality by Marzanna Antoniak

URDU

ROMANIAN

news in brief

Over 100 volunteers turn out for the Govanhill Spring Clean

More than 100 people gathered at the Al-Farooq Community and Education Centre early one Saturday morning in April for the Govanhill Spring Clean. It was such a huge turn-out that the organisers ran out of litter-pickers. Speaking about why the event happened, coorganiser, Yousuf Faisal, said: “We are here to show that we are the custodians of our own community.”

A community-led initiative, the clean-up was a collaboration between between local residents and organisations including Greater Govanhill, Govanhill Housing Association and Al-Farooq Education and Community Centre.

Many local residents joined to help out with the clean-up. One volunteer, Wendy said:“I live on Dixon Avenue. I saw this was happening and I thought it was important to get involved. I think too often we just moan about the streets being dirty and actually I wanted to participate and encourage my child and his friend to take part.”

The day began with a briefing, followed by teams heading out to pick litter from different alloted routes, then everyone reconvened for a meal and refreshments, with food kindly provided by MILK, Transylvania Coffee & Shop and Crema Coffee.

Prizes were given out for the most unusual find – a recorder – and the oldest – a practically ancient 13 year old can of Irn Bru.

Ahead of the event, resident Aoife Hutton said: “A cleaner, greener area to live in is better for everyone. We know one litter pick isn’t going to solve everything overnight, but it is a show of caring for our own community, coming together and hopefully a ripple effect for bigger changes.”

The plan is to make it into a monthly event. To be kept informed of the next litter pick sign up here: bit.ly/GHSpringClean

Local action groups and activists respond to passing of the Rwanda Bill

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill received Royal Assent in late April, officially becoming the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024. The legislation ensures that Rwanda is deemed a safe country, making it easier to turn away refugees seeking asylum here in the UK. It has led to people being detained in anticipation of deportation to Rwanda. This has sparked outrage, with local groups like Glasgow No Evictions Campaign and SEIN sharing information on how to resist the Safety to Rwanda Act and support those who may be affected by the policy change. For more info on what to do if you witness a raid, visit antiraids.net.

New architecture project ‘Art Deco Southside Alive!’ launches

The South Glasgow Heritage and Environment Trust shared their plans for a new project exploring, and celebrating, interwar modernist architecture from 1919–1938. The project is about getting local input, collecting ideas and memories and putting community perspectives centre stage, through the delivery of art classes, model building, interviews and community walks. Organisers are asking residents to “stay tuned for chances to discover & get creative with South Glasgow’s landscape in 2024 and 2025.”

The Well Multicultural Resource Centre celebrates 30 years

The Well Multicultural Resource Centre celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It was established by the Church of Scotland who identified an increase in multicultural and minority ethnic residents and the need for an advice centre in Govanhill. Over the years the charity has grown and moved into a new premise on 53 Niddrie Road last year. As well as providing advice they also host various groups including ESOL classes, a men’s group, Chai and Chat and a group for mums and their toddlers.

Community input needed on new child law clinic in Govanhill

The Scottish Child Law Centre, a charity providing free legal advice on child law and children’s rights, is exploring the possibility of establishing a child law clinic in Govanhill. They invite community members to participate in a survey to gauge interest and identify needs. If you’re in Govanhill, share your insights via the survey here: bit.ly/GGlawcentre. For more information, email engagement@sclc.org.uk.

Queer Lives: An oral history

Queer Lives is an oral history project geared towards breaking down barriers. They are currently looking for respondents and volunteers for this community oral history project. The group are also inviting anyone to apply to both volunteer to train to do interviews or contribute material for the website. If you’re interested, email Project Coordinator, Rachel Kelly at gss-queerlivesheritage@outlook.com

news in brief

Turner Prize Shortlist Highlights Art

Celebrating Scottish Sikh Community

Mums n Bumps Relocates to Merry-Go-Round

The Mums n Bumps Group from Home Start Glasgow South, is moving to Merry-Go-Round. Expectant and new mums with little ones up to one year old can attend this free group on Thursday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am. For registration and more information, contact charlene@homestart.org.uk or diane@homestart.org.uk

Jasleen Kaur’s Show ‘Alter Altar,’ which was shown in Tramway last year has been shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize. In an interview with Greater Govanhill, the Pollokshields-born artist, spoke of the significance of her exhibition and her connection to Glasgow, the importance of community action and the impact of art on activism: She said “The questions in the work resonate with so much of the local neighbourhood, my family and this locality was in my mind through the whole process of making the work.”

New openings on Victoria Road

At least two new businesses are expected to open on Victoria Road; an interior design shop and Full Circle Bakery. The interior design shop is taking over the space where The Pink Peacock once was, a queer Yiddish anarchist vegan diner that closed its doors last year. The vacant space has been given a lick of fresh paint and a poster appears on the windows warning people not to fly-poster as the shop is being transformed.

Report published on development of North Cathcart Road for active travel and sustainable transport

The Sustaining Choices project worked with communities across Scotland to understand the changes they would like to see in their neighbourhoods regarding walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.

The report also helps address the challenges of climate change and net zero targets. The action plan outlines the responses collected as part of community engagement on North Cathcart Road, conducted by local environmental charity, South Seeds.

Six actions for change were outlined in the report, to: address littering and fly-tipping; repair pavements; develop safer cycling routes; improve parking; promote a greener and softer environment by planting more trees and flowers, and possibly utilising planters for shrubs and increasing safety through speed reducing measures. Find more at southseeds.org

A few feet away Full Circle Bakery is set to open its doors, after outgrowing its Eastend space, the cafe will serve homemade baked goods and beverages. Owner Jacky Stabler said on Facebook: “Not only will we be able to offer all sorts of new and exciting baked goodies and drinks, but the additional space means we will be able to offer seating both inside and outside (if the Scottish summer is on our side).” The bakery is expected to open at the beginning of June.

‘AMEN SAM ROMA: WE ARE ROMA, THIS IS OUR HOME’

Aspiring filmmaker Lena Popikova on social action in Roma communities

Last year, I worked with Social Action Inquiry to make a film that showed what helped and what hindered Roma communities participating in social action. As an aspiring filmmaker, this was a great opportunity to be involved in my first film.

Making this film was my own experience of embracing change and seeing how getting people together makes a difference. I loved filming because I got the chance to share my own story about what it was like growing up in a society that doesn’t accept who you are or where you come from.

I worked with Meha, a filmmaker from London. On the first day of filming, I felt kind of skittish but also excited. One of my favourite days of filming was the Govanhill Carnival. That day was fun because it was so full of excitement, seeing so many people get together. It was my first time attending, so for me it was very inspiring.

The film is a story of overcoming adversity despite all odds, and the transformative power of community solidarity. The barriers facing Roma when it comes to accessing their rights and meaningfully engaging in wider life are huge. Racism, sexism, housing exploitation and disengagement in school are just a few explored in this film.

However, hope shines through in the form of the young people and projects such as the Community Catalysts, a programme designed to shift power to Roma youth as they learn all about their rights and how to stand up for them and for their communities.

This is why I loved taking part in this film because it was full of powerful words and people. I am really proud of how this film turned out. It was my biggest accomplishment. From the meetings to planning out the film, from the interviews to the editing – I loved the process. It is something I want to continue doing in the future; teaching more Roma people how to stand up for themselves and their communities.

The message of the film is to be strong, and see what great things can happen when different people come together – in solidarity – to make this place a thriving home for all.

Visit: socialaction.scot/stories to watch the film, ‘Amen Sam Roma: We are Roma, this is our home’

Aspirantă regizoare Lena Popikova despre acțiunea socială în comunitățile de romi

Anul trecut, am lucrat cu Social Action Inquiry pentru a realiza un film care a arătat ce a ajutat și ce a împiedicat comunitățile de romi să participe la acțiunea socială. Sunt un cineast aspirant și aceasta a fost o oportunitate grozavă de a fi implicat în primul meu film.

Mi-a plăcut să filmez acest film pentru că am avut șansa de a împărtăși propria mea poveste despre cum este sa cresti într-o societate care nu acceptă cine ești și de unde vii.

Am lucrat cu Meha, un regizor din Londra. În prima zi de filmare am avut emotii, dar în același timp eram entuziasmat. Una dintre zilele mele preferate de filmare a fost ziua Carnavalului Govanhill, acea zi a fost distractivă pentru mine, pentru că a fost atât de plină de emoție și de a vedea oamenii reunindu-se. A fost prima dată când participam, așa că pentru mine a fost foarte inspirant și palpitant în același timp.

Sinopsisul filmului este; „Acest film este o poveste care depășește adversitatea în ciuda tuturor șanselor și puterea transformatoare a solidarității comunitare. Barierele bătute în fața romilor pentru a-și accesa drepturile și a se angaja în mod semnificativ într-o viață mai largă sunt uriașe: rasismul, sexismul, exploatarea locuințelor și dezangajarea în școală sunt doar câteva explorate în acest film.

Speranța, totuși, strălucește sub forma tinerilor și a proiectelor precum „Community Catalysts”, un program menit să transfere puterea asupra tinerilor romi, pe măsură ce aceștia învață totul despre drepturile lor, cum să-i apere și pentru ei. comunitățile.”

De aceea mi-a plăcut să filmez acest film, pentru că era plin de cuvinte și oameni puternici, cred că a schimbat multe vieți, în special pe a mea. Și din punctul meu de vedere despre cine sunt astăzi, sunt foarte mândru de cum a ieșit acest film.

Prietenii și familia mea sunt toți atât de încântați și mândri de mine. A fost cea mai mare realizare a yea. De la întâlniri, până la planificarea filmului, interviuri, până la montaj, mi-a plăcut întregul proces. Este ceva ce vreau să fac în continuare în viitor. Învățarea mai multor romi cum să se apere pentru ei înșiși și pentru comunitățile lor.

Cred că mesajul filmului este să fim puternici și ce lucruri grozave se pot întâmpla atunci când diferiți oameni se unesc - în solidaritate, pentru a face din acest loc o casă înfloritoare pentru toți.

Vizitați socialaction.scot/stories pentru a viziona filmul, „Amen Sam Roma: We are Roma, this is our home”

Words by Lena Popikova • Photo by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan

Autor: Lena Popikova • Traducere de Rahela Cirpaci

ROMANIAN

Mere Khaar De Chaa: In a world of ‘Chai Tea Lattes’

By Naaz Sidhu

Photos by Syeda Sadaf Anwar

This original version of this piece was published by the MILK community newsletter, which you should subscribe to at milkglasgow.substack.com

Servings: 2-3

What you need:

Small or medium pot, mugs or steel glasses, strainer, spoon

Ingredients

• ½ tsp cinnamon powder or 1 cinnamon stick

•

• 4 green cardamom

•

• 4 cloves

•

• ½ inch of fresh ginger, crushed to allow infusion or ½ tsp ginger powder

•

• 3 black tea bags or loose leaf black tea

•

• sugar to taste (around 3 tsp if you like it sweet)

•

• milk or cashew milk

• water

Optional Ingredients:

• 2– 4 saffron strands

•

• 1 black peppercorn

•

• 1–2 star anise

• Tip Chaa tastes great with South Asian sweet treats such as barfi, halwa, Parle-G biscuits, butter cookies or cake rusk

Chai (tea), also known as chaa in Punjabi, is a shared cup of happiness that originated across the southern regions of Asia and is now loved around the world. Chai has always been an integral part of South Asian culture, however, its significance surpasses a mere beverage. It carries a profound historical narrative shaped by colonialism as well as British influence on black tea production and consumption. Chai represents a form of resistance and resilience against colonial dominance as people made it their own through the ‘simple’ act of adding spices, creating a tradition and a way of life. Nevertheless, it has undergone local adaptations and there has been a continuous evolution of culture surrounding tea since the 18th century, but in recent decades there have been trends surrounding ‘chai’ specifically. Originally chai was just an affordable beverage in South Asia and the diaspora, but with consumer culture in Western style coffee shops, “chai tea” is often centered around gentrified versions of the beverage. Although a Starbucks Chai Tea Latte can be nice, in efforts to boycott on behalf of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, decolonise and re-create accessibility around the drink, I would like to share my family's recipe for khaar de chaa, which means ‘home tea’.

The first time I remember having chai was on my trip to Punjab during Lohri, marking the end of the growing season, in 2007. I vividly remember the foggy dusk hugging the sprawling fields of green before morning prayer. I sat watching my beeji (maternal grandmother) take two steel beakers and move the hot liquid from one cup to the other, cooling it down and creating a layer of sweet milky froth before sitting down with me on the manji (wooden bed) to share a cup. Chai is a welcome, it creates a safe space and good conversation while bringing together generations of tradition. For my family, chai is medicine and healing. We’ve never really had formal recipes in my house. It changes according to the weather, day and occasion. But this article has allowed me to be mindful, pay attention and be patient during the process of making chai.

Method

1. In a small or medium pot, add green cardamom (crush open the pods before adding), 4 cloves, crushed ginger, cinnamon (and optional spices if you like) along with 3 – 3.5 cups of water. Place on the stove at medium to high heat and boil until water has reduced to around 2 cups.

2. At this point, there should be a strong aroma of the spices. Once the water has reduced, you can now go ahead and throw in the black tea.

3. Continue boiling on low to medium for 10-15 more minutes and then add in 2 or 3 cups of milk depending on how creamy you like it. After this step, it is important to stay close to the chai as the milk can boil out of the pot. Depending on how hot you like your drink, you can boil the milk, however, I like to stand by and turn down the milk before it reaches boiling point.

4. Once done, pour into mugs, and add sugar to taste. Tip: brown sugar tastes the best! You may also add sugar before the milk in the boiling process or use honey or alternative sweeteners such as agave.

5. Enjoy your chai :)

Looking back at 50 years of community controlled housing

with Govanhill Housing Association

In 1974, a group of residents who were frustrated with the state of slum housing, got together, and set up Govanhill Housing Association with a grant of £5000 to redevelop three homes on Langside Road. Today Govanhill Housing Association owns and manages 2804 homes for social rent, factors a further 1451 privately owned homes, and is the largest employer in the area.

The fact that Govanhill’s tenements remain is in no small part down to these housing pioneers who took advantage of funding available to ‘patch and repair’ these homes; fixing the leaks, redoing kitchens and in many cases installing indoor toilets. In 1975, Govanhill Housing Association appointed its first staff member and opened its first office in Butterbiggins

1983 and the 1000th improved home in 1984.

During the 1990s, the Association looked towards the wider regeneration of the area, and in 1991, Govanhill Community Development Trust was established to work with local partners to regenerate the area ‘beyond just housing’. During this decade, the Association acquired the former Samaritan Hospital, and developed it into private and social housing, as well as its current headquarters.

Central and local government support for comprehensive tenement improvement programmes in Glasgow ended in the early 2000s. This contributed to major changes in Govanhill’s housing system, along with a substantial reduction in owner occupation and a rapid growth of private landlordism. This coincided with a massive increase in population density and the deterioration of building fabric and environmental conditions. In 2008, Govanhill Housing Association submitted a Public Petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for action to deal with substandard private rented housing in the area.

In 2015 a two-year pilot project with Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council to acquire and improve some of the worst

tenemental stock in Govanhill was launched. The pilot was so successful that the project continued until 2023, by which time over 400 sub-standard private properties had been acquired, refurbished, and made available as social housing.

A lot has changed in the last 50 years, but the Association is still working hard to improve the neighbourhood for generations to come. Set up by Govanhill residents in 1974, Govanhill Housing Association is still community controlled and managed by a committee of mainly local people who set the strategy for

POINT of VIEW

In conversation at Pamoja Hair and Beauty on Butterbiggins Road

Talitha: About seven years ago, I was waiting on getting my eyebrows done, Dee came past, struck up a conversation and gave me her card. I was not long in Scotland, and just put the card in my bag, because I was still going down south to get my hair done. But then I needed it done here, and I went through every single one of my handbags, got the card out, and never looked back.

Dotta: I used to do that quite a lot. I don’t nowadays because I can’t take any more clients. Each client takes a good three hours, sometimes even six.

T: I’m normally really socially awkward, but I find it so comfortable here.

D: The thing is, it’s not just hair. One girl wrote in a review, ‘it’s not a hair salon, it’s a community hub’. We talk about a lot of things. It’s somewhere you can come and be yourself. It’s home, if that makes sense.

T: It feels like home to me. I’ve not got family here and Dee has been a fantastic support. When I come in, I feel like I just open up. I can unload and I feel comfortable doing it.

D: It’s a family. I used to be quite a social person. I was always going out. But I don’t feel the need anymore because I have tons of friends who come here. We have relationships outside too. If I don’t hear from

someone for a while, I’ll check in on them, just to know they’re ok.

T: When I had my baby, neither me or my partner had family in Scotland. So Dee was bringing food packages and coming to help look after my other one.

D: Last week, a lady came all the way from Inverness. She’s Scottish, but she adopted a Black girl so she’d been trying to get someone to do her hair. She travelled all this way and asked for an appointment the next day. At first, I said I couldn’t because I was celebrating Eid. But then I heard the story and agreed. The girl was so happy, it made it all worth it. The lady gave me a 50 quid tip. There are other hair braiders in Glasgow, but I don’t just do braids. That’s my secret. It’s about community building.

T: That’s true because I went to somebody else and she was nice, but you could tell it was definitely just a business.

D: I’m a migrant myself. I know how this country can be and I’ve been here for so long. I’ve raised all my kids here. It is not easy. And I share my experience freely. I’ll tell you everything you want to know. We play African music. We drink tea. All ages and backgrounds come here.

T: We had that gathering last year as well. Dee put food out and it

was so good to see all the different customers and family.

D: The thing is, for people from ethnic minority communities, it’s not easy to find time to socialise because we are always doing something. We are either working or raising children. But people always need their hair done.

T: Everybody frees their time to get their hair done, because it’s a necessity. There’s no choice in the matter.

D: One girl had plans to open a salon with lots of different hairdressers where people can just walk in. I said that’s not what people want. You are the business. You are the brand. That would take away the personal connection. But the world is changing, and the younger generation might want to come, get their hair done and go. But you would take away from the people who really want that social interaction.

T: My hair is definitely my confidence. I think that’s true for a lot of the Afro Caribbean community. If I tried to do my own hair, I would struggle and probably wouldn’t go out. It’s also great to talk to somebody who actually cares.

D: I talk to Talitha a lot. But once she goes out, whatever she told me, goes in my heart and stays there until I see her again. There’s no crossover information. And I don’t judge at all. I just listen. I just talk.

I’ve been in Glasgow for so long and I’m a qualified social care worker. I know about all the services available. I’m like a directory. I have all the contacts and I give them for free because that’s an important service too actually.

T: If you move here from a different country, you might get lucky to find here. And then before you know it, you’ve got all these things that you need sorted.

D: My salon is called Pamoja which is a Swahili word. It means togetherness. Me, my friends, my family and you. We’re all here together.

BEHIND THE PORTRAIT

Kev Kiernan

Interview by Devon McCole

Portrait by Simon Murphy

Kev is a long time activist who has been involved in a number of local action groups in the Southside, including Love Music Hate Racism. He is also a DJ and ‘recovering journalist’, a job he got with no prior experience or education in journalism. These days Kev focuses more on his writing as a poet. He is working on a new book about his life and time spent in New Orleans and Chicago.

This photo forms part of Simon Murphy’s Govanhill series. Follow @smurph77 for more.

I grew up in Cumbernauld, which won the Carbuncle Award a few years in a row. The award is for Scotland’s most dismal town centre. It’s quite a rough place; drugs, alcohol, violence, that sort of thing but you learn to stick up for yourself in a way, not just physically but verbally.

I became a poet in Chicago. When I lived in the US for three years I got really sick, then heard two of my really close friends had died. I then learned my mum had cancer. When I was well enough to stand up again, I just started writing poetry to make sense of it all.

I arrived in Govanhill in the ‘90s, aged 19. I’ve lived on pretty much every street here. But I’m glad I grew up in Cumbernauld because it’s surrounded by countryside. I think it’s why I’ve got a real love for festivals and the outdoors.

I tried to live in the West End and it was the loneliest six months of my life. I lived amongst students and old people and I was neither an old person nor a student. I quickly came back to Govanhill.

Govanhill is the sort of place people claim as their own because people have fought to make it that way. The Govanhill Baths is a good example. It was a real hub in the community. We held that building for 146 days, it was the longest occupation of a public building in the UK.

During the ‘Save Our Pool’ campaign... It was an amazing campaign to be a part of and the fact that we’ve now won it is amazing. It’s a success story, which is kind of unusual. We fought Nazis in the streets. When I moved here there were lots of Kosovan refugees who were just getting dumped here and abandoned without support. They started getting a reputation for hanging around the streets, and some fascist types tried to come in and stir up hatred and racism. We’ve always managed to unite everybody against things like that.

Govanhill’s hot shit now isn’t it? Everybody wants to live here. I don’t think it’s changed that much. What I’ve noticed in the last five years is quite a big influx of young people coming in, I think that’s fantastic. Say what you want about ‘hipsters,’ but I think it just adds to the diversity.

I feel like you can be yourself here and no one will bat an eye. If they do it’s usually with a smile. I’ve seen men walking down the street holding hands with each other many times over the past few years in Govanhill. I’m proud people have the confidence to do that in our neighbourhood.

I was sitting outside MILK and this guy started chatting away. It was Simon Murphy. We walked round the corner and he was like, ‘that’ll do’. Then I had these really beautiful portraits in the post.

I was quite proud that ACAB was in the background of one of the photographs he took. It was dead funny, and totally accidental but on purpose. ACAB was one of the first DJ gigs I did in Cumbernauld. Whenever the cops would catch us fly-postering, they’d know it meant ‘All Cops Are Bastards,’ but we always came up with these funny acronyms to get into less bother. The best one was ‘All Cubes Are Boxes’.

They created this horribly named ‘war on terror’. There was a local group called Southside Against War that I joined in 2002. In 2003, we had a massive demonstration in Glasgow where about 100,000 people marched.

We organised a student walk-out of all the high schools. We were in our 20s and found ourselves standing outside playgrounds, leafleting young people saying, ‘On the day the war happens, walk out of school. We’ll have a demo.’ I can’t believe we got away with that. All the parents got letters from the pupil’s headmaster warning them not to walk out. We told the pupils to bring their letters to the demo and they set fire to them live on STV.

There was a real sense of rebellion back then. It was a big ‘F you’ to the government. We’d never met anyone who was totally in favour of invading Iraq. I think people learned then that we do not live in a democracy, or at least not the democracy we believed we lived in.

My Life Before Govanhill

MARIELA & GHALEB

Interview by Marzanna Antoniak

Where do you come from?

Ghaleb: I was born in Palestine, in the West Bank in 1957. I lived in the beautiful city of Tulkarem, where the first agriculture institute of the Middle East was established. My grandfather had an olive grove with ancient trees, some more than 2000 years old. My family had plenty of land, too. We were 11 brothers and sisters. I was around nine when the 1967 occupation came, and we moved to Jordan. My dad worked in Kuwait, and we thought we’d never see each other again, as was the case for many split families who weren’t allowed to reunite. I still have family in the West Bank.

Mariela: I was born in Bulgaria, in the town of Shumen. I have memories of a pleasant quiet childhood in the countryside where I lived with my grandparents till I was about six or seven. On our land, we grew vegetables and we’d pickle them for winter as it’s a Bulgarian tradition.

What about your education?

M: When I finished school, I went to Sofia, and studied biology. That’s where I met my husband.

G: After my law studies in Jordan, I worked at the Jordan International Bank. I later received a scholarship to study for a master’s in law in Sofia, where I met my wonderful wife. We have three lovely daughters born in three different countries. The first one was born in Bulgaria. Then, we moved to Jordan for five years where Mariela worked at a pharmaceutical lab. Then, we relocated to Italy and our second daughter was born in Milan. Our third daughter was born in Bradford where we lived for 13 years before relocating to Scotland. The good thing about moving around is that you know that wherever you go you can understand and accept every culture. Because of that, we love everybody. No matter the colour, culture, religion, whether they are rich or poor.

What language do you use to communicate at home?

M: As a family, we communicate in a mix of Bulgarian, Arabic and English. I’d say Bulgarian is the strongest. However, because they go to school where English is the common language, our daughters speak more English now. It’s easy to lose their native languages this way. That’s why we try to ensure they have a strong basis in Bulgarian and Arabic.

What made you come to Scotland?

M: In 2021, we came to visit our Bulgarian friends in Dundee. It was a beautiful summer and we were so impressed. Ghaleb fell in love with Scottish nature, and so he started looking for a job here. He worked for the Human Relief Foundation, a charity organisation providing humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters, armed conflicts, and poverty across the world. He mentioned at work that he’d like to relocate and after about six months an opportunity materialised and we were offered to move to Glasgow as a family.

What do you do for work?

G: We came to Glasgow to manage a charity shop on Pollokshaws Road. Finding a place to live was hard as private rent is very expensive. After a while, we realised it would be good to open another shop in a busier area, and we’ve recently opened one on Victoria Road.

M: Charity shops are beneficial for the whole community. People have things they don’t need, sometimes brand new, and they can give them to charity for others to make use of. This enables the Human Relief Foundation to generate profit which is used to support vulnerable people around the world. We run healthcare projects, refugee and orphan care as well as water and food programmes. People from countries like Palestine, Lebanon, Myanmar, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh and others all benefit.

G: Working at a charity shop isn’t for everyone. It requires a lot of effort and it doesn’t bring you great earnings. You must believe in it and do it from your heart. Although volunteering can be a rewarding experience, it’s not easy to find volunteers who’d help with sorting the items, disinfecting them, cleaning and other tasks. I’ve also noticed that people used to give away much better quality clothes. These days, as many people struggle to make ends meet, they tend to keep their clothes for much longer, making the job harder.

M: Our dream is to help as many people as we can because so many people need help. We believe it was written for us to come here and work for this good cause, to make others’ lives easier. We put all our efforts into making this happen.

Devon Street Urban Park: Make it Happen…

Introducing plans for a much needed new active leisure community space at the intersection of Govanhill, Gorbals and Pollokshields

By Samar Jamal • Images provided by Glasgow Urban Sports • Photo by Neil Davidson

Beneath the stretch of the M74 that divides Govanhill from the Gorbals, a vast expanse of untapped potential awaits – shielded from the elements, yet brimming with possibility.

But one group has a vision for a new multifunctional, free to access, active leisure space for the community: the Devon Street Urban Park (DSUP).

Greater Govanhill spoke to Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS), the charity behind the plan developed with partnership organisations and the local community.

The site sits at the intersection of the Gorbals, Govanhill and Pollokshields, connecting the three neighbourhoods. Those behind the project believe it has the potential to link up different areas of the city by making use of what has been seen as dead space.

Raydale Dower, artist and project coordinator at GUS explains that the park will be versatile and include spaces for urban sports, public art and community events with large areas of green park space, populated with trees and planters, saying: “We have this idea of breathing life into the space… and making the invisible visible again.”

both freedom and shelter are lacking. The Recs skate park in Queen’s Park has deteriorated due to neglect to the point where riding it feels unsafe.

Raydale explains how DSUP will meet this need: “There's enough space for everyone. The noisier end, at Eglinton Street, will be buffered by ‘screening’ created by positioning sculptures and planted trees, with spaces to sit. The Victoria Road side is naturally quiet and that's where the all ages rolling space will be for urban sports, we’ve also earmarked this space for community and public events. You could guarantee some undercover event space, at any time. That’s a massive new offer which you can't find anywhere else.”

Please scan QR code for link to survey

The origin of the park is a tale of innovation sparked by a moment of observation and imagination. Neil Davidson, one of the project's early visionaries cycled over the M74 as part of a public opening event and glimpsed the unutilised and walled off spaces the motorway had created. It was a classic skateboarder's response – a recognition of potential where others saw only infrastructure.

Last year GUS progressed a lease agreement between Transport Scotland and Glasgow City Council for the site, secured access to reclaimed building materials demonstrating their commitment to a sustainable design ethos and created prototypes for obstacles and benches.

With skateboarding's Olympic recognition in 2020, the need for safe urban sports facilities has surged. In Glasgow, despite a thriving urban sports community, functional spaces providing

For more info please contact Martin McManus: info@glasgowurbansports.org

To secure funding, GUS is now seeking support letters from local entities across the Southside. Additionally, they are keen to continue building strong partnerships with key organisations and community-led groups to feed into the process. Fostering a sense of public ownership, alongside addressing users' needs and concerns throughout the park's development is paramount to GUS. Concerns were raised about the air quality of the site, so to address this concern a survey carried out with Sustrans found that:

might think this space isn't for them but we want people to know that it is. It’s a space for all ages and abilities. It’s about having somewhere to sit where you don’t have to spend money, but you’re also not caught in the rain.”

A 2022 survey of the urban sports community and parents received over 4500 responses with 99 percent expressing support for the park's development. Last year's survey of local residents demonstrated 88 percent support. Comments included:

“We need more outdoor spaces and opportunities for people to access healthy activities… the proposed area has long been a bit of a no-man's land so it would be great to see this connect things up a bit”

“The city is currently split into parts. This would not only serve as a place to exercise. But as a great meeting point. It would put Glasgow on the map for bringing communities together. The space currently has no value. It is simply a must for the city…”

The Devon Street Urban Park proposal, developed by volunteer led charity Glasgow Urban Sports (GUS), is to transform an unused area of land beneath the canopy of the M74, on the southside of Glasgow, to create a unique new, to use, urban park and active leisure space.

We would like to share our ideas to make sure our proposed urban park meets the needs of the people who will use it and live in the surrounding communities. To support the project please scan QR code and complete survey

“the level of BC (Black Carbon) measured at the proposed site… are below Scottish 24 hour mean objectives with highest peaks… The findings suggest there is no immediate concern regarding the BC concentrations in the area and supports a planning application for the project.”

Discussing concerns raised about anti-social behaviour, Shona Marshall, board member of GUS and owner of 5th Blocker Skates said: “There are plenty of skate parks that are fine and they self-police. All the kids like having the skate park, so if people turn up to cause bother they just get told to move away. It’s a positive model of community and communal behaviour because there's peer group learning in place.”

GUS anticipates submitting a planning application in summer 2024, accompanied by public presentation of design proposals and series of community consultation events. Find out more about the progress and upcoming events at glasgowurbansports.org or by scanning this code:

RADICAL

THE HISTORY OF COMMUNITYMEDIA

By Kate Wilson

The city of Glasgow has always been the subject of storymaking; its myths are continually made and remade. It has been characterised as the industrial Red Clydeside; the slum; the enclave of the Hard Man and razor gangs; and the New Glasgow, regenerated from postindustrial wasteland to new ‘cultural’ metropolis.

These narratives are often used to support policy and are bound up with the city’s perpetual urban regeneration project. Glasgow’s ‘image’ is often used to justify intervention into communities, validating the demolition of homes, the relocation of residents, and the allocation or refusal of public funding. Where do stories about the city come from, and who gets to tell them?

In a series of workshops, we explored the role working-class communities across the city played in challenging, negotiating and creating these narratives of place from the post-war period onwards. The 1970s and 1980s in particular saw an outpouring of community media offering new visions of areas which had been ignored, misrepresented and maligned by many authors, academics and the mainstream press. We focused on community newspapers in three areas – Castlemilk (Castlemilk Today), Easterhouse (The Voice) and the Gorbals and Govanhill (The View) – using archival material and oral history interviews with the people involved to trace their impact at the time and their legacy and relevance today.

All three newspapers were started with the involvement of Christian ministers, and all three emerged out of a need to challenge negative images of these areas, which were often presented as slums, worthy only of demolition, or as gang-ridden no-go areas. Instead, these newspapers published local poetry and fiction, and good news stories about people, pubs and places. As one interviewee said: “We really had to get the agenda by the scruff of the neck”. At the same time, the newspapers refused to shy away from conflict. They campaigned for better conditions in the schemes, from new or improved facilities

to decent housing and childcare, holding politicians and planners to account.

Importantly, in all three cases, the clergy eventually withdrew from the papers, and local people took the lead. Some interviewees told me stories of setting out articles with Letraset and cutting and pasting newspapers together with cow gum at kitchen tables and on floors in community centres; others told me how their newspaper became a catalyst for community groups like tenants’ associations and older people’s day centres to come together once a month and define common issues.

In their new forms, the papers also took on a more radical tone. In the Gorbals and Govanhill for example, The View became the mouthpiece for an anti-dampness campaign, spreading news about the campaign’s events and successes and supporting tenants to participate in a rent strike. In Castlemilk Today, one editorial on ‘large government departments’ declared: ‘We must help the people of Castlemilk get at these people and cut them down to size’.

Through these new ways of working – with no one person in charge, and everyone’s input given equal value –people shared skills and learned from one another. Neighbours taught each other to sell advertising space, hold meetings, and write and edit work on issues which were important to them. As one interviewee said: “It was not just community action, but it was adult education”.

For some, seeing their work published, often for the first time, assured them that their voices mattered, and they had the power to challenge those who told them they didn’t. While everyone I interviewed had different views on the newspapers looking back, they all emphasised the long-term impact of taking part: some went on to a lifetime of political activism; others found their way to working-class cultural-political activities in the late 1980s and 1990s such as community writers’ groups; others recalled having more confidence to stand up for themselves in everyday situations.

We ended our workshops by discussing what this kind of media can

and should look like today and proposing new articles of our own. Outrageously, the fights found in the pages of The Voice, The View and Castlemilk Today fifty years ago remained as relevant and urgent as ever: the right to decent, dry and genuinely affordable homes; the need to counter stigma and negative images of places where people live; and the importance of free, democratic spaces where people can produce their own culture in collaboration with others. While the days of Letraset and cow gum on the community centre floor may be over, the radical, local-led way these community newspapers were organised could help provide a blueprint for these fights in the future.

More information about the workshops will be added to the Glasgow Housing Struggle Archive, an online archive of historical and contemporary cultural-political material and movements in the city: glasgowtenantsarchive.com.

All of the community newspapers discussed in this article, along with many others, are available to view for free in the National Library of Scotland and Glasgow’s Mitchell Library.

If you’d like to find out more about histories of community media in Glasgow, or contribute to the Glasgow Housing Struggle Archive, contact kate.wilson-2@manchester.ac.uk or joeysimons35@gmail.com.

Introducing… The Greater Govanhill Photography Group

t the magazine, we’ve always been spoiled for choice when it comes to brilliant photographers to work with. And that abundance of local talent has now led to the establishment of the Greater Govanhill Photography Group.

The group was the idea of our volunteer picture editor, Iain McLellan. In his own words: “I survived the trade and thought I’d never pick up a camera again in my life. But then Greater Govanhill got in touch to see if I’d like to contribute. And it helped me to realise that actually I’ve got a lot of experience to share and this is an environment in which I can help people.”

Iain spent 30 years working in photojournalism, specialising in crime and court photography. But he is now interested in using his skills for the good of the local community, saying: “It’s such a tremendously creative environment here. The amount of talent in this area is just ridiculous. I’ve been blown away by the photographers I’ve met. Through this group, I hope we can bring new perspectives into the field so that it better reflects our neighbourhood”.

The group quickly grew to around 50 members and is open to anyone interested in photography no matter what their skill level or experience. It meets on a monthly basis, with a digital platform for discussions and photo sharing between meets. Some of the ideas for group activities include: skill sharing, mentoring, group exhibitions, guest speakers, monthly prompts, social meet ups and inspiration trips.

It takes inspiration from the community writing groups that created the DIY local newspapers you’ll read about elsewhere in the magazine, as well as the radical community photography groups of the 1970s.

It is founded on the following core aims:

• To promote individual and collective self-confidence and self-expression.

• To create a cohesive group that celebrates difference.

• To provide a platform for learning in a mutually supportive environment.

• To combat stereotypes, show and promote Govanhill in all its moods.

• To foster talent for the Greater Govanhill magazine and help onward progression for the individual.

• To have our image contributors better reflect our community.

To get involved, visit: bit.ly/GGphotogroup

Small Acts of

Resistance

Overleaf you’ll find some of the photos sent in by the following group members in response to this prompt.

Iain McLellan, John Bowden, Devon McCole, Laura Vroomen, Michael Paley, Miriam Ali, Niall Miller, Raia Gadiaga, Ryan Federman, Stefan Krajcik. You’ll find photos from other group members throughout the magazine.

‘Growing pains for museums’

On the destruction of art for activism

By Sehar Mehmood • Photo by This is Rigged

Ihad barely dipped my toe into the complex waters of the museum industry when I watched the removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol by Black Lives Matter protestors. Its toppling, defacement and tossing into the river acted as my initiation into a sector whose legacy had promoted and championed the ideals of white supremacy. Some understand it as a form of co-curation, creating a new piece that drives forward a more contemporary and relevant narrative. This belief that ultimately led to the statue being exhibited in its defaced state.

The debate around the action highlighted the complicated reality of working in a space which many believed was politically neutral. Many of those who work in the sector, and the general public considered the museum space to be apolitical; a neutral zone in which history is told by an absolute and reliable authority.

I spent two years working as a community co-curator at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery trying to understand what a decolonised museum could look like and how we could get there.

This task grew more complicated when I was working on the City of Empire exhibition at Kelvingrove Museum, which focuses on telling the true history of the British Empire, the transatlantic trade of Black people who were enslaved, and Scotland’s involvement. But what became clear was the fundamental fact that these ambitions could not begin materialising until the problem of the ‘neutral stance’ was addressed, and social issues openly spoken about.

Museums have, for decades, operated as the consensus on knowledge, presenting to their audiences a manufactured image of a collective history that has excluded and whitewashed the stories of marginalised communities. But how can such institutions be neutral when

sugar lords are remembered for their ‘great contributions to Glasgow’, as opposed to their complicity in the transatlantic trade of enslaved people? That is power, and power is political.

The City of Empire exhibition was an important step forward in recognising this. However, in my eyes, whatever progress that took place, took a hundred steps back the moment the museum chose to stay silent on Palestine.

It's a bitter and frustrating debate, made worse by a refusal to even show up in the room. But many in the museum sector are finding ways to show their solidarity, understanding that a neutral stance for museums doesn't exist – that the choice of silence isn’t staying out of politics, it's siding with the oppressor.

This raises a larger question on how social action taking place in museums is seen, by people inside and outside of the sector. The Edward Colston statue is only one example of a long legacy of art destruction in the name of a cause. However, the destruction of art for activism has also been labelled as ‘narcissistic’. Some have even called for protestors’ imprisonment. Others have asked, what it can possibly achieve –seeing only a nuisance and cleaning bill.

Closer to home, this debate flared when activist group This is Rigged walked into the Kelvingrove Museum and sprayed painted the word ‘c**t’ underneath the bust of Queen Victoria before pouring jam and porridge on her head and glueing themselves to the plinth. But this was just one step of their ongoing campaign to call attention to the cost of living crisis and climate emergency. They have also defaced government buildings, graffitied supermarket billboards and stolen baby formula to hand out on mother’s day.

These actions have unsurprisingly made many hysterical, with people not understanding what made this

group so determined to bring focus to their cause. But This is Rigged has, since its inception, always been about people. Their soup nights, which form the core of the organisation, focus on community-centric action. Their ‘Robin Hood’ activities are about bringing attention back to the cost-of-living crisis. Their ‘jamming’ of the Queen Victoria Bust at Kelvingrove was a statement of refusal to ‘be dragged back to the Victorian Era’ where ‘diseases such as rickets, which once haunted Victorian slums, are now on a sharp rise in Scotland.’ They claim the ‘crisis in public health [to be] a direct result of our government’s chronic inaction on the crisis of food insecurity, exacerbated by the climate collapse’.

The destruction of art for activism is a push for the realisation that silence isn’t good enough. It’s an act of resistance, as protesters urge people and institutions to act. So what if people think they're reckless or stupid? Because any chance to bring the cause into the conversation is at least making sure it's still on people's minds.

Without the tearing down of the Edward Colston statue, the opportunities to take on work in the museums sector which are centred around decolonisation and anti-racism may never have existed. Without their brief occupation of the museum space, and naming them complicit, the exhibit might never have been. As such, I see the destruction of art simply as growing pains for museums.

THE SOUND OF COLLECTIVE ACTION

RADIO BUENA VIDA

By We are Many

Radio Buena Vida launched as a Govanhill-based online community radio station in 2020. They originally operated out of the Some Great Reward record shop, but in 2023 owners Suz O’Neill and David Fleming were able to realise their dream of opening their own radio cafe at 535 Victoria Road. As well as serving up food and drinks, the station plays host to a wide variety of styles and formats produced by community members. The slogan is: ‘The sound of collective action,’ so for this piece, we asked presenters of one of their newest shows, We Are Many – a ‘Glasgow-based radio project platforming anti-racist resistance and the decolonial struggle for liberation in Palestine and beyond’ – to explain what this platform means to them.

HOW HAS COMMUNITY RADIO BEEN A WAY TO FIND A VOICE, AND CREATE SOCIAL ACTION?

Through radio our voices are amplified; we can reach a wide range of people with very different life perspectives and experiences. The potential for community is widened beyond geographical and social restraints.

After months of demonstrations in protest against Israel’s horrific mass killings of Palestinians, we realised there was a need for collective action and togetherness beyond protest. In times like these when the racist bias by politicians and British media comes into sharp focus, it’s easy to feel isolated in our struggle for change, especially when it appears that you are surrounded by apathy and ignorance on the subject. Finding a place to share your voice on these challenging subjects became a necessity.

At a time when so many are deeply saddened and angered by the state of the world, community spaces are a means to build solidarity, remain hopeful and maintain stamina as we take social action. Our aim is to ensure people in our communities are reminded that they are not alone in their struggles – we feel each other’s pain and we will always strive to support and stand by each other.

HOW IS YOUR SHOW DOING THIS?

We Are Many was born out of the desire to come together and channel our grief, pain and determination into something positive and, hopefully, impactful for our communities. We want to reach a deeper understanding of the struggle against oppression that communities face. Music is something close to our hearts, a tool for starting conversations and a way of getting to know each other.

We invite people who are taking action on different issues to share their experiences and efforts. This is a way of building awareness, solidarity and extending that support network. We discuss, we question and we have our guests choose music that inspires their efforts. It’s about amplifying voices, bringing social action into daily life, it’s about mobilising community and reaching across the lines of division that we no longer accept.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE RBV WOULD BE THE RIGHT PLATFORM FOR THIS?

Thinking about a home for our show, RBV was at the top of our list. It’s an independent, grassroots platform where people from all walks of life connect and contribute. We needed to be based somewhere that wouldn’t shy away from challenging and difficult conversations – somewhere that was driven by an ethos of social change. It was also important for us that the radio project was able to provide a physical space where people can gather and RBV is quite unique in that sense. And so we found RBV and they found us.

HOW DO YOU USE MUSIC FOR SOCIAL CHANGE?

There’s something magical about radio when it comes to mixing conversation and music. Amplifying our voices is a powerful way to break the silence when the narrative is twisted to distort who is oppressing who. Personal stories cut through the wall of apathy and political spin, activating peoples’ sense of justice and informing their engagement on issues. Sitting and listening to those personal experiences of struggle builds awareness and social bridges between communities. Add music into the mix and it becomes another thing altogether. Music has the power to touch us, to connect us and to inspire us.

Radio Buena Vida broadcasts live from 12pm to 10pm Wed – Sun via: buenavida.co.uk

Community Growers

How

Agnew Lane Community Garden’s bid for land ownership offers hope and opportunity

“Our feeling is that when you invite people to come and build the space themselves, then the community as a whole will respect the land,” says Gene, looking over the Agnew Lane Community Garden which she has played a key role in establishing.

Some teenagers relax behind us as Gene and Rob, two members of the garden’s steering group, explain the ethos guiding the project and their hopes to gain community ownership of the lane to build a sustainable future.

Words by Rory MacNeish

Photos by Rob Reid

“We want this to be an open environment – no gate, no lock and key. This is a space where people can come and go as they please,” says Gene. One of the teenagers sings to them and grins as he cycles out the lane.

The garden was first started in 2020 by a local young person’s food solidarity group who wanted to grow vegetables to give to local food banks. Lacking anywhere to do this, they came to the run-down space on Agnew Lane, cleared the rubbish and began planting.

Gene explains the reason for taking this original approach of direct action: “Food banks are woefully lacking fresh produce, so we walked over with bushels of stuff and asked if they wanted it.” The garden’s crops include garlic, lettuce, chard, kale, herbs, squash, broad beans and carrots.

Receiving the bulk of their donations are the Al-Khair Foundation and Glasgow Food Not Bombs. Al-Khair told Greater Govanhill that “fresh food is very much appreciated” and those receiving it “are so happy” to have vegetables. Glasgow Food Not Bombs said: “It’s incredibly cool that Agnew Lane are reclaiming a bit of the commons and using it to benefit the community.”

Gene describes how the growers decide what food to plant with the recipients in mind: “A lot of the stuff we tend to grow because it’s going to last long on the shelf and provide larger meals.”

The garden’s structures used to grow this food were built using donated materials, making the project one link within a circular local economy. Rob explains: “A good example of our upcycling is our greenhouse which is a mix of tenement windows and covid sneeze guards.”

Some of their resources come from organisations like the Circular Arts Network, others are discarded items found on the street which the group repurposes. Gene is particularly proud of two bathtubs dug into the earth which now form garden ponds populated by frogs.

existing building there after being given permission by the council to build eight mews properties on the location.

After this, nothing happened. The space was left to decline until 2011 when an earlier project led by South Seeds began a vegetable garden there. This grew into a community with around 200 people involved. But in 2014, with no warning, Hunter Homes had the garden bulldozed.

Hunter Homes LLP did not answer to request for comment for this article.

The lane fell into neglect for years again, until the Agnew Lane Community Garden began clearing the space and planting there once more. They are still removing rubble from the land.

In their bid for community ownership, the group applied for Community Right to Buy status which has been approved by Scottish Government ministers. This means they have officially registered their interest in owning the land, and if Hunter Homes decides to put the lane up for sale, then the group would first be given an opportunity to buy it before anyone else can make an offer.

A core group of around 30 growers maintain the garden each Sunday, they are joined by dozens of others who attend when they have time. “And they’re as welcome as anyone else is,” says Rob. Part of their motivation to keep the garden easily accessible is due to the limited opportunities that exist to learn about growing food in the Southside. Rob explains: “The Queen’s Park allotments are great but there’s an effective 400 year waiting list on that. We’re always open for people to come in.”

One of the project’s regulars, Em, mentions the benefits this allows: “It’s really good for my mental health, it’s nice to see your efforts materialise.” Another, Frank, says: “In one way it can feel light-hearted – getting your hands dirty learning new skills,” but, after a moment, adds: “We need hopeful spaces, and the buyout signifies hope.”

Before the group’s arrival, the lane had been left as “a wasteland” by its owner, says Rob. In 2007, the plot was purchased by the property developer Hunter Homes LLP. They demolished the

The application process to get to this stage was long and difficult, but helping to guide them through it was Heather Yearwood, a development officer at Community Land Scotland. This is an umbrella organisation which gives a collective voice to community landowners from across the country and offers advice to groups seeking community ownership of land.

Heather says that the group’s success means that government ministers: “Think the project is a solid, sustainable development proposal that is in the public interest.” This is also recognised by neighbours of the lane. To gain approval for their right to buy status, the group had to inform locals of the project’s aims. “We got very positive responses from all of them,” says Rob.

Their plan for Agnew Lane includes providing long-term local opportunities. Gene explains: “Our intention is to have the community build the space. So, you could come in to learn timber framing, how to plumb something in, or about organic remediation of land that has toxins in it.” To achieve this, they would construct a workshop in the garden, as well as a community kitchen, to host classes where people could develop different skills.

Heather describes the benefits that volunteer opportunities could have for the wider area: “This allows your community members to upskill, which then gives them things for their CV and in the long-term that will bring wealth back into the area.” She adds: “I think that Agnew Lane have really successfully evidenced the long-term financial sustainability of the project through their proposal.”

Discussing these plans as we stand in the drizzle, Gene is visibly enthused: “What we’re sitting on is a development idea that is going to be of benefit in so many ways to this neighbourhood.” Rob nods, adding: “It’s just flourished to the nicest group of folk ever. I want to keep seeing that and bringing more people into this.”

Photo by Miriam Ali

A Tale of Two Cities

Words by Devon McCole

Whose City? Our City! from Radical Glasgow Tours

“Ithink of Glasgow as quite a radical city. It feels like that’s always been the case but it didn’t happen out of thin air.” Katherine Mackinnon is one of the founders of Radical Glasgow Tours. She’s talking as we stand on the banks of the Clyde. Addressing a group of us who turned out one spring day: “This is where people arrived when migrating to Glasgow at the time when the Clydeside built most of the ships at sea. We wanted to start here first because in a city, everybody arrives at some point.”

Co-founder Henry Bell gestures towards the river: “If we stood here 120 years ago you would hear nothing but the deafening sound of ships and industry. Glasgow’s history involves a lot of imagination, but we have photographs we can show you for reference.” Sure enough, Katherine and Henry have brought along some archival materials to pass around including copies of old photographs, political pamphlets and, my personal favourite, a little red book of socialist hymns sung during the Socialist Sunday School movement from 1890-1980. We walk past the Broomielaw and arrive at La Passionara, a symbol of rebellion. Henry stopped, explaining the statue’s history, its remembrance of Scots who fought in the Spanish Civil War, and its connection to Communism.

They led us to Nelson Mandela Place, where Mandela visited after his release from 19 years in political imprisonment. Katherine said “Nelson Mandela Place was actually called St George’s before the name change in 1986. The South African Consulate used to be here, so in an act of resistance against Apartheid in South Africa, the street was renamed after their most famous political prisoner instead.”

We pass through St Enoch Square, where socialist bookshops and publishing houses were established nearby. Finally we end in George Square, where we were told all about the Socialist Sunday School movement that has inspired the more recently established Red Sunday School. The tour ends with an invite to the pub. Afterwards, I feel a profound sense of hope and pride, it was certainly designed to inspire as well as educate. Katherine and Henry were fair in their reflections, shedding light on lesser known historical events and weighing up all aspects evenly. Their passion for these ideas that have shaped the city shone through.

radicalglasgowtours.com

Glasgow has a long and storied history, but too often the stories that we hear are those belonging to the rich and powerful men who write the history books. I set off to discover something new about my city by joining two very different tours that brought different perspectives.

Alternative Glasgow with Angie from

Invisible Cities

Iimmediately spot my tour guide Angie in front of the People’s Palace. She’s wearing a bright red jumper and a big smile. “I started working with Invisible Cities three years ago,” she tells me. “I love it. I meet loads of new people and I’m fitter. I had a couple of heart attacks and after that I knew things needed to change… this job’s changed my life.”

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise which trains people who have experienced homelessness or hardship to deliver tours in their own city. After some introductions and a few laughs, Angie starts her tour.

She walks me from the People’s Palace to the Maggie McIver Gate of Glasgow Green and explains why that name is inscribed on the floor: “Maggie actually started the Barras. Back in the day people had stalls here in the park where they’d sell their stuff but it was illegal. Maggie bought the Barras so people had a place to sell their stuff without getting lifted. The same family owns it today. We're going there next.”

We walk together and Angie shares more about her work: “I've had groups who’ve told me they can’t hear a word I say ‘cause of my accent. But even if you don’t catch everything, it’ll always be a laugh. People are really nice to me here. In my old job I got a lot of people shouting an’ swearing at me. I used to work in a roll shop buttering bread all day. People don’t respect you.”

Angie shared more of her story with me: “This is the best job I’ve ever had. I get the best support off my colleagues an’ my boss, an’ anytime I need any help I just need to phone her up an’ she’s like ‘nae bother.’”

The tour is personal – Angie mixes stories from around the city with her own. As we leave the Barras, a man shouts over to Angie playfully: “Is that you still talking?!” We laugh and Angie, returning the favour, shouts: “You know me, I never shut up!”

Our final stop was the sleeping Jesus sculpture on a bench near Nelson Mandela Place. It feels like a fitting end to a tour which made me realise that we all have our own stories to tell in this city – and how easy it is to overlook the world around you and the people in it.

Photo by Karen Gordon

TIMELINE OF LOCAL RESISTANCE

Govanhill has long been known as a place of resistance, where solidarity spills over into protest, and where people aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Here are a few inspiring actions that have happened locally, but we’d love to hear more. Email us at newsroom@greatergovanhill.com if you know of others we should include in our online timeline. And read the full stories of these at greatergovanhill.com

1910s-30s RED CLYDESIDE

The Red Clydeside was a defining era of political radicalism that encompassed a number of different movements. Led by working-class people in protest of poor working and living conditions. One of the prominent figures was Pollokshaws-born teacher John Maclean who held speeches outside Langside Halls. Street meetings for rent strikes took place across Glasgow, including Govanhill. The movement led by the Glasgow Women’s Housing Association ignited strikes by 15,000 tenants.

1978

PENNY FARTHING WOMEN’S SIT IN

It used to be that women were not allowed to drink in the public bar of many pubs, instead having to stay in the lounge areas. But in 1978, a group of around 20 women refused to leave the bar area of Penny Farthing on Cathcart Road after they were refused service. Apparently the objections of the manager at the time were that there were no toilet facilities for them, and that male customers preferred them not to be there. But he relented in the face of their action.

DECEMBER 1996

GLACIER METALS OCCUPATION, POLMADIE

On Hogmanay 1996, the Glacier Metal workers in Glasgow celebrated their win after a successful seven week sit-in, resisting the proposed changes to their contract put forward by their bosses, Turner & Newall. The changes to their contracts aimed to increase company profits by slashing the wages and sick-pay of their workers. This obvious disregard for the welfare of the workers led to a massive sit-in and demonstrations.

MAY 1960

PAUL ROBESON IN QUEEN’S PARK

In 1960, the renowned singer and activist Paul Robeson joined a tradition of the labour movement that stretched back to the city’s first International Workers’ Day celebrations in 1981. The May Day march and rally in Glasgow has over the years seen demonstrations of international solidarity from Spain to Palestine and has celebrated occupations and actions like the Rent Strikes, the UCS work-in or the Lee Jeans occupation. You still meet trade unionists who speak of what it was like to stand in that crowd of 10,000 and hear Paul Robeson sing in the Queen’s Park bandstand. Katherine Mackinnon

MARCH 1990 POLL TAX RIOTS

In 1989 Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government attempted to introduce the famously controversial Poll Tax in the UK. The proposal was met with widespread opposition and demonstrations across the UK. On 15 January 1990, the then Strathclyde Regional Council applied for 250,000 summary warrants against those refusing to pay.

On 31 March 1990, tens of thousands of people marched through Glasgow to Queen’s Park. Protestors were encouraged to bring their yellow letters’’ of final demand for payment and burn them in the park.

STUC Archive

MARCH 2001

OCCUPY! OCCUPY! OCCUPY!

SAVING GOVANHILL BATHS

Built for the industrial working class, baths and wash houses were opened to improve the health and fitness of local people. Govanhill Baths was opened in 1917 and well used by local residents. So when the council approved closure of the Baths in 2001, local residents took action. On 21 March 2001 a dozen campaigners arrived separately for the last swim of the day. They got changed, chained themselves to the cubicles and told the manager they were not leaving until their demands were met. This was the start of the 146 day occupation – the longest occupation of a civic building in British history.

Paula Larkin

OCTOBER 2018

EQUAL PAY STRIKES

More than 8000 women employed in homecare, schools, nurseries, cleaning and catering services went on strike demand rights to equal pay. The women eventually won their 12 year battle with Glasgow City Council in a case that ruled Glasgow’s pay system was discriminatory.

MAY 2021 KENMURE STREET PROTEST

On 13 May 2021, just after 9.30am I started to receive multiple texts. They seemed urgent. Upon reading them it became clear a dawn raid was taking place and all local activists and the community were being called to action. Eid prayers were disrupted and, no doubt, there was a sense of righteous anger that a special day was being hijacked by the police and home office. But the people of Glasgow united in numbers, minds and cause to say “these are our neighbours, let them be, set them free.”

Tabassum Niamat & Pinar Aksu

MAY 2020

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Following the global eruption of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, attention was drawn globally to the need to confront the trauma of institutional racism. The movement’s resonance was felt keenly in Govanhill, where violent institutional racism against Roma, Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups was actively fought against prior to the world witnessing the murder of George Floyd. Responses in Govanhill during the height of the pandemic saw people gather in Queen’s Park to demonstrate their solidarity as the streets were painted with BLM iconography and residents plastered their windows with messages of support.

Daniel Mwangi

For longer versions of these stories, head to

NOVEMBER 2021 COP26, CLIMATE EMERGENCY MARCH

In November 2021 Glasgow hosted the global climate summit, COP26. Leaders of the world flew in to discuss the ongoing climate crisis. An estimated 100,000 people marched through the streets of Glasgow. One began at Queen’s Park and marched to George Square, to join others from around the city. Hundreds of similar demonstrations happened around the world on the same day.

Nick Simms

Simon Murphy

Iain McLellan

Jeremy Sutton Hibbert

In a topic named ‘Voices for Change’ Primary 6 classes of St Bride’s Primary School are learning about how local residents make a positive impact within the Govanhill community. They are taking a closer look at the issue of fly tipping and went on a walkabout to identify the issue. To raise awareness, they have made posters and below are extracts from some of the letters they wrote to to Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie to call for action.

People should pick up their own litter.

Fly tipping makes me feel angry, disgustedheartbroken, and stuck.

Fly tipping is disgusting and it makes me feel angry. I hate it.

I would like to stop fly tipping because it is bad for animals and nature and also as kids we don’t deserve to live in an environment like this.

I want to tell people to stop!

I would like the community and government to help us shine again and make Govanhill the greenest place.

Showing International Solidarity in Glasgow

It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of conflict and displacement facing those in places around the world such as Palestine, Sudan, and Yemen. Three Glasgow residents share the importance of international solidarity for their home struggles and how people are coming together to support one another in the face of ongoing challenges.

Yemen: Intibint

Yemen has suffered a humanitarian crisis for 10 years now. A lot of Yemenis, as well as people from other backgrounds, have been vocal about Yemen. Unfortunately, when the community around you moves on, it is harder to continue being vocal about issues, even if they are important to you.

It’s been so beautiful to see how Glasgow, Scotland and the UK community have been able to come together for Palestine. It makes Glasgow feel like a safer place, especially at a time when the UK media has tried to create division through their Islamophobic narratives.

I created the platform Al Yamaniah (meaning Yemeni girl or woman) for artists of Yemeni heritage because there’s so much talent and skill. You mostly hear about oppression and suffering when reading about Yemeni women and whilst it’s important to be aware of the humanitarian situation, it’s important that Yemeni women get to tell their own stories and represent themselves. As there’s also so much resilience, hope and talent among them, Al Yamaniah is a way for us to create our own narrative on Yemeni women.

During Ramadan, I sold illustrations and donated 50 percent of the profits to the Yemen Yemen Relief & Reconstruction Foundation. One was an Illustration of a Yemeni woman wearing a traditional headdress. It’s been nice seeing them around Govanhill.

Another print said: “We will never forgive, we will never forget”. When we see destruction happening in our home country, there are feelings of helplessness or survivor’s guilt that come up, but we can remind ourselves that we’ll use that and channel it to make a change – and not forget about what’s happened.

Sudan: Anonymous

It would be good to have more visibility of Sudan, the way people have come together for Palestine, but it doesn’t have to be two separate things. We see ourselves as connected to the struggle of other people. It’s not in isolation.

People from the Sudanese community are expected to lead the way, which isn’t always possible because people feel exhausted and disheartened by the situation. Check in on your Sudanese friends – just because we’re not talking about it, doesn’t mean it’s not affecting us or we don’t need help.

I had family members who had to flee Sudan. I felt helpless and the only thing I could do was fundraise to get them to Cairo, start over and build their lives again. It costs around $1000 to enter Egypt, unlike before. So fundraising is a huge way that people can help Sudan and there are plenty of charities to donate to.

Or you can help by donating your time, as people have done for Jawahir; an event raising funds for Palestine and Sudan on Friday 10 May at Stereo. The artists and the DJs will be from a South Asian, Middle Eastern or North African background. These cultures can be quite similar so it’s a good way to bring people together.

Palestine: Adam Shehada

I am from Gaza and grew up in Al Zeitoun which borders the eastern side of Gaza. It has always been a war zone and suffered constant attacks since the start of the Second Intifada in 2000.

I’ve seen a lot of protests in support of Palestine here. It shows the Glaswegian community’s support and humanity. The boycott movement is active here too. The people in Palestine don’t have access to a lot of basic resources, but we see the support and we love the people here.

I’m a self-taught pencil artist specialising in hyperrealism. My collection, Inextinguishable Suns represents injustice and other world values not only limited to Palestine. I was invited to exhibit my work outside of Palestine several times but because of the blockade I was prevented from going abroad and taking part. It was exhausting.

I only brought three artworks with me to the UK. I believe I have lost all my artwork because every house has been bombed. My art is not more precious than the souls that I’ve lost, but I feel like art is part of my body because I spend days and nights creating one piece.

Continue showing solidarity, boycotting, being brave and speaking up for injustice, and against double standards. If you’re able to, you can help people in Gaza by donating or sharing their campaigns and applying pressure on politicians who have power. Don’t get tired – even though the road can seem very long and your efforts don’t seem to be going anywhere, your actions matter and it’s making a difference.

Interviews by Samar Jamal

Photo by Audrey Bizouerne

Why I Campaign for Disability Rights

By Jill Clark

Everyone has a favourite saying and mine is a ‘disability is an ability to do something’. So I always say my disability gives me the ability and power to campaign for human rights.

Firstly, let me introduce myself. I am 32 and live in Glasgow. My interests are music, shopping, and I am the biggest Mr. Blobby fan.

I live with a disability which is called cerebral palsy. It affects my muscles, my movement and my speech. I use a wheelchair all of the time and I communicate through a communication device. I use a tracker dot to access my programme on my device. The dot is on my head, and just like infrared.

For many years now I have been campaigning for more changing places toilets in Glasgow. Changing places toilets are specialised bathroom facilities that are built to be fully accessible for people with complex disabilities who may need assistance. A changing places toilet has equipment in it such as a hoist, a changing bed and it is big enough for a wheelchair user and two carers to move around in.

As I am in a wheelchair, I require a hoist to get to the toilet and sadly not all disabled toilets have a hoist. So, I started my campaign for changing places toilets.

Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of all people with a disability. Over a quarter of a million people in the UK with a disability need extra equipment and space to allow them to use the toilets safely and comfortably. These needs are met by changing places toilets.

The reason that I started my campaign was that I was very limited in where I could go because of the lack of changing places toilets. When I started my campaign there were only two public places in Glasgow that had a changing place toilet and nowadays there are about 26. These include Clydebank Shopping Centre, Central Station, Queen Street Station, Braehead, The Burrell Collection, the Riverside Museum, Glasgow Science Centre and many more.

With my campaign, I have written to places to see if they can install a changing places toilet. I have had a few articles in the Glasgow Times and I have appeared on the TV programme, Inside Central Station. But my greatest success with my campaign was getting a changing places toilet installed in my local shopping centre.

‘disability is an ability to do something’

There is an organisation which has helped me a lot with my campaign, they are called TAG. TAG stands for The Advisory Group; the group has been going since 1996. It was originally set up by KEY Community Supports to enable people with disabilities to have a stronger voice in the services they use and in their local communities. In 2012, TAG became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

TAG has over 500 members. There are 14 regional TAG groups across Scotland. TAG supports people to respond to issues and concerns raised by individuals both locally and nationally. But perhaps the most important work they do is making Scotland a more inclusive place for everyone to live.

TAG helps disabled people like myself by making life more inclusive through campaigns or by setting up activities in local communities; activities like football or dance clubs. Sadly, we live in a world where a lot of disabled people face challenges.

Talking from experiences and talking to other people, these challenges include: disabled access – difficulty accessing places like disabled toilets, or other places that are too small with no ramps; communication –disabled people being ignored because they communicate differently; public transport – particularly rude bus and taxi drivers who don’t help; social care – a lot of disabled people need to fight for the right care service; guide dogs – some places don’t let guide dogs in. It is terrible that a lot of disabled people face these challenges, but that is where organisations like TAG – or people like myself who campaign to make sure that everyone is included in the world – come in.

THE SPIRIT OF KENMURE STREET

Know your right to

By Craig Hunter & Rhiannon J Davies

After the local community stepped in to prevent the deportation of their neighbours, Kenmure Street has become a byword for the Southside appetite for resisting oppression. But in order to fight injustice, the first stage is knowing your rights.

RENT HIKES AND EVICTIONS

What’s happening?

As some readers will already be painfully aware, on 1 April a 3% rent cap designed to protect private tenants during the cost of living crisis came to an end.

The legislation has been replaced by a system which allows rent increases of up to 12%, with many experiencing bigger hikes from unscrupulous landlords.

Even during the period that the rent cap was in place, Greater Glasgow still saw an average increase of 22% as landlords exploited holes in the system, raising prices between tenancies.

What are your rights?

A new Housing Bill is currently going through the Scottish Parliament in an attempt to counter these measures. It includes provisions for long-term rent controls, stronger protection against eviction and the right to keep pets. Rent Control Areas could be introduced by local authorities where deemed necessary, but loopholes remain. It is expected to be at least a year or more before the legislation would come into effect.

What can you do about it?

The Living Rent tenant’s union recommends you challenge any unfair increases through the Rent Adjudication system, operated by Rent Service Scotland.

You have 21 days from the official letter notifying you before the increase comes into effect. You should be given three months' notice. In that time you must challenge the suggested rent increase.It’s not illegal for landlords to increase rent by more than the 12% limit, but contesting it should bring it down to at least that level.

Write to your MSP about the issue or join a tenants union.

Living Rent has created a handy online guide to walk you through the process at: fightrent.netlify.app

What about the risk of eviction?

A landlord must serve you with an official eviction notice, giving you a minimum of four to twelve weeks, depending on how long you’ve lived there. If you haven’t moved out by the date of your eviction notice, your landlord can apply for an eviction order.

The process can take two months, which will buy you some more time to find somewhere else to live, but they can’t force you to leave the property without an eviction order. If your landlord lied on the eviction notice about the reasons for ending your tenancy and you moved out, you could get up to six months' rent as compensation.

Info on what to do when facing homelessness can be found at: scotland.shelter.org.uk

RESISTING DEPORTATION

What’s happening?

As the Home Office ramps up its efforts to detain people ahead of the first flights deporting people to Rwanda, human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar has said he expects to see an explosion of the spirit of Kenmure Street.

The Glasgow-based No Evictions Network put out the following statement:

“We will not stand idly by as the Home Office attempts to detain and traffic people under the guise of immigration policy. We draw inspiration from Scotland’s defiance in the face of injustice at Kenmure Street and are ready to echo that resistance once more.

“The government’s audacious attempts to whitewash the truth about Rwanda’s safety are utterly condemned by us. We refuse to accept a reality, where the vulnerable are treated as expendable pawns in a political game”.

What can you do?

Campaigners are saying that if you see a raid, make sure people know they do not have to answer questions and can leave if not under arrest. If they want to walk away, walk with them.

If you need support, you can get in touch with No Evictions through their emergency response phone line: 07438318003 or noevictionsnetwork@gmail.com, or on X: @No_Evictions

The Maryhill Integration Network have highlighted that people might be at risk of being detained when turning up at immigration reporting centres, called ‘sign-ins’, and there is one such centre in Glasgow: Festival Court, Brand Street.

More generally, their advice is to share this information:

• Inform your neighbours, friends and a lawyer if you are at risk of deportation and receive a notice from the Home Office.

• Show solidarity. If you see any immigration vans at this time, contact others (dawn raids usually take place between 6-8am).

• Document the arrest and share online with your community. Offer to contact the person’s family and lawyer (which immigration officers will try to restrict)

• Raise awareness. Look up groups in Glasgow who provide support, like Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, Positive Action in Housing, Scottish Refugee Council etc. Campaigners are also highlighting that if you are being offered ‘voluntary departure’ to Rwanda, know that you DO NOT have to say yes and you should not respond until you have legal advice.

W h at ’ s O n

For more regular events and groups, or to share an event, visit: greatergovanhill.com/noticeboard

MAY

Jawahir: Fundraiser for Palestine and Sudan

When: Friday 10 May, from 11pm–3am

Where: Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane

What: This multicultural club night is run by Scandal Glasgow & WSHWSH as a night of celebration with DJs and performers to raise funds for Palestine and Sudan.

More info: Sliding scale tickets from £5–15, available at ra.co

Offline: The Ground is Not Unchanging

When: 10–24 May, from 7pm

Where: GAMIS Cinema, Niddrie Road

What: A curated series of screenings and workshops programmed by Mina-Heydari-Waite, featuring works that resonate with her research into alternative archival practices to seek a liberatory understanding of our shared world, with emphasis on anti-colonial struggles.

More info: Sliding scale tickets from £0-12, available via GlasgowAMIS

Bootlicker EP Release Party

When: Friday 28 June, from 7pm

Where: The Rum Shack, 657-659 Pollokshaws Road

What: Glasgow-based trio, DOSS, bring their disco-punk sound to the Southside for the release of their debut EP Bootlicker this summer.

More info: Tickets from £11, available on Eventbrite

A Community in Conversation: Have Your Say on Healthy Ageing

When: 15 May, from 10am–4pm

Where: The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street

What: Chat about ageing, healthy living and tackling inequalities at this knowledge exchange event with representatives from UoG and research networks like ATTAIN, who are spearheading the all-day workshop. More info: FREE, but booking required on allevents.in

Vocal or Version: Vintage Jamaican Music Night

When: Saturday 1 June, from 9pm–1am

Where: The Rum Shack, 657-659 Pollokshaws Rd, G41 2AB

What: Vocal or Version return to the Rum Shack with another night of vintage Jamaican music on vinyl.

More info: Tickets from £7, on Eventbrite

Kontemporary Korea: A Double Bill of K:Dance

When: 16 May, from 7:30–9pm

Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive

What: A double-bill of contrasting works, this contemporary dance show explores the impact social media has on society and the limits of human capabilities on the stage in this 90 minute performance with minimal dialogue.

More info: Sliding scale tickets from £10–20, at Tramway.org

Summer Solstice Solargraph Workshop

When: Thursday 20 June, from 6:30–8:30pm

Where: Southside Studios, 17 Westmoreland Street

What: Make your own solargraph camera in this one-off workshop. The final images will showcase the earth rotating around the sun this summer solstice.

More info: Ticketed from £5–10, on Eventbrite

Red and Black Clydeside Social Night

When: Monday 27 May, from 7–11:45pm

Where: Queen’s Park Bowling Club, 381 Langside Road

What: Join DJ, Slinky Kinky, for an evening of dance, disco and karaoke. Drinks will be available at the cash only bar and an inclusive buffet is covered by the ticket.

More info: Tickets from £6.50 on Eventbrite

J U N E

Glasgow International Festival

When: 7–23 June

Where: Events hosted across Glasgow.

What: The 10th edition of Glasgow Biennial International Festival of Contemporary Arts brings together curators, artists and performers from all over the world to one place to showcase their work.

More info: Full programme available at glasgowinternational.org.

Refugee Festival Scotland

When: From 14–23 June

Where: Events hosted across Glasgow

What: Refugee Festival Scotland is an annual arts and community festival. In the lead up to World Refugee Day, each event shines a light on the cultural diversity of our communities. See their programme for an event near you including the return of our new voices radio show and other events happening in The Community Newsroom

More info: The full programme will be announced mid May on refugeescotland.co.uk

Glasgow Jazz Festival

When: 19–23 June

Where: Venues across Glasgow

What: This year sees Glasgow Jazz Festival return to well-loved venues including the Mackintosh Church and Òran Mór in the West End, the City Centre’s Nice n Sleazy, Saint Luke’s in the East End and The Glad Café in the Southside.

More info: jazzfest.co.uk

Bungo in the Back Lanes 2024

When: Saturday 22 June, from 1-5pm

Where: Strathbungo backlanes, between Nithsdale Road and Thorncliffe Gardens

What: Bungo in the Backlanes returns with a plethora of resident stalls, beer gardens, live music, home baking, food stalls and more at this family friendly afternoon out.

Queen’s Park Arena

When: 28 June – 21 July

Where: The Bandstand, Queen’s Park

What: The programme was still to be announced at the time of going to print, but expect open air cinema showing cults and classics, community open stage, fitness classes, the Glasgow choir festival and soft play for the wee ones.

More info: Many events free but ticketed via qpa.inhouse.scot

Welcome to your Neighbourhood Yoga & Pilates Studio

We’re glad you’re here with us. Honouring the traditions of yoga + investing in your own personal growth.

Our community is one of inclusion, that strives for equity, is Black-owned & commited to getting better at honouring the roots of yoga in the West

New to us? Buy our intro deal 5 classes for £35

www.studio70glasgow.com

Spring savings made simple: cut your bills with these tips

As spring arrives and the winter chill fades, many of us still face high energy bills. But Home Energy Scotland is here to help! Follow our advice for quick, easy ways to save energy, lower your bills and reduce your carbon footprint.

• Turning off appliances could save you around £45 a year on your bills each year

• Lowering your thermostat by just 1°C can save you on average £85 per year

• Did you know your hosepipe can use enough water in 30 minutes to fill five bathtubs? Fitting a garden hose gun attachment gives you more control

• Make use of the warmer weather by line-drying your clothes. This could save on average £70 a year on your electricity bill

• If everybody in a typical household took a four-minute shower it could save around £55 on energy bills every year

CROSSMYWORD By The Anymen

ACROSS Cryptic Clues

DOWN Quick Clues

Crossmyword No. 4

The Anymen are back with their fourth Govanhill-themed crossword. This crossword has been made differently to their previous: all of the across clues are cryptic, whereas all of the down’s are standard quick clues!

1 Road to headless mountain-top is no regular point for meat tavern (5,3)

1 Standing shoulder to shoulder (10)

2 Horned mammal (3)

To enter the prize draw please hand in your completed crossword to The Community Newsroom (82 Bowman Street, G42 8LF) or send a picture of your completed crossword to devon@greatergovanhill.com by 10 June. The winner will receive one of our new Greater Govanhill t-shirts!

The Anymen are back with their fourth Govanhill-themed crossword. This crossword has been made differently to their previous: All of the across clues are cryptic, whereas all of the down’s are standard quick clues!

To enter the prize draw please hand in your completed crossword to The Community Newsroom (82 Bowman Street, G42 8LF) or send a picture of your completed crossword to devon@greatergovanhill.com by the INSERT DATE 1 MONTH FROM PUBLICATION

The winner and crossword answers will be published online on 11 June.

The winner and crossword answers will be published online on INSERT DATE 1 MONTH PLUS ONE DAY FROM PUBLICATION

GOVANHILL MULTILINGUAL QUIZ

By Marzanna Antoniak

Below is the word ‘equality’ in some of the languages spoken in Govanhill. Draw a line to match a language with its ‘equality’ word.

barobari

5 Representative’s soil dirty after gym (6)

10 Enjoyed messy deli with heart of a thousand (5)

11

Protest and leverage economically should initially join element and energy; it will be free (9)

12 Dixon Avenue leaders slid off bizarre yellow park residents? (9)

15 Yield reported kernel (4)

17 Mackintosh’s middle medicine (6)

18 Airpods tangled with one’s scattered population (8)

22 Pavarotti intended to sing flat (8)

23 Film lab mogul abides sample (6)

25 A day of Spanish greeting (4)

28 Shapely erotic gem! (9)

30 Elaine gnaws endlessly without initial interruption in a hurry at local garden (5,4)

31 Yearning within Holmlea geriatric (5)

33 Little Alan left in front of gateway (6)

34 Tire first in Queen’s Park, perhaps (8)

3 Youthful goat (3)

4 Bib (6)

5 Takes the edge off (5)

7 Small fruit, grown in 11a (5)

8 On the rocks (4)

9 Stretchy (7)

13 Author of The Wretched of the Earth (5)

14 Drug derived from poppy (5)

16 Nobel prizewinner credited with discovery of polonium (5,5)

19 Booze, informally (5)

20 Live (2,3)

21 Type of wordplay in 18a (7)

24 Not a chance! (2,4)

26 Respect (verb) (5)

27 Expression of surprise or amazement (5)

29 Distort (4)

30 Might come with soldiers (3)

31 Sludge (3)

rovnosť samathuvam musawat

ikulinet

eşitlik esheetlik

рівність rivnist’

đẳng

Gleichheit glaysh’hayt samaanata

SOPHIE GERRARD CULTIVATING EQUALITY AT TRONGATE 103, GLASGOW UNTIL 31ST MAY PART OF WE FEED THE UK NATIONAL PROJECT

KOTRYNA ULA KILIULYTE ARCHIVE SWELL – A SIMPLE MELODY

7TH JUNE - 4TH AUGUST AT STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS, GLASGOW PART OF GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL 2024

JACKIE KAY FIRST ANNUAL MAUD SULTER LECTURE

20TH JUNE REID LECTURE THEATRE, THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GLASGOW WOMEN’S LIBRARY AND GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART

ARPITA SHAH NALINI AT DUFF HOUSE, BANFF UNTIL 21ST JULY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND

MORWENNA KEARSLEY FONDS AT TRAMWAY (UPSTAIRS SPACE), GLASGOW UNTIL 2ND JUNE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GREATER GOVANHILL CIC

GOVANHILL WOMEN’S PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP RUYA

1ST JUNE - 31ST JULY AT HILLHEAD LIBRARY, GLASGOW PART OF REFUGEE FESTIVAL SCOTLAND AND WESTFEST 2024

GRASSROOTS & GROWING