Greater Govanhill - Issue 5

Issue 5

Winter 2022

THE STORIES THAT MATTER TO YOU FREE • GR ATUIT • Ü CRE TSIZ • G RATIS • ZADAR M O • BESPLATN O•

THE

HOUSING ISSUE

INCLUDING: The 15 Minute City • Women and Non-Binary Tradespeople • Litter Picking Retrofitting Your Tenement • Solidarity Across the Lines • Decluttering Your Life Exploring Fatherhood Through Photography • Gentrification • Recipe for Chinese New Year Regular Activities You Can Join • Pull Out and Stick Up Poster for Your Close Featuring articles in: Română, čeština 1

we stand

#togetherwithrefugees

Letter from the Editor

Featured Contributors

Dear Readers,

Our cover star, Beatrice Onashile, may have only moved to the area a couple of years ago, but she has thrown herself into community activity with gusto – working hard to make where she lives a better place for all.

Speaking about why she goes out in all weathers to pick up litter, she highlighted the connection between environmental and mental health, saying: “Where we live is our sanctuary.”

This is one of the reasons why, in this issue, we focus on housing. It’s a topic that readers have asked for, but there’s so much we could talk about, we have only scratched the surface. Read different perspectives on the changing nature of the neighbourhood from residents of one close, how other cities have tackled their housing problems, and about what the shift to renewable energy means for tenement living.

But that’s not all we focus on in Issue 5. You’ll hear about the women and non-binary tradespeople challenging stereotypes, what happens when poetry sceptics take the time to explore a poem, advice on decluttering your life, snapshot memories of Govanhill in the 1960s, a photography project on the realities of fatherhood, the concept of the 15 minute city, a recipe for Chinese new year and so much more!

Greater Govanhill begins this year still on a high from winning three awards at the end of 2021, awards that recognise the power of community media to make a positive impact in society. We have a growing staff and are pleased to welcome Becki and Jack into the team. One of our key priorities for 2022 is to secure public-facing premises that can become a place to share stories and learn new skills. If you know of somewhere that could work, do let us know. And become a member or sign up to our newsletter for all the latest.

Rhiannon J Davies Founder/Editor

Streetlevel Photoworks, Studio 70, ArtSpace41, Firstport, Govanhill Baths, Govanhill Housing Association, the South East Integration Network, Thriving Places Govanhill, Garolla.

Want to advertise in our next issue?

Email becki@greatergovanhill.com

Read a recipe which takes Sean right back to his grandmother’s kitchen on page 8

Suzie Cichy

is a freelance illustrator making work under her creative alias Big Suze. She also teaches people how to screen print at Print Clan, an inclusive open-access textile printing workshop.

Yours sincerely,

A special thanks goes to our advertisers:

Sean Wai Keung

is a foodie, writer and performance maker who has also written for The Skinny, Bella Caledonia and the SEIN Glasgow blog, amongst others. His favourite vegetable is broccoli.

This magazine would not be possible without the support of our community. If you want to help keep it going, become a member to be the first to receive each issue: greatergovanhill.com/support

Check out Suzie’s illustrations on pages 30 and 46 or follow her on Instagram @biggsuze

Editor-in-Chief Rhiannon J Davies Creative Director Laura Hurst www.paperarcade.co.uk Cover Image Beatrice Onashile by Virginie Chabrol Words by Alex Wilde, Anne Milne, Annie Muir, Becki Menzies, Craig Hunter, Danny Macphearson, David Doren, Emily Benita, Giacinta Frisillo, Jack Howse, Jess Steele, Liz Ely, Mariana, Marzanna Antoniak, Mikey Jarrell, Natalie Whittle, Rahela Cirpaci, Rhiannon J Davies, Robbie Armstong, Romano Lav, Sam Doak, Sarah Cochrane, Sean Wai Keung, Silas Lehane, Zemirah Moffat Editing Support Becki Menzies, Jack Howse, Mikey Jarrell, Rachel Carmichael Featuring the Photography of Alexander Hoyles, Becky Duncan, Bel Pye, Bracken Holroyd, Chris Moses, Eoin Carey, Jack Howse, Jessica Lockhart, Kenneth Cousin, Grant McManus, Paul Reich, Sareh Abasi, Simon Murphy, Sophie McKenzie, Virginie Chabrol

Craig Hunter

is a journalist with a growing interest in community radio production. As well as contributions towards the Greater Govanhill Show on Buena Vida, he has recently produced collaborative experimental works with field recordings on long walks, foraging and friendships, which have been broadcast on Radiophrenia and Glasgow Doors Open Day Radio.

Read his article on the legacy of hosting during COP26 on page 31

Illustrations by Alistair Quietsch, Rachael Procter, Suzie Cichy Printed by Gladstone Media Ltd

All content, unless otherwise stated, is copyright © Greater Govanhill CIC. All rights reserved. No part of this independently published magazine may be reproduced without permission.

Greater Govanhill CIC is a community interest company registered at Langside Lane, Glasgow, G42 8BH, Scotland: SC656194.

Any queries, comments or letters, get in touch via: hello@greatergovanhill.com To make a complaint, visit: greatergovanhill.com/complaints

Contents REGULARS

R HOME LET'S TAKE CARE OF OU

06

FEATURES

26

News in Brief

All the latest from around the neighbourhood

‘Let’s Take Care of Our Home’

08

Pull out and keep poster created by local residents

Like My Grandmother Used to Make

Buddha’s Delight – from Sean Wai Keung

09

HOUSING

Rebekah Clark at the Dixon Community Young Carers group

19

Volunteer Spotlight

10

Roma News and Views

Rahela and Mariana on the realities of motherhood

RO M AN IA

Gentrification: A Govanhill Problem?

N

CZ EC H

Featuring the views of four residents from one close

12

22

Designer and Upholster, Urszula Jochim

What is it and how does it work in Glasgow?

Meet the Maker

The Retrofit Revolution

23

16

My Retrofit Journey

Behind the Portrait

How one woman transformed her flat during lockdown

Featuring potter Claire Henry

24

12

How different cities around Europe are tackling the housing crisis

Cassiltoun Housing Association

27

South East Integration Network Presents…

13

Housing: What works elsewhere?

We all have to do our part

Beatrice Onashile is on a mission to keep her street clean

Style Icon

With Roma singer, Jana Pušková

14

Your Govanhill

With Eylül Çevgen from Wee Plate Cafe

28

Govanhill Housing Association: FAQs

Did you know anyone over 16 can apply for a home?

30

Renting in Govanhill

What’s your experience?

Take part in our survey to have your say

4

Language Quiz

By Marzanna Antoniak Issue 5 Winter 2022

37

Father: A Photography Project by Eoin Carey The hidden half of parenthood

31

After COP26: The Struggle Continues

Indigenous activists and their fight for survival

32

42

The 15 Minute City

Extract from a new book by Outwith owner, Natalie Whittle

44

This is a Man’s World?

Cathkin Blazes: Football For Fun

The women and non-binary tradies paving the way

Govanhill’s newest women and non-binary team

34

46

The podcast that introduces poems to poetry sceptics

The art of decluttering your life and how to go about it

36

47

In Glasgow and beyond

Photography workshops and prop making

Time for One Poem

Exploring Solidarity

40

Clearing Clutter

Arts and Culture

Peek Into the Past

Snapshots of Govanhill in the 1960s

TO CLOSE What’s On

SUPPORT GREATER GOVANHILL

Regular local clubs and activities

Proverb: Casa nu-i a mea, e a celui care deschide ușa.

Pronunciation: kasa noo-ee a meh-ah, eh-ah che-looy kareh des-kee-deh oosha Translation: The house is not mine, it belongs to the one who opens the door.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb: Pronunciation: al jar gabl ad-dar Translation: Choose the neighbour before the house.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb: Czym chata bogata, tym rada.

Pronunciation: chem hatah boga-tah tem radah Translation: Whatever we’ve got at home, you’re welcome to it.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb: Ev alma, komşu al.

Pronunciation: ev alma kom-shoo al Translation: Don’t buy a house, get a neighbour.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb:

50

Poetry Corner

Happiness by Annie Muir

50

Hot Shot If you like what you read, scan this code to support the magazine by becoming a member or making a one-off donation!

Here is some wisdom from around the world about houses and homes. Can you tell which language each proverb comes from?

Photographs taken by participants in recent workshops

FOLLOW US

@govanhill_mag greatergovanhill @greatergovanhill 5

Pronunciation: v-gas-tya-h harahshoh a domah looch-sheh Translation: It’s nice to visit others, but home is best.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb: Pronunciation: shans yek bar dar khooneye adam-o mee-zaneh Translation: Luck knocks on the door of your house only once.

Language: ��������������������������� Proverb: No empiece la casa por el tejado.

Pronunciation: no em-pye-seh la kasa por el teha-doh Translation: Don’t start construction of the house from the roof.

Language: ���������������������������

Answers, in order the proverbs appear: Romanian, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Persian, Spanish

48

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

news in brief Greater Govanhill Wins Hat Trick of Awards The end of last year proved to be a fruitful period for Greater Govanhill Magazine. We were awarded three gongs at three different ceremonies: Regional Magazine of the Year at the News Awards UK, Launch of the Year at the PPA Scotland Awards, and One to Watch at the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland. We were also nominated for three further awards.

We would like to thank all our contributors, members, community partners and funders, almost all of whom are local to the Govanhill area. We also thank all our readership for their continued support. We hope that this recognition will enable us to build on the foundations we have laid, in our efforts to provide quality community journalism that makes a positive impact in society.

Bhasha Language Festival

Join the next Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival taking place online, outdoors, and in venues in Govanhill and wider Glasgow from February 21st to 27th!

The programme will include language taster sessions, talks, street happenings, multilingual song and poetry, and more. The festival marks the International Mother Language Day, held annually on February 21st. Find out more and sign up for events on Facebook: Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival, or check our online community noticeboard: greatergovanhill.com/noticeboard

Radio Buena Vida to Open ‘Radio Cafe’ Online community radio station, Radio Buena Vida, which has been operating out of Some Great Reward record store, has taken on the lease of premises next to Curlach hairdressers on Victoria Road. Once renovations are complete, they plan on opening up a cafe serving up great food and great tunes, with the radio station being run from the bay window. Speaking about the news, co-founders Suz O’Neill and David Feming said: “A Radio Cafe has always been the plan, but Covid meant it’s taken longer than we hoped to get here.

We’re so excited for the possibilities and hope it can become a real community hub.”

2022 Opening for Govanhill Baths 2022 will see the reopening of Govanhill Baths as a Wellbeing Centre, 21 years after it was forced to close by the local council. Govanhill Baths Community Trust, which took ownership of the building after the local community occupied the site in the longest occupation of a public building in British history, are refurbishing the space to its original Edwardian splendour and will refurbish two of the three swimming pools as well as creating a gym, yoga studio and Turkish suite. For more info, and how to get involved, see page 15.

6

Rumpus Room Bursary Rumpus Room is launching a Youth Arts Bursary Programme in 2022 supported by Creative Scotland. There are three opportunities for bursaries that prioritise locally-based young artists. The bursaries will take place over six months in 2022.

“At Rumpus Room, we are led by the interests of young people. Over the last year, there has been a lot of discussions, making and actions led by young studio members concerning art & activism within our community of Govanhill and wider beyond. Young people have been exploring how art and artists can contribute to positive change within our communities. In response to this Rumpus Room are supporting three bursaries that intersect art and activism, that can respond to the local and in turn global issues that young people are affected by.”

For more information follow Rumpus Room on Instagram, Twitter or email rumpusroomteam@gmail.com.

You can also swing by the studio based on Langside Lane in Govanhill on the off chance someone is home!

Free Bus Travel Under 22s From the start of February, all young people aged 5-21 in Scotland will be able to travel on public buses for free. The scheme, which will benefit nearly a million young people in Scotland, endeavours to make education and employment more accessible as well as seeking to combat the climate crisis. Young people will need to register for a National Entitlement Card (NEC) in order to benefit from the scheme, applications for it were opened at the start of this year.

news in brief Hampden UNESCO Site

The Well finds a New Home

In November of last year, The Hampden Collection officially launched their campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage Statue for the original location of Hampden Park – thought to be the site of the first ever purpose-built football ground.

The group, which was set up in 2017 after foundations of the site were discovered at the western edge of Queens Park Recreation Ground, believes that the site meets the requirements of World Heritage Status; specifically for the criteria that it bears “a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition”.

It is hoped the application can coincide with St. Andrews Day of this year, as this marks the 150th anniversary of the first ever international football game when Scotland and England competed in nearby Partick.

The Well, a registered Scottish Charity based in Govanhill that offers free advice and consultations to people who are disadvantaged through poverty, racism, limited English language skills or social isolation, have found a new home on Allison Street.

The new building will provide 50 percent more space, increasing capacity to help more people every day. There will be more area areas where privacy can be achieved to discuss sensitive issues. The additional space will also allow more room for group activities, such as digital workshops and craft activities. The hope is to create a bustling community hub where more in the community can come for support and advice.

New Advocacy Community Network ‘Our Rights, Our Communities’ to Launch

Locavore Awarded Social Enterprise of the Year

Milk Café, Unity Sisters and Govanhill Baths Community Trust are co-launching a new set of programmes that aim ‘to build a unique community model based on support’. This will be done through a series of activities that will engage with 600 refugee and asylum seeking women over 8 months. The project, which is part funded through the EU Asylum Migration Integration Fund, will be a mix of culturally appropriate events and workshops that seeks to create community assets and a peer-led advocacy group.

Locavore, whose flagship shop is on Victoria Road, won the top prize at the annual UK Social Enterprise Awards. The store, which is the first social enterprise supermarket in Scotland, seeks to make food shopping both local and affordable. Locavore is currently opening up new shops in towns and cities around Scotland as part of its ‘Bigger Plan’ to open ten new stores in two years.

SUPPORT THE MAGAZINE

If you like this magazine and would like to support it with a monthly contribution, you can become a member by visiting www.greatergovanhill.com/support or alternatively cut out and send this form to Greater Govanhill CIC, c/o SEIN, Langside Lane, 539 Victoria Rd, Glasgow G42 8BH All members get a copy of all of our magazines posted out to them, invited to members/contributors meetings and free access to our workshops and events.

Name: Address: Phone: Email address: Please tick your chosen amount: I am interested in becoming a member for: £3 per month (or £36 annually)

Stay informed about Govanhill Services and Opportunities

There’s always lots going on in Govanhill: community events, job vacancies, training opportunities, activities for young people, public consultations, and more. Thriving Places compiles all this information into a regular, concise, easy-read Govanhill Updates bulletin for residents and staff working in the neighbourhood. If you want to stay up-to-date with what’s happening locally, you can find the latest on www.govanhill.info, where you can also sign up for email updates.

£5 per month (or £54 annually)

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Post

like my grandmother used to make

Buddha’s Delight

By Sean Wai Keung There’s nothing quite like your grandmother’s cooking to transport you to a more familiar setting. And the kitchens of Govanhill tenements are filled with the aromas of a multitude of different cuisines reflecting the diverse make-up of the neighbourhood.

In this series, we ask people to provide a recipe that tastes like home.

Got a recipe to share?

Get in touch: hello@greatergovanhill.com

Buddha’s Delight is just one of many traditional dishes eaten at Lunar New Year

by Chinese communities and families. It’s named after the meals eaten by Chinese Buddhist monks, and each cook has their own special vegetable combinations which expresses their personality. Normally the dish consists of a mixture of eight or more different vegetables, including at least a couple of rarer or more expensive ones to make the dish special. This recipe is just my version, but feel free to find your own veggie combo that brings you joy.

Lunar New Year this year falls on February 1st. For me, this would usually mean making the trip to see my grandmother, or my 婆婆 (popo) as I would call her. Her birthday was also the 29th January, which depending on the year would sometimes be close enough to New Year to be cause for a double celebration.

Her love language was always food, and she took great pride in cooking the New Year feast for the rest of her family. Normally by the time I would see her she would already be in her kitchen, with a wok and a pan already on the go, her oven already turned on and her marinated duck hanging in the corner. The smell would be incredible, a mixture of sweet and warm and spicy that would make my mouth water.

There would be condensation on her kitchen windows to the point that it was like once I was in her house, the outside world didn’t exist anymore. Some years she would spend so much time and energy cooking that when it came time to eat, her eyes would struggle to stay open at the table. Afterwards, me and my cousins always had the job of washing-up, drying, and putting everything back in its normal place. By the time we finished, the condensation on the windows would have disappeared, and the outside world would once again be visible to us, marking the start of the new year.

Buddha’s Delight Ingredients 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower) 3 slices of fresh ginger 3 cloves of garlic, sliced 2 tbsp shaoxing wine (or cooking sherry) 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 spring onion, sliced 1 tsp sesame oil Glass Noodles

Sliced Vegetables (you can use your own selection) - Mushrooms - Carrots - Napa Cabbage (also known as Chinese Leaf) - Wood Ears - Leeks - Black Moss - Chives - Baby Sweetcorn - Snow Peas

Method 1. Soak the glass noodles in a bowl of hot water.

2. Heat your wok over a medium-high heat, then add oil and ginger and let cook for about 30 seconds.

3. Add your sliced garlic and spring onions, stir, and then let cook for another 30 seconds.

4. Add your mushrooms, wood ears, black moss and carrots, stir again until a little reduced. Then add your shaoxing wine or cooking sherry and fry for a minute.

5. Add your other ingredients, apart from the glass noodles, along with dark soy sauce and a sprinkling of water, then reduce the heat to medium, stir and cover. Allow to cook for 5 minutes.

6. Uncover your wok and turn heat to high. Strain some of the water from your glass noodles (not all of it though) and then stir it into the wok. Keep stirring until what remaining liquid there is evaporates.

8

Volunteer Spotlight Rebekah Clark

The Dixon Community – Glasgow South East Carers Centre Young Carers Group: ‘YC Connect’ As told to Rhiannon J Davies Portrait by Eoin Carey

I

n a way, I’ve been a carer since the day I was born. My older sister is severely disabled and so I’ve always been caring for her. She lives in a supported living house now and I live in my own home. But I’m still one of her legal guardians.

Being a young carer made me mature at a very young age.

When my friends at school were all acting up and causing havoc for their mums and dads, I was sitting there going ‘you shouldn’t be doing that’. I missed out on a lot of friends’ activities, like going to the cinema, on holiday or to parties because I was caring. It made some friendships quite challenging; they couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t just come out. But I don’t regret it at all.

School was difficult. It took them until I was in my sixth year for them to understand how involved I was. They’d be asking why I hadn’t done my homework. But I just didn’t have the time.

I was never late, and I had 100% attendance, but studying and doing homework was a challenge. It was only after I left school and won the “Bighearted Carer of the Year” award that I think they realised what had been going on.

My mum, sister and me moved to Govanhill from Aberdeenshire when I was eight years old. We never had much support when we were living in the countryside. It only started when we moved and were able to get an accessible house suitable for my sister as a wheelchair user. I joined the Young Carers Group, and every Thursday, I’d get together with other young carers and we would just have some time to hang out and not worry about caring. I made lifelong friends.

The group helped me get through everything. They noticed my interest in media and got me some experience doing radio.

It meant I went to uni and studied television. I’ve worked for the BBC, STV, Clyde 1 and others. I work in property now though as I still support my sister, so I needed a nine-to-five; something with stability.

It was only when I bought my house that I realised I had free time on my hands. That’s when I got in touch with the Dixon Community and said I’d like to give back. I asked if I could help young carers to understand that with the right support you can achieve your dreams. You can get your house, get your qualifications and have a job that you love.

I volunteer at three different places, because volunteers helped me get to where I am. As well as the carers’ centre, I volunteer with the Sick Children’s Hospital radio station and the Buttercups group that supports young girls to make new connections and learn new skills.

So many young people don’t realise they are carers. They just think they help their mum out. But you don’t have to be supporting someone in a wheelchair to be a carer. It can be someone who needs help in a completely different way. Carers Centres throughout Glasgow go into schools now and are realising just how many young people have caring responsibilities. It’s totally different from when I was a kid.

It’s down to each individual whether The Dixon they want to share their story or Community was established in 1972, a multicultural not. Some young people think organisation providing care and that it’s no one else’s business. support to older people and carers However, some kids really need in the South East of Glasgow, through to talk about it, need to get two main projects: Day Opportunities; and Glasgow South East Carers Centre. off their chest, and they need to understand that there are To volunteer or attend day opportunities, phone: 0141 423 2481. other people in the same Carers Support: If you care for a relative, partner situation. Everyone, especially or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has poor teachers, need to be aware mental health or substance misuse problems you that they have no idea how can refer yourself for support using the online hard someone’s life is back referral form: home. bit.ly/carerselfreferral You can start volunteering with Further information for Glasgow carers can be found here: just even an hour a week. It doesn’t bit.ly/glasgowcarers have to take up much time. You can do something so small, and it can help so much.

The Realities of Motherhood

Realitățile de Maternitate

Rahela and Mariana from Romano Lav discuss what motherhood means to them

Rahela și Mariana de la Romano Lav discută ce înseamnă pentru ei maternitatea

RAHELA

RAHELA

R O M A N IA

Having a baby is a beautiful miracle. It’s a blessing that many families pray for. Nothing compares to the moment you first see your baby and hold them in your arms.

But I think we mamas can agree that motherhood is very hard. Nobody really ever tells you how hard it’s actually going to be, from pregnancy to postpartum. Then there’s the countless sleepless nights you are going to have. Sometimes it can get really hard and we don’t always ask for help.

We know we are strong mamas and we can get through anything for our kids, but sometimes it’s okay to ask for help from a family member or a friend. We also need some time for ourselves! It’s really important that we don’t burn ourselves out and make sure to have some ‘me time’, even if it means staying in the car for five minutes just to breathe, or getting some fresh air in the garden. It really does help.

Next year we are going to run a wellbeing programme for Roma women to take time for themselves, relax and get pampered. It’s so important to me that there is a space for this in our communities.

Giving birth is also a really challenging time especially during the pandemic. I had a really bad experience in Romania giving birth to my second child. I experienced racism in the hospital from nurses and doctors because I was Roma. I was treated badly and almost slapped by a nurse while having contractions because I was screaming in pain. I was told to shut up by the nurse because I would scare the other patients away and that I had been through this before so this should be easy for me. Not every birth is the same.

Să ai un copil este un miracol frumos. Este o binecuvântare pentru care se roagă multe familii. Nimic nu se compară cu momentul în care îți vezi copilul pentru prima dată și îl ții în brațe.

Dar cred că noi, mamele, putem fi de acord că maternitatea este foarte grea, nimeni nu îți spune niciodată cât de greu va fi de fapt, de la sarcină până la postpartum sau nenumăratele nopți nedormite pe care le vei avea. Uneori poate deveni foarte greu și nu întotdeauna cerem ajutor. Știm că suntem mame puternice și putem trece prin orice pentru copiii noștri, dar uneori este în regulă să ceri ajutor unui membru al familiei sau unui prieten.

Avem nevoie de timp și pentru noi înșine! Este foarte important să nu ne ardem și să ne asigurăm că avem ceva timp pentru mine, chiar dacă înseamnă să stăm în mașină cinci minute doar pentru a respira sau să luăm puțin aer proaspăt în grădină. Chiar ajută.

Anul viitor vom derula un program de bunăstare pentru femeile rome, pentru a-și face timp pentru ele, pentru a se relaxa și a se răsfăța. Este atât de important pentru mine că există un spațiu pentru asta în comunitățile noastre.

Nașterea este, de asemenea, o perioadă cu adevărat provocatoare, mai ales în timpul pandemiei. Am avut o experiență foarte proastă în România când am născut al doilea copil. Am experimentat rasismul în spital de la asistente și medici pentru că eram rom. Am fost tratat prost și aproape pălmuit de o asistentă în timp ce aveam contracții pentru că țipam de durere și asistenta mi-a spus să tac pentru că îi voi speria pe ceilalți pacienți și că am trecut prin asta înainte, așa că ar trebui să fie ușor pentru mine.

Nu toate nașterile sunt la fel și, după cum vedem, rasismul în România este foarte ridicat.

MARIANA

MARIANA

My birth plan was not as I planned it to be. I was hospitalized at 37 weeks with preeclampsia, and prepared for induction at 38 weeks pregnant. Everything was happening so fast. And, as if things could not get any worse, lockdown was happening, so I was all alone. On the fourth day of my induction, with the help and support from the amazing midwives, I finally gave birth to my lovely baby boy and that’s when my motherhood experience started.

I was really tired and went through loads of sleepless nights crying and just feeling exhausted. As I had my baby during lockdown, I had no family coming over and helping out.

My partner was working and I was just alone with the baby.

Depression and anxiety were kicking in. I felt loneliness and all the emotions all at once. But thank God my baby put a smile on my face everyday which made me stronger and not give up. I would go through it a million times for my child because it’s all worth it.

Planul meu de naștere nu a fost așa cum mi-am propus să fie.

Am fost internată la 37 de săptămâni cu preeclampsie și pregătită pentru inducție la 38 de săptămâni de sarcină. Totul se petrecea atât de repede și, de parcă lucrurile nu puteau să se înrăutățească, avea loc blocarea, ceea ce însemna că eram singur. În a 4-a zi de introducere, cu ajutorul și sprijinul moașelor uimitoare, am născut în sfârșit băiețelul meu minunat și atunci a început experiența mea de maternitate. Eram foarte obosită și am trecut prin multe nopți nedormite plângând și simțindu-mă doar epuizată. Deoarece miam născut copilul în timpul blocării, nu am avut nicio familie care să vină și să ajute. Partenerul meu lucra și eram singur cu copilul.

Depresia și anxietatea îmi începeau. Simțeam singurătatea și toate emoțiile deodată. Dar, slavă Domnului, copilul meu îmi punea mereu zâmbetul pe buze în fiecare zi, ceea ce m-a făcut mai puternică și să nu renunț. Aș trece prin toate acele milioane de ori pentru copilul meu, deoarece merită.

RAHELA

RAHELA

Comparând poveștile noastre de naștere, putem vedea cât de diferit a tratat-o NHS din Marea Britanie pe Mariana, față de modul în care am fost tratată eu în România. Este înfiorător și arată cât de mult rasism anti-romi există în România. Dar, cu toate acestea, și așa cum a spus și Mariana, aș trece din nou prin toate astea doar pentru a avea copiii mei frumoși!

Comparing our birth stories, we can see how different the NHS in the UK treated Mariana, compared to how I was treated in Romania. It’s horrifying, and shows how much anti-Roma racism there is in Romania. But despite all that, and as Mariana said, I would go through it all again just to have my beautiful babies!

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N

Reality mateřství

CZECH

Rahela a Mariana z Romano Lav diskutují o tom, co pro ně mateřství znamená

RAHELA Mít dítě je krásný zázrak. Je to požehnání, za které se modlí mnoho rodin. Nic se nevyrovná okamžiku, kdy poprvé spatříte své miminko a držíte je v náručí.

Ale myslím, že my mámy se shodneme na tom, že mateřství je velmi těžké, nikdo vám ve skutečnosti nikdy neřekne, jak těžké to ve skutečnosti bude, od těhotenství po poporodní období nebo nespočet bezesných nocí, které budete mít. Někdy to může být opravdu těžké a ne vždy žádáme o pomoc. Víme, že jsme silné mámy a dokážeme pro své děti zvládnout cokoli, ale někdy je v pořádku požádat o pomoc člena rodiny nebo přítele.

Potřebujeme také trochu času pro sebe! Je opravdu důležité, abychom se nespálili a zajistili si trochu času na mě, i kdyby to znamenalo zůstat pět minut v autě jen dýchat nebo se nadýchat čerstvého vzduchu na zahradě. Opravdu to pomáhá.

Příští rok se chystáme spustit wellness program pro romské ženy, aby si udělaly čas pro sebe, odpočinuly si a nechaly se hýčkat. Je pro mě tak důležité, že je pro to v našich komunitách prostor.

Porod je také opravdu náročný čas, zvláště během pandemie.

Měla jsem opravdu špatnou zkušenost v Rumunsku, když jsem porodila své druhé dítě. V nemocnici jsem zažil rasismus od sester a lékařů, protože jsem byl Rom. Bylo se mnou špatně a málem jsem dostala facku od sestry, když jsem měla kontrakce, protože jsem křičela bolestí a sestra mi řekla, abych držela hubu, protože bych vyděsila ostatní pacienty, a že už jsem tím prošla, takže by to pro mě mělo být snadné . Ne každý porod je stejný a jak můžeme vidět, rasismus v Rumunsku je velmi vysoký.

MARIANA Jmenuji se Mariana a chtěla bych mluvit o své zkušenosti s mateřstvím a trochu o mém porodním příběhu/zážitku. Můj porodní plán nebyl takový, jaký jsem si plánovala. Byla jsem hospitalizována ve 37. týdnu s preeklampsií a připravena na indukci ve 38. týdnu těhotenství, všechno se dělo tak rychle, a protože to nemohlo být nejhorší, docházelo k lockdown , což znamená, že jsem byla úplně sama. 4. den mé idukci S pomocí a podporou milých porodních asistentek jsem konečně porodila svého krásného chlapečka a tehdy začala moje zkušenost s mateřstvím. Byla jsem opravdu unavená a prožila jsem spoustu bezesných nocí s pláčem a pocitem vyčerpání. Měla jsem své dítě během lockdown, neměla jsem žádnou rodinu, která by za mnou chodila a pomáhala muj partner , pracoval a já byla jen sama s dítětem. Moje deprese a úzkost byly silna, cítila jsem osamělost a všechny emoce najednou. Ale díky bohu, moje dítě mi vždy vykouzlo úsměv na tváři každý den, což mě posílilo.Pro své dítě bych tím vším prošla milionkrat, protože to všechno stojí za to.

RAHELA Když porovnáme naše příběhy o narození, můžeme vidět, jak odlišné NHS ve Spojeném království zacházelo s Marianou ve srovnání s tím, jak se mnou zacházeli v Rumunsku. Je to děsivé a ukazuje to, kolik protiromského rasismu je v Rumunsku. Ale přes to všechno, a jak řekla i Mariana, bych si tím vším znovu prošla, jen abych měla svá krásná miminka!

Illustration by Rachael Procter

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Meet the Maker: Urszula Jochim is a designer and upholsterer based at ARC Independent, a studio that forms part of the Torrisdale Street Studio complex in Govanhill. Originally from Poland, she moved to Glasgow in 2017 to study at the Glasgow School of Art. Previously she lived in Edinburgh, and got a BA in Photography, before studying Interior Design. She also became a member of the Association of Masters Upholsterers. It was at that time she co-founded the Wee Collective, specialising in the restoration of midcentury furniture.

Today, Urszula continues her furniture restoration and upholstery business, while also running courses out of her Southside studio, teaching beginners and improvers the art and craft of upholstery.

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SEIN Presents….

CASSILTOUN HOUSING ASSOCIATION By Jess Steele

Cassiltoun Housing Association (CHA), situated in Castlemilk, was established in 1984; a direct response by local women to poor housing conditions in the area.

It is managed by a voluntary board of local people and professionals from the housing, education and political sector, but the work they do goes far beyond bricks and mortar.

O

ne key project for CHA is the maintenance and management of Castlemilk Park. Prior to Cassiltoun taking on the space, it was relatively disused and associated with antisocial behaviour.

Yet it was seen as an important community space by the association, who employ a Community Woodlands Officer (co-funded by Scottish Forestry with other support from Glasgow City Council) to develop it. According to Paddy McKenna, the Community Development Manager for CHA it’s now seen as a thriving community asset: “There’s a forest school, outdoor education initiatives, events, health walks, and lots of volunteering opportunities for locals.”

Volunteers with CHA, gain skills and qualifications to find employment, improve their wellbeing, and increase their connection to the

Urszula Jochim

What kind of project is the most popular in your classes?

In a word, chairs! However, you would be surprised how different people’s ideas can be about what’s doable within a block of classes. I usually suggest starting simple.

But when I was learning I also thought the more complicated the project, the better.

It’s not really the case though, especially if someone is looking to learn traditional methods using springs, horsehair etc.

What are your influences?

Not surprisingly I am a lifelong admirer of classical mid-century pieces, in particular the Scandinavian ones. I remember going to Copenhagen for the first time – I felt like a kid in a candy store. People take such good care of them, it is hard to find any in need of renovation.

The projects I really get excited about are more local ones such as Greaves and Thomas, Ercol, and G-plan. Again, not the easiest of finds, but I do like a good hunt!

By Anne Milne

And what inspires you?

My background is photography and that was my very first creative love affair. These days I mostly do it for fun, although I think it has influenced my whole aesthetic sensitivity profoundly. As you can tell by my education, I’m kind of a lifelong student.

I love learning new skills, experimenting and mixing them up. Just like photography led me to interiors, interiors inspired my fascination with architecture, and as architecture and chairs go perfectly together it all kind worked itself out.

What other interests do you have?

My main interest is finding new interests!

I love being on the move, finding, making, playing, exploring. My newest obsession is open water swimming. The cold is one thing but the views from the middle of the loch are something else! Sometimes I wonder if I’m there more for the swim or for the images, probably equal parts. Having said that, we do now have an upholstery swimming group made up of people who attended one of my workshops and share the love of water or are about to… it’s all connected!

community and its needs. CHA aim to upskill and meaningful tenant structure; our board of support community members in lots of different management is tenant led, we have a community areas. The long term goal is that Castlemilk is advisory panel, an estate action group, and a an empowered community youth advisory panel.” that has the resources, The success of the agency, and services to holistic, community-centred manage issues of poverty approach of CHA is reflected and community wellbeing: in their connection to the “A big thing for us,” says community, and the respect Paddy, “is enabling people for their work across the to co-design what we do, sector. They have not only make decisions about created better homes the local community, and in Castlemilk, but a true support people in creating sense of community and their own projects from belonging as well. It may ideas they have to improve start with bricks and mortar, their local area.” but it certainly doesn’t end Cassiltoun runs a digital there. lending library that gives To find out more about local people and projects Cassiltoun Housing access to devices and the Association head to their Images provided by internet, and are currently website: Cassiltoun Housing Association working with the Repair www.cassiltoun.org.uk Cafe to introduce a repair economy element.

The South East Integration Network This not only saves individuals money, but also (SEIN) is a network of community creates connections with community members. groups and organisations Other projects include an art club and a working across the south east community garden. of Glasgow providing services & Having such high levels of community activities to promote diversity & engagement ultimately means communitysupport community integration. owned and run services that are reflective of Cassiltoun Housing Association are one local residents’ needs. Paddy reflects: “A thriving of SEIN’s 70+ member groups. Meet the rest of community is more than bricks and mortar, SEIN’s members at: it’s more than building a house, we have a www.seinglasgow.org.uk/meet-our-members

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Interview by giacinta frisillo Portrait by Alexander Hoyles

Jana Pušková

Jana Pušhová originally hails from Czech Republic, but has been a Govanhill local for a decade. Music, which she says has helped Roma people like her to have happier lives, has been an important and emotional part of her life since she can remember.

Jana says: “Music can cheer me up, but also make me cry”. She can be found performing her songs around Glasgow and always looking stylish.

Hey Jana! How would you describe your style?

I’d call it ‘elegant’. I like to wear clothes that make me feel good.

How do you decide what to wear when you perform?

It depends on where I’m performing. The most formal place I’ve ever performed was at a Scottish wedding in Glasgow so I dressed up for that.

Usually, however, I try to dress normally.

Do you ever wear traditional Romani dress?

Our traditional costumes for women are long skirts and headscarves in bright colours that are usually worn at Romani festivals. I’ll wear it if I’m asked, but it’s not my style.

When did you begin singing professionally?

As a child, I liked music and my mum used to sing around the house. When I was 27 and still in Czech Republic, I started singing in concerts with a band and continued when I moved to Glasgow.

Are you in a band now?

I am in a band with my 16-year-old son, Tomáš.

He’s very talented and plays keyboards and sings.

Do you have a style icon?

I like Lara Fabian. She’s a Canadian-Belgian singer-songwriter, musician and actress. I think she is a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice.

You sing beautifully. I wish I could understand your lyrics. Do you ever sing in English?

I don’t speak English well enough now, but I’d love to sing in English in the future!

13

E

ylül Çevgen is the founder and owner of Wee Plate Café, a cosy vegan and vegetarian spot on the corner of Govanhill park. The space plays host to exhibitions, workshops and meetings and has recently held a run of queer brunches and dinners.

We caught up with her to find out about her and her business.

Interview by Jack Howse Photos by Eoin Carey

What is your favourite warming dish for the winter months?

Hot toasties with a Turkish twist. The small towns in Turkey get snow in winter time and it was my absolute favourite time of the year, to gather with loved ones and feel cozy munching on cheesy bites.

Why did you want to open a small plates style cafe?

Delicatessen style meze is common and popular in Turkey, so that choice felt natural for me.

What are some of your other favourite businesses around Govanhill?

Milk Cafe of course as they have been helping me in many ways and I’m thankful for that.

Glasgow Zine Library is very supportive and it is a fun place to go to. I honestly love and support all small businesses in Govanhill, and I enjoy living in this area.

Your

What are you reading at the moment?

I usually read articles connected to the political issues of the global LGBTQ+ communities.

Govanhill

What have you been watching and listening to?

I went to Spiderman No Way Home and The Matrix Resurrections movies at the cinema. I also came across a new radio station called GAYDiO and their songs are giving me life at the moment!

Favourite aspect of owning a restaurant in Govanhill: Govanhill is a multicultural community and I appreciate being part of that collective. it is also a safe space for the queer community, open and accepting and full of colours.

Favourite outside space around Govanhill?

Queen’s Park especially in the summertime. I like to go there for a picnic and hang out with my friends and their pets.

Govanhill pubs are my second go to spaces.

How long have you lived around here?

Me and my beloved cat Bandit have been living here in Govanhill for five years.

What has Wee Plates got planned for the rest of 2022?

I would love to continue hosting queer brunch and dinner events at the cafe. This is something that started organising at the end of 2021 and the feedback i have received has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. This is my first business and I am interested in developing more aspects like growing my own produce and using it in the cafe.

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Govanhill Baths Community Trust are going full steam ahead with the baths refurbishment

n ge t involve and there are still ways you ca

d!

By Alex Wilde – Chair, Govanhill Baths Community Trust

G

ovanhill Baths has reached a very exciting time in the 20 year campaign to reopen the baths for the community of Govanhill. I’ve been on the board for 10 years and involved since I moved to the Southside 15 years ago. It’s a privilege to see the years of dedication and effort by so many people in the community come to fruition.

You may have passed by recently and seen that work is underway to get the building refurbished. This has been fought for, long and hard, and we now have the majority of the funding secured to open a state-of-the-art Wellbeing Centre for the local community. It’s due to open later this year.

Last year the building was formally transferred into community ownership, which felt like a huge milestone. We are working continuously behind the scenes and it is a challenge to refurbish a historic building which was in need of maintenance prior to closure 20 years ago. The effects of Covid and Credit: Becky Duncan / Open Aye Brexit are additional hurdles to overcome. However, we are confident that with our supporters we can continue to fundraise and lobby for a high quality facility which will offer a welcoming, inspiring and unique space that Govanhill will be proud of.

The centre will include two refurbished swimming pools as well as new facilities including a gym, yoga studio, Turkish suite, community kitchen, archive, and community space – all of which were chosen through community consultation.

Many local residents have shared their stories about the history of our baths building, and are excited for it to return. We hope the reopened Wellbeing Centre will be a welcome local resource; a building firmly embedded at the heart of the community. Keep an eye out for workshops, building tours, school packs, community consultations and much more.

Visit the website to keep up-to-date with progress on the refurbishment, and upcoming events: www.govanhillbaths.com Thanks for all your support to help us get this far. United We Will Swim!

How to get involved…

SPONSOR A TILE CAMPAIGN

To make Govanhill Baths a resource for everyone to enjoy, we are raising money to help provide vital equipment, enabling equal access and facilities for all. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has already supported us, but we need a little more help to make our baths the brilliant and beautiful building we all deserve.

For a donation of £25, you can sponsor a tile that will be part of a permanent mural on public display in our beloved baths. Each handmade tile will be engraved with a name of your choosing (one name per tile). For more info, visit: www.govanhillbaths.com/tile

JOIN OUR BOARD

We are also looking for committed individuals who live in the local area to join our Board for the next part of the amazing journey – opening the baths after over 20 years of campaigning and fundraising.

We are seeking particular expertise to join our existing dedicated team in the areas of facilities management, legal, finance, IT, health and safety and human resources.

If you are interested, or would like more info, please visit our website for more details: www.govanhillbaths.com/get-involved We encourage applications from all who believe they can contribute effectively, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief or race. You can have a chat with us to explore how you might get involved: alex@govanhillbaths.com

would you like to talk to an

energy officer?

Our energy officers can help with: • saving energy • switching

energy suppliers

• using your

heating system efficiently

• smart meters • managing

energy bills

Drop-in to South Seeds (514 Victoria Road), call 0141 636 3959 or email info@southseeds.org to make an appointment.

South Seeds can offer support for people living in G41 and G42.

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BEHIND THE PORTRAIT Claire Henry

Photo by Simon Murphy Interview by Rhiannon J Davies

1

Claire Henry is a potter, originally from Canada. After studying ceramics in Vancouver, she lived in Hungary, South Korea and New Zealand before moving to Scotland in 2013. You may have seen her gorgeous speckled stoneware mugs and tumblers in the likes of Short Long Black and Patricia’s cafe, establishments opened by her Govanhill-born partner.

All her pieces are made by hand in a small-batch studio meaning that they’re all unique.

She frequently uses shades of oatmeal, blues and sea green, which complement the speckled clay, flecked with iron. Since her wholesale work supplying tableware to cafes and restaurants took a back burner during the pandemic, she has been doing online launches through her website: www.clairehenryceramics.com This photo forms part of Simon Murphy’s Govanhill series. Follow @smurph77 for more.

I grew up in Edmonton. It is the most liberal pocket of Alberta, which is like the Texas of Canada. It’s a very conservative province with lots of oil. It’s really green in the summer, but then really cold in the winter.

It was only when I moved, I realised it’s not normal for your eyelashes to freeze together.

But there was really sparkly snow and bright blue skies in the winter.

I had a wonderful art teacher in high school. He would give me the keys to the pottery studio. So that’s where I first started. He was really great at encouraging my interests, helping me to dive into art history.

At university, there was a big divide between art and crafts. Pottery was seen more as a craft. I had to defend my love of throwing pots and making mugs. They couldn’t just be functional. There had to be more of a concept behind it.

I did a six-month artist residency in a small town in Hungary. It was wonderful and full on, being in Eastern Europe working with these amazing potters and artists. Soviet architecture and art deco really influenced my work at the time.

Clay offers you discipline but so much freedom of expression. It is so forgiving and malleable, but you can’t push it. It controls your schedule.

I think I could study and practice this all my life. I’d still only have a drop of knowledge.

Every month there’s something new I want to do. I could never be bored just working with this one material.

It has such a personal imprint because you’re making it with your hands. I love that romantic notion that you can see a shard of pottery from thousands of years ago and still see the thumbprint of the maker in it.

It’s so wonderful to see people fall in love with the material. You get results right away, but there’s such a learning curve and so much to discover.

Where I live really influences the work I make. For Scotland, it’s all about the shades – blues, greens, greys. There are rustic tones in nature, or in these beautiful sandstone tenements.

There’s a growing group of potters in and around Govanhill. We’re all working with the same material and the same constraints, but our work is all so different. There’s space for everybody.

The community in Govanhill and the Southside is so vibrant. It’s such a hub for creative people. There are all these independent businesses, community spaces, and an abundance of artists, collectives, retail shops – interesting integration of different types.

It’s a great place to be.

I’m interested in looking for wild clay that you find in nature. Scotland has so much of that. It would be a really fun thing to explore. It wouldn’t be sustainable to make all of my production ware out of it, but a few one-off pieces.

I love that clay is always teaching me something. But there’s an unpredictability with it which can be frustrating. If you lose a whole kiln load of mugs, you never make that same mistake again.

17

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housing

aG ovanhil Proble m ? l

By Robbie Armstrong Portraits by Virginie Chabrol

D

efinitions and interpretations of gentrification differ greatly. Often, the conversation focuses on its signifiers or symptoms: the overabundance of flat whites, wellheeled folks with small dogs, fixed-gear cyclists with spacers and sailor tattoos. But this comes at the detriment of another, more important discussion about the root causes of the problem – issues such as the housing crisis, inadequate legislation, lack of affordable homes, poverty and inequality.

While historians have traced the process of gentrification back to ancient Rome, it first came to wider attention in its current context by the British sociologist Ruth Glass in 1964, when she described the influx of the middle class into London's working-class neighbourhoods, displacing former residents.

The late architectural critic Michael Sorkin described the process as “urban renewal with a sinister twist”, and “at pains to assert its ties to the kind of city life it is in the process of obliterating.”

All the while, the democratic public realm is replaced by what he described as the “theme park” of modern urban living. Another term that often crops up is ‘improving’, but improving the area for and by whom? What impact does this ‘improvement’ have on local residents and businesses?

In Govanhill, the telltale signs appear all around us – the arrival of new coffee shops, restaurants, trendy businesses, the changing makeup of the area as people from more affluent places move in, the growth in rental properties and bidding wars for flats.

The arrival of these new residents changes a neighbourhood's social, racial or ethnic composition.

The development of new, more expensive housing and businesses, which the new residents can afford, raises the average household income. This can lead to rising rent and living costs, discrimination against racial minorities, women, those in poverty and older adults.

While there might be benefits to renovating neighbourhoods, this change risks undoing an area’s history, and can make prices too high for its current residents. The saturation of cafés that serve wealthier residents can impact the local area’s food scene, and the arrival of chains threatens local businesses as rents increase.

As Scotland’s most multicultural area, and one with a history of housing problems and poverty, there is rightful concern about the impact of this current wave of gentrification. How

will Govanhill’s speakers of 88 languages fare when faced with the effects of this transformation?

The area avoided the demolition of its tenements in the 1960s, and saw a vast programme of improvement of housing stock, the installing of modern amenities and the construction of new builds in gap sites. But the work was uncompleted, meaning three housing blocks in south west Govanhill – around 1400 homes – remained ‘unimproved’. Today, south west Govanhill experiences the most significant housing problems, including poor quality housing, high concentration of private landlords, high turnover of tenants and overcrowding.

Since 2015, The South-West Govanhill Property Acquisition and Repair Programme has been working to provide better living conditions and help reduce overcrowding in the area, to meet housing needs and provide support to new tenants and residents.

By March 2020, Govanhill Housing Association had purchased 343 flats in the area in order to carry out repairs and necessary improvements to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Thankfully, there is more in the way of social housing than gentrified architecture and modern, often unaffordable flats in Govanhill (although even homes for social rent remain out of reach for many living under the poverty line).

Housing association tenants are high in the area: Govanhill Housing Association manages nearly 2,800 homes for social rent. In 2020, Scotland’s tenants’ union Living Rent set up a Govanhill branch to improve the rights of tenants in both the private and social sector.

The area feels more diverse today than it has ever been – a multiplicity of cultures, an orchestra of languages, local businesses and community initiatives, streets that hum with life. It has its problems, like any area – but this is a place that walks and speaks proudly, acts according to the needs of the whole community, and tries to effect positive change for all.

From the Govanhill Baths and MILK to Romano Lav and the Govanhill Community Development Trust, community organisations are working hard to protect the residents of this rich and diverse community – a bulwark against the more sinister effects of gentrification. It is a place that has stuck together in spite of rapid social change, acting towards common objectives, so the area may remain Scotland’s most diverse community for generations to come.

VIEW FROM AN ALLISON STREET TENEMENT

My close on Allison Street is a mix of different folk – people of varying ages and backgrounds, with renters, owner-occupied, temporary accommodation and housing association tenants of different backgrounds.

‘I worry about what impact I’I’m having’ having’ The author’s perspective as a first time buyer

I

was born at the Victoria Hospital in 1989, and spent my first years at Mansionhouse Road. My youngest memories are from the Southside, albeit on the other side of the park from Govanhill: ice cream sundaes from the Brooklyn Cafe, exploring the Queen’s Park glasshouses with my dad, trips to the corner shop for sweeties.

My family moved to Peebles when I was three, but I returned to Glasgow for university in 2008, then ended up back in the Southside in 2014 after living abroad. What drew me here were the people, the community, local businesses, community organisations, and the green spaces.

But in all honesty, I was only able to buy a flat here thanks to the generosity of a family member who helped me with a deposit in 2019. I am uncomfortable about this privilege, and feel uneasy that I ended up in Govanhill as much through market forces and inherited wealth than any other reason or tie to the area.

I worry about how quickly the area is changing, what impact I’m having, and if anything can be done to mitigate the effects of the gentrification I am irrefutably part of. I ponder what a solution to the housing crisis would look like and how easy this could be achieved with the necessary political will and sound housing policy.

For the past two years I’ve stared across the street at the Arnold Clark garage as it became a demolition site, and now a new block of 49 residential properties for social rent, built

by Southside Housing Association. While a visual reminder of transformation, if done right they will help prove that we can reshape and rebuild without displacing existing residents and causing house prices and rents to soar. Here in Govanhill the only constant is change – but can an area evolve for the benefit of all?

‘Some areas get attention, others get ignored.’ ignored.’

Sri Kannagi’s perspective of renting in a flatshare

I

’ve been renting here for four years. It’s a good price.

I’ve been in the Southside for seven years, I lived in Westmoreland Street before. I was born in India and came here when I was 19.

I’ve noticed it’s really multicultural here; it’s a place where lots of people from different places come. There’s lots of short term flats, lots of coming and going. It’s more of a bachelor's place than a family place, there’s not that many kids.

There are so many affordable food places here doing good food for a good price. That really attracted me, the different varieties: Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian. Kurdish and Desi are my favourite. I like going to different places and bars, going to Rum Shack, going out for shawarma. It’s becoming more middle class, there used to not be coffee shops here, maybe just one, now there are lots and lots, and more trendy shops.

But you always have a choice between good affordable food, and more expensive stuff.

It’s good that there are new flats being built, but there isn’t equality in the way the council spends resourcing.

Some areas get attention, others get ignored. Everyone pays council taxes but some areas don’t get the same treatment.

People in the close speak to each other here. In other places people in the close don’t speak. Here it’s multicultural and that’s nice.

I know that gentrification has been happening for ages.

In each city they have small areas that become trendy then people move there, then it goes somewhere else. It used to be Pakistani here, then more Roma, now there are more Roma on the other side, now it’s more mixed and multicultural.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing that people move around.

When I moved here I didn’t know anything about European culture at all, but the more people in the area there are from different cultures, the more you learn.

As told to the author

housing

‘Coffee is great, but community is better.’ better.’

‘Govanhill is fluid and always has been’ been’

Susan Downs’ perspective as a mid-market social housing renter

I

migrated from the West End to the Southside close to five years ago, so in a way I could be considered to be part of the gentrification process. Despite living in a mid-market rent housing association property, these higher rents also price local residents out of increasingly small social housing stocks.

Gentrification, while great for multiple property owners like landlords, and for niche shopping enclaves, is a doubleedged sword for the community that is becoming gentrified.

Pushing people further away from the areas they grew up in into areas with even less resources, and perhaps no real sense of community.

It has changed so much in the five years I have lived here, but it doesn’t seem like the education of the local community has evolved at the same rate. I have a dog and am quite chatty (or nosy) and have become friendly acquaintances with some older people who have lived in this area for generations. What they have all said is that it isn’t the same.

To someone with my background (I studied a subject that is very specific to social communities) the big issue with gentrification, particularly in the Southside, is that the gentrification is happening at such a rapid rate it is almost bulldozing over the history of the area, which could be why the elder community seem disgruntled.

Personally, I love the mixture of cultures and ages in my area. What I don’t love is the inevitable rise of housing prices and people who take advantage of that for financial gain without due consideration of the social implications. Coffee is great, but community is better.

James Gorman’s perspective as a social housing tenant

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’ve been renting through Southside Housing Association for seven years this April. There’s always positives and negatives but the thing about Govanhill is it’s fluid and always has been.

I was born here, it was different then in the early seventies.

Govanhill back then, you wouldn’t call it gentrified. But I grew up in Toryglen.

We’re actually in ‘Strathbungo East’ here but anywhere from Cathcart road, running along Pollokshaws Road to Queen’s Park, then to Crosshill, we’ve always called that Govanhill.

This area used to be a Jewish area. That’s why the synagogue is here. They tried to turn it into flats and now there are new Jewish people in the area who want to turn it back into a synagogue. It shows you have different religions side by side.

I’m a proud Glaswegian, Scotsman and Southsider. I love Govanhill, it’s always had its own lifeblood. It’s easily the most multicultural area in Scotland and it has been for 50 years. The people are so proud of it. You get different people, different classes, everything.

Thirty years ago when I was bringing up my kids, we couldn’t get social housing here. Not a chance. It was private lets and slum landlords. The investment we’ve had in social housing has been massive.

Gentrification hasn’t made a massive difference to me.

What has made a difference is the change to Victoria Road.

I still don’t see gentrification, but it has changed. Shawlands used to be the place if you want to party, but now people come here. Victoria Road used to be jumping with pubs where older folk drank. The Pandora where Locavore now is – that was one of my favourites.

You always have ups and downs but I think it’s on the up.

There have been problems in the area but I think it’s calmed down. It’s changing dynamics, everything mixes, I love that.

There’s not a person or a community that doesn’t fit in.

As told to the author

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TENEMENT

THE RETROFIT REVOLUTION?

by Rhiannon J Davies Illustration by Alistair Quietsch

W

hen it comes to retrofitting tenements, it seems we’re stuck in a bit of a chicken and egg situation. What comes first? The increased demand for retrofitting in private homes? Or the capacity of suppliers to be able to carry out the works?

But first, let’s get back to basics; what does retrofitting actually mean? To retrofit a home means to retrospectively modify or improve an existing building. In the context of the climate crisis, this means getting homes off fossil fuels and onto low carbon heat sources. These sources, such as heat pumps, use electricity, which is currently more expensive than gas. And so, in order to make the transition affordable, it also requires energy efficiency. As Chris Carus, co-founder of Loco Home Retrofit co-operative succinctly puts it: “Insulation is cheaper than a wind turbine.”

Based here in the Southside, Loco Home Retrofit CIC was launched in December, following a model established by the Carbon Co-op in Manchester. They’re seeking to act as a community intermediary as Chris explains: “We are offering paid advice and we will provide project management services, but we want to build a community of people who want to take action and learn from each other.

We also want to improve and influence the dynamic between home-owners and the supply chain. We’re taking a community wealth building approach and want to support local small enterprises to take advantage of the decarbonisation transition.”

“The big problem with retrofit, besides the financial and organisational issues, is that there’s a huge shortage of skills and capacity. We strongly believe that the existing local tradespeople who have all the right skills already, are going to be instrumental. We need to help to de-risk it.”

For many self-employed tradespeople, their work is in high demand. Taking the time to learn new skills means lost earnings. And there is not currently enough demand to guarantee immediate returns. Chris and co-founder Tom Nockolds are hoping that the social enterprise they have set up will make it easier for tradespeople to take that leap.

As Tom points out: “Tenement flats should be seen as luxury buildings, built with beautiful stone and high ceilings.

But in terms of thermal comfort, they’re not that great. I have to run heaters a lot just to keep warm during the day. If we can get this right, we can make them live up to the promise of the luxury buildings they are. We know future heating sources will be less hot than current gas boilers. So there’s things we can do now that will get us ready for that time.”

For Chris, retrofitting goes beyond reducing our carbon footprint: “It can eliminate fuel poverty, while immunising

future occupants against it too. It can also eliminate health problems, which is good for the NHS as well as the occupants.

People don’t realise how much more comfortable their properties can be. Having a home that is warm everywhere improves your quality of life, and can make people working from home more productive too.”

In Strathbungo, a tenement building owned by the Southside Housing Association on Niddrie Road is being retrofitted to the highest standards. A raft of measures are being installed including insulation in the walls, loft and ground floor, and heat pumps in four of the eight flats. It is being seen as a research project and template for the 73,000 pre• If you have a condensing 1919 sandstone tenements in combi boiler, see how low Glasgow. The findings will be vital you can turn down the for meeting net-zero targets, as a heating dial on the boiler typical tenement emits 5.6 tonnes itself, while still maintaining of carbon a year, compared with the room temperature using the thermostat. This 3.6 tonnes for those built after will mean less heat is lost 1982. This may be the extreme through the pipe that runs end of the scale, but there are from the boiler. smaller steps that can be taken • For an easy measure, get too. draught proofing. If you Aside from the building find a gap, fill it somehow, structures themselves, one of the whether with a brush under a door or even a bit of tape on biggest challenges for tenements a gap in the floor. Take care is the organisational elements. to make sure that your home Multiple home owners need to still has enough ventilation. work together. And there can For support on this, check be more pressing maintenance out the resources offered by www.southseeds.org issues which may take priority.

Retrofitting is already underway • Don’t just think about single in social housing. So there are measures. Think about your whole home. This is where suppliers out there, just not getting an expert in can really enough yet for the decarbonisation help. transition.

• If you live in a tenement To find out more or become a and don’t have an owners member of the co-op, visit: association, start talking locohome.coop to you neighbours about

TOP TIPS FROM CHRIS CARUS

maintaining the building and your close and what it means to get off fossil fuels.

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MY

JOURNEY Interview with Lisa Ann Pasquale

H

ow is it possible to combat both the climate crisis and energy price hikes from home? By changing things at home. One way of doing this is a retrofit. By modifying the existing traditional structure, both energy bills and usage can be dramatically slashed. But what is it like to retrofit your own flat… by yourself?

Previously a resident of Boston and Shanghai, Lisa Ann Pasquale is an architect whose focus is on building performance sustainability through low-energy designs.

Throughout lockdown, she retrofitted her own tenement flat.

She shares what she learned along the way: How did you go about beginning such a huge endeavour as retrofitting your whole flat by yourself?

I trained as an architect and a bench joiner, so I’ve always been quite hands-on in terms of building things. I intentionally chose a flat that needed work which was within my capabilities. I still needed tradespeople for electrics and boiler replacement, but the insulation and joinery was mostly done by me. I was frequently advising my clients on ‘the correct way of doing things’, but there were always pragmatic and financial barriers. I figured I needed to not only take my own advice, but also have the hands-on experience of attempting this myself and experiencing the frustration. By actually being in the thick of it, I could see if I could find better ways of doing things, so I could advise my clients better.

What was the high point of your retrofit?

My bathroom was freezing due to a very poorly fitted bathroom installed before I bought the flat. For five years, I couldn’t get a hot bath. The water would cool before the tub filled and the room was so cold, my teeth would chatter. So, once I’d finished the insulation, draught-proofing, and installed a new bath in that room, the first time I got in a genuinely steamy-warm bath, I was so excited I nearly cried. I have a bad back, so being able to soak it in a hot bath is bliss.

What was the low point of your retrofit?

I had to do a lot of stripping out of previous work to do what I wanted and that genuinely got very tedious. I found that there

By Emily Benita Illustration by Alistair Quietsch

was always twice as much that I needed to strip out than I had anticipated.

What one piece of practical advice would you give to someone who wants to retrofit their flat?

I would say that you really need to engage a professional who understands the nuances of both energy efficiency and, if it’s a pre-1919 building, the nature of how vapour permeability works in them. Even as a high-level professional in this area, I had to either educate some tradesmen about why I was asking for certain things, or press them quite hard to do it the way I wanted.

For example, nearly every plumber tried to sell me a boiler that was considerably larger than I needed. Whilst combi boilers are inevitably oversized in small flats, it was still a bit of a fight to get one which was reasonably sized.

Most consumers wouldn’t know any better and would just accept the gas engineer’s recommendation. The first engineer suggested a boiler which was literally 11x larger than what I needed for heating.

What he was suggesting would have almost completely negated the point of upgrading my heating system.

What one piece of emotional advice would you give to someone who wants to retrofit their flat?

Start small and do one room at a time. For example, if you’re a ground floor flat like mine, maybe just start with draughtproofing the floor in one room. Feel what a difference it makes, get a sense of how much time and cost is required, and then move onto the next. It’s very easy to bite off more than you can chew with these sorts of projects, especially if you’re living in it whilst the works are underway. This can start to feel overwhelming and spoil the experience of living in a nice, relaxing home. Also, take plenty of breaks during big works.

When I got the flat rewired, I ended up sleeping on a friend’s couch to just get a few nights’ break from the mess. When I was doing my bathroom, I spent a couple of nights at a hotel for a warm shower. There’s no need to make construction works a suffer-fest!

You can find out more about Lisa Ann’s work at her website: sixcylinder.wordpress.com

housing

what works elsewhere

netherlands: ban buy-to-let

Different approaches from around the world

Over the past year, the cost of buying and renting in Glasgow has shot up at unprecedented rates, with Govanhill and surrounding areas particularly affected.

Anyone looking for a place to live has horror stories of being outbid at way over the asking price or not even being able to get a viewing for a rental flat.

The housing crisis is hitting Glasgow hard, but it’s far from an isolated case; cities across the globe are wrestling with similar problems.But things don’t have to be this way; bold policies from across Europe point a way forward and show how the human right to housing can be safeguarded.

By Danny Macpherson

barcelona: get tough on airbnb Once heralded as part of the ‘sharing economy’, Airbnb has become a scourge for cities worldwide, causing rents to shoot up, strangling housing supplies, displacing communities and fueling inequality. Now, cities are fighting back against the digital platform, none more so than Barcelona.

After waves of protest against the negative impacts of over-tourism and a lack of affordable housing, policy-makers imposed a crackdown on the short-term rental market. In August 2021, Barcelona became the first city in Europe with a complete ban on short-term private room rentals (defined as fewer than 30 days). Although the renting out of entire properties is still permitted, strict licensing regulations apply – with fines starting at 6,000 euros for those who break the rules.

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The transformation of property from a place to live to a financial investment has meant fewer people can afford to buy homes, while a greater share of housing belongs to wealthy property owners.

Although particularly severe in the UK, this phenomenon has struck countries across Europe. In the Netherlands, with house prices soaring and large sections of the population being frozen out of the market, the government recently approved legislation which gives city councils the power to prevent properties being purchased for buy-to-let purposes in certain areas.

The new law is a response to an increased share of the country’s housing stock being hoovered up by buy-to-let landlords who, in 2020 bought 34 percent of properties sold in the Netherlands’ four largest cities. Now, average earners in places like Amsterdam or Rotterdam should have a fairer chance at buying their own homes.

housing

berlin: put private real estate into public hands

vienna: prioritise social housing

Berlin’s reputation as a haven for artists and creatives grew in part because of its famously cheap cost of living. But over the past decade, rents have spiralled upwards and the availability of housing has dramatically shrunk. Last year, citizens’ anger at the escalating crisis led to a petition proposing that properties owned by large-scale private real-estate companies should be brought into public hands and converted into social housing.

The initiative gained enough support for a referendum, held last September, in which 56 percent of voters chose to back the proposals.

Although the city government is now required to try and implement the measures, there is a long way to go before it is enacted into law. Back in 2020, a policy put forward by the city’s left-wing coalition government to apply a rent cap was deemed unconstitutional by Germany’s highest court.

The expropriation policy is likely to face a similar legal challenge. If successful, the city government will be obliged to pay compensation to the real estate companies, estimated between 29 and 36 billion euros. Critics of the scheme claim that the policy won’t lead to the creation of any flats and that the money would therefore be better spent building social housing. In any case, the success of the referendum sends a strong political message that ordinary people are fed up with seeing more and more of their money turned into private-sector profits.

Vienna is a shining example of how cities can keep the housing market under control. The Austrian capital, regularly voted one of the world’s most liveable cities, is an economic powerhouse which has seen its population grow by over 200,000 in the past decade. Nonetheless, rents have remained relatively low compared to other European cities, in large part due to the successful social-housing policies of the centre-left government which has run the council since the second world war.

Europe’s largest property management company in Europe is based in Vienna – and is 100 percent owned by the city. Unlike in the UK, council flats have never been sold off to the private sector. Instead, more and more have consistently been built. Some 220,000 flats are directly owned by the city government – no other city in the world owns so many housing units. An additional 200,000 flats belong to publicly-funded non-profit associations, meaning 62 percent of the city’s population live in some form of social housing. All the money generated from rent is reinvested back into the system.

Social housing has no stigma attached to it and is available to people on a broad range of incomes, thereby encouraging social mixing and solidarity. And strict legal protections mean tenants don’t have to fear unexpected rent increases or eviction.

do you know of any solutions that have worked elsewhere?

Write to our letters page: notices@greatergovanhill.com

LET'S TAKE CARE OF OUR HOME

B

‘We all need to play our part’

eatrice Onashile (also known as Bola) can’t help herself as we walk down the street. A litter picker in one hand and a bag of rubbish in the other, she leans over a fence to grab a plastic bottle from someone’s front yard. A particularly stubborn bit of cardboard seems stuck to the pavement with chewing gum. She scrapes away at it with her feet as we talk. Finally free, she deposits it in the nearby bin.

She’s out most days, usually by herself although she has one neighbour who helps. “There’s rarely a day when people don’t drop litter so there’s always some to pick up. When I see someone drop litter, I say something – nicely. And they usually oblige. Sometimes some of them offer me money. I say ‘I don’t need money’. Just don’t throw your litter. The council will do the rest.”

Sometimes people park their car and just throw out an empty can. I say to them, ‘if a million people do what you are doing, just imagine what it is going to be like’. That makes sense to them.

I thought we could have a community get-together and show a picture of an area that is well-kept and an area that is a dump and just say to people ‘which one do you prefer’.

“I went to London for a week to see friends and when I arrived home, I burst into tears when I saw the street again. I went inside, dropped my suitcase and came straight back out. I spent one and a half hours picking litter that day – until it was clean again.”

Beatrice is 74 years old, but you would never guess. Originally from Nigeria, she has been in the UK since 1966. She studied nursing, midwifery and health visiting in Manchester before moving to London. She’s only lived in Govanhill since 2019 after her daughter came here for work.

“When my daughter was looking for somewhere to buy, she told me she didn’t want to leave this area and now I can understand why. It’s so vibrant. I love the diversity. It’s the strength here and it’s wonderful. So when I moved here, I thought I’d do whatever it takes to make it nice. I live in a Govanhill Housing Association flat. They have cleaners. They come to the close every week. They don’t do the back yard, but I do that.

“The first time I took a taxi to Govanhill from the airport, the driver asked me ‘what are you doing there? That’s the worst place’. But I love it here. I love Victoria Road.”

Despite living here less than three years, she’s hugely involved in the community. She’s a member of the Living Rent tenants’ union, and the Tenant-Led Housing Commission (Private Rented Sector). She’s also a volunteer with the Govanhill Community Development Trust, Growing Govanhill, Crosspoint, and Govanhill Baths. And she attends the women’s group at Milk Cafe. She’s had to get an Alexa to remind her where to be when.

Along with other members of Living Rent, she’s been in talks with Glasgow City Council, calling for a cleaner environment to live in, saying: “When you live in a nice place, it does something to you. It brings out the best in you. The council must perform their essential duties, to keep our streets clean, free of litter and overflowing bins, thereby reducing environmental stress which may lead to mental health issues. The council needs to create an ongoing awareness to educate the community and school children about environmental sanitation, as well as producing leaflets in different languages for the diverse community in Govanhill."

She previously worked as a mental health nurse and believes there’s a link between your environment and your mental health: “I want people to have greater awareness that where we live is our sanctuary and we should respect where we live. It uplifts you when your place is nice. I’m not complaining. I just want people to be aware and to think before they throw something on the ground. I don’t think it’s intentional. They just don’t think.”

Beatrice Onashile is on a mission to keep her street clean

By Rhiannon J Davies Photo by Virginie Chabrol

Following a request from a group of residents, Thriving Places Govanhill worked with local people and colleagues from Gov anhill Housing Association, to create the multilingual poster with simple visuals opposite, to help residents keep their clos es and backcourts clean. Cut out and stick up in your close.

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advertorial In Conversation with

GOVANHILL HOUSING ASSOCIATION

By Liz Ely

G

An example of a property purchased by the Association

Jo

ovanhill Housing Association is the largest provider of housing in the area and the biggest employer. It owns 2,776 properties, the majority of n which are in Govanhill.

Mc L a r die The Association is many things to many people; founded in 1974 it is part of the fabric of the area, whether that is physically through the buildings that it has developed, owns, and manages, or through the community projects supported by its subsidiary Govanhill Community Development Trust.

The Association is ‘community controlled’ which means that it is a volunteer Management Committee made up of people from the local community who have ultimate responsibility for the organisation.

We spoke to John McLardie, who has lived in Govanhill since 1968, been a tenant of Govanhill Housing Association for 10 years and a Committee Member since 2007 including five years as Chair. h

Can you tell us about how you joined the Management Committee?

I was volunteered after I went along to an open meeting. I got collared by two ladies including the chair at the time who said, ‘you live in the houses up the street, would you be interested in joining the local housing organisation?’

And I thought, why not? I had lived in the area since 1968 and I thought it would be good to put something back into the community.

What was going on for the Association at that time?

This was during the second stage of the stock transfer from Glasgow City Council; I was living in a flat owned by Glasgow Housing Association and we were being balloted to have our homes transferred to Govanhill Housing Association. We went around leafleting and knocking on doors in support of this. We thought if we united, the more people that came on board, the more power Govanhill Housing Association would have to co-ordinate things in the area. We eventually won the ballot and became Govanhill tenants.

Truth be told, I think this is the best thing that ever happened for these properties, though of course some would disagree.

Joining with Govanhill Housing Association gave us more say in negotiations with the council and a better more consolidated approach, particularly when there are any problems with the stock.

Govanhill Housing Association is ‘Community Controlled’. What is your experience of this and what does this mean to you?

Well, it’s the Management Committee who ultimately control decisions made by the Housing Association. We set the strategic direction of the Association and we are also the employer – all the Association’s staff work on behalf of the Management Committee.

At Govanhill Housing Association we believe in the ethos that the majority of the Management Committee should be Association tenants. That said, we do have owner occupiers – people with a broad expertise – on the committee too.

If elected or selected to be on the Management Committee then you must leave all your private matters – (whether this is a repair issue, a factoring concern or something else going on with your home) at the door. Like everyone else, Management Committee members go through the official channels for these things.

The Housing Association is not afraid to take bold decisions when it comes to development, though we are in some ways limited by the land – and cost of land – available.

Often when land comes up, it is either snaffled up by private developers, or the price is too high. Our members wouldn’t thank us if we built on a small plot which turned out to have an astronomical price for the land.

We must act in a way that is fiscally prudent when it comes to development, and it is also important that any development fits the area. We try to learn from every new development and take that learning into the next one as nothing is ever perfect.

You mentioned bold decisions. Was the South West Govanhill Project, which purchased and repaired some of the most dilapidated properties in Govanhill, and then made them available for social rent, one of these ‘bold decisions’?

It’s funny you should say that. When the South West Govanhill Project was proposed, everyone on the committee identified the project as a major financial risk, given the condition of the properties.

housing Applying for a Home with Govanhill Housing Association:

FAQS

What is the difference between renting from a Housing Association and other Landlords?

Housing Associations are a part of the social rented sector providing affordable, not for profit housing.

Rents tend to be cheaper than the private sector, and Housing Associations are far more regulated than private sector landlords. The process of applying is very different, and homes are allocated according to need rather than on a first come first served basis.

Who can apply for housing with Govanhill Housing Association?

Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to go on our housing list.

A finished property ready for let

Before we signed up we wanted to make sure that the Association was protected. Thankfully we got those assurances.

I think we can safely say that the project has worked beyond everyone’s wildest expectations, and that people living in the newly renovated flats are very happy with the results.

I remember being shown a property that we purchased, which was being vacated by an older lady who had lived in the house for 50 years. On the surface, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it.

The clerk of works took me into the box room and told me to put my hand on the wall – so I put my hand on the wall and leant on it and the wall gave way by about six inches. That was the condition of the building. All the cornicing on the ceiling had to be removed and completely replaced, the damp that had seeped into the walls was unreal.

If we hadn’t intervened the building would have been in danger of falling down. These are some of the problems with older buildings.

This seems to relate back to your earlier point about being united as an Association; that these sorts of serious structural problems need an organisation with clout to be able to tackle them.

The South West Govanhill Project is a perfect example of what can be achieved with political will (whether local or national), coupled with the efforts of a dynamic Housing Association.

The area still has its problems, but I think a lot is made of these. People tend to look at the past with rose tinted spectacles. When I moved here in 1968, there was nothing especially great about Govanhill. If anything, the unimproved tenements were more run down than they are now.

For me personally, being on the Management Committee is about having the ability to make decisions which hopefully change the area for the better.

If I didn’t think we were making a difference I would leave, I would be off the committee. I wouldn’t stick about just to make up numbers.

Stereotypes about social housing can lead people to believe that applying for a home with a Housing Association is a last resort option, or only for people who are desperate, out of work or experiencing homelessness.

The reality is if you would like to rent a flat in Govanhill, you can join the Govanhill Housing Association list.

What sort of properties does Govanhill Housing Association offer?

Most properties owned by the Association are one and two bed tenement flats. Most of these are in Govanhill, however we do also have homes for rent in Merrylee.

Govanhill Housing Association properties are not furnished, and tenants need to provide their own flooring. However, the Association does not charge a deposit, and offers support to apply for funding for those struggling to afford white goods and furniture.

How do I apply for a home with Govanhill Housing Association?

To apply for a property, fill in an application form and post it to Govanhill Housing Association, Samaritan House, 79 Coplaw Street. The form will ask you to describe your housing situation. It is important that you answer this as fully as possible.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic we are currently posting applications. To request a form, email checkin@govanhillha.org

I am on your housing list! What happens now?

After you have sent in your application form, your application will be awarded a certain number of points, depending on your current housing situation. You will be contacted when a suitable property becomes available.

How long will I have to wait?

Wait times vary dramatically depending on the type of accommodation you are looking for! The Association has very few houses and four bed properties, so wait times for these can be very long.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a one bed property, and you don’t mind where in Govanhill you live, the wait may be much shorter. The average wait for one bed property last year was around six months.

If you are looking to rent an affordable one or two bed flat in the area, we would strongly encourage you to put in an application.

have your say

What’s your experience of renting in Govanhill?

By Sam Doak Illustration by Suzie Cichy

If

here to t Scan ak ep a vey: r sur ou in rt

you live in the Southside, you will most likely be aware that rents have been rising over the last few years. This is not unusual; all across the United Kingdom property prices and rental fees have been increasing for years. What is concerning, however, is the speed at which this seems to be happening in our area.

According to the Scottish Government, in the decade leading up to 2020 the cost of renting a two bedroom flat in Glasgow rose by 41%. In 2019, rents increased by an average of £73 per month, the largest rise seen in any city in the United Kingdom.

Anyone living in Govanhill will have found that this problem appears to be particularly pronounced in our area. A local letting agent told us that last year, the average monthly price of a rental property in the Southside increased by approximately £100.

This corresponds with other stories we’ve been hearing. One renter told us they had to leave their home with just two weeks notice after they refused to pay the inflated rates. Others have shared frustrations at being unable to even secure a viewing for a flat. Anyone who has tried looking for private sector affordable accommodation in and around Govanhill recently will know that this once relatively straightforward task is becoming more and more difficult.

As things stand, there is a lack of available information on how the price of renting has changed on a local level. Public data on rental costs in Glasgow is collected on a citywide basis, making it unsuitable for determining the scale of the problem in individual communities.

Because of this, we want to collect perspectives of renters in the area. By filling out our survey, you will be helping us examine how our neighbourhood is changing and the scale of the problems renters face.

Nobody deserves to be priced out of their neighbourhood and, at a time in which costs of living are hitting those with the least money hardest.

Help us find out what’s happening locally by filling in our short survey at: bit.ly/govanhill-rents or scan the QR code above.

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AFTER COP

26:

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES Indigenous Activists’ Fight for Survival

By Craig Hunter

merican environmentalist and poet Gary Snyder once said that “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.”

Indigenous leaders Manuela Dahua and Gloria Ushigua from the Sapara community in the Amazon rainforest would agree.

Unfortunately however, their home is under siege from the government of Ecuador, which prioritises the extraction of natural resources over the rights of inhabitants.

While their trip to Glasgow for the COP26 conference in November may not have led to the progress they would have liked, they left the city with a new friend and advocate in Natalia Equihua, who hosted the pair for the duration of their stay.

“I thought I would be protesting every single day,” says Natalia. “But in the end, for the first week, all I was doing was making sure they had food that they could enjoy in my home, a place that was clean, warm and comfortable, and somewhere they could shelter from the rest of the world. I think they really appreciated that.

“Every single night they would sit around and tell stories about the spiritual world and life in the rainforest. It really brought me out of the world of technology. Gloria said that our home was like her rainforest, which was the biggest compliment.”

The Sapara have been facing constant threats to their territory from the Ecuadorian government and big business, from mineral extraction, deforestation and contamination from factories. Initially focussing on direct action, the group now presses for change at a political level at events such as COP26, but this has its own challenges, explains Natalia: “During the conference, Gloria was hoping to enter the negotiation zone and talk directly to her own government and say ‘please stop doing this, you’re killing us’.

When they arrived she discovered she had only been given an observer pass, so she

A

couldn’t even speak at an event or access negotiations.

“Initially they were disappointed and frustrated, powerless. It was lucky that her organisation of Sapara women had been nominated for a prestigious Ashton award. They didn’t win but the nomination meant that they were contacted by a lot of journalists. I helped with the translation and it was good for them; they made contact with Greenpeace for example, who do a lot of direct action in the Amazon.

It wasn’t what they wanted to get out of COP but they left with a lot of contacts, which for them are like gold.”

Natalia, a communications worker at the Scottish Women’s Right Centre, is a native Spanish speaker, originally from Mexico. While Manuela and Gloria’s first languages are Quechua and Sapara respectively, their shared use of Spanish allowed the relationship to develop further.

Natalia is now assisting the Sapara with media relations.

“It is a bit challenging communicating with them,” says Natalia. “They are in a different time zone and right now they are back in the rainforest where they have no internet or phone signal. They have a little house in the nearest city in Pastaza, Ecuador, where they have access to communication technology. We usually exchange WhatsApp voice messages because it’s faster and they feel more comfortable. Gloria, for example, doesn’t write or read, so it’s just easier to communicate orally.

“The work they are doing to protect their territory, with human rights groups and environmental activists, means they have to spend chunks of time outside

the rainforest co-ordinating, sometimes months when there is an imminent threat to their land. They miss being there because it is the environment they know and, for them, the city is a difficult place to be.”

Despite the obstacles in their path, Natalia found inspiration in their warmth and strength. “When I met them I was quite burnt out,” she recounts.

“The pandemic was hard, especially in organisations like ours, so the connection was very healing for me. We found a lot of common ground as humans, trying to get by and find joy in life. We bonded so strongly that I feel like they are like my two new grandmothers.

“During their visit I had a terrible flu so they were nurturing me back to health and it healed me to talk to these women who had taken on this 24/7 activism. For them, it is more than activism though, it is survival. While they are probably burnt out from doing this, they are still able to tell stories and laugh and I think that’s what really brought things into perspective for me.

“That doesn’t mean if you are doing this work you shouldn’t complain or be tired, but I think it makes you understand why we are driven to do this. I found that very powerful. I understood much more why it is important to have some rest and look after yourself.”

Natalia has set up a fundraiser to assist with their costs and hopes to visit her new friends in the rainforest this year. “I never imagined I would be going to the Amazon to visit my friend”, she laughed.

Those wishing to support the campaign to protect the Sapara territory can donate here: bit.ly/sapara

It’s a

s ’ n a m d? worl

Words and Pictures

by Jack Howse

binary n o n d en an The wom aving the way p tradies

S

ince the pandemic hit, there’s been a rise in women and nonbinary people learning trades that have traditionally been male dominated. We spoke to some of them to find out more about their industry and how they navigate it.

“Becoming a plasterer has turned my life upside down for the better. It has offered me health and financial stability as well as creative freedom.” Gemma Crook aka ‘Plaster Lass’ talks as she skims the walls of a house in Giffnock with lime plaster. Gemma decided to pick up the trade of plastering a little over eighteen months ago: “I trained during a brief break in COVID restrictions

when everyone was locked inside looking at the renovation work that needed doing”.

Indeed it seems that since the pandemic, the community of women and non-binary tradies around Govanhill has significantly grown. As Charlotte Sammons, a painter and decorator who identifies as non-binary tells me: “There weren’t that many of us kicking about pre-pandemic, but during the pandemic loads more have trained.” What’s more, training courses specifically for women and non-binary folk looking to enter trades have also seen a marked increase in recent years.

Bike For Good recently launched a bike mechanics training scheme for women and non-binary people – the first of its kind of Scotland and second in the whole of the UK. Pippa Thomas, the women and nonbinary coordinator for the charity, sees the course as a way to: “Give people a trade and to create a critical mass of women and nonbinary people in bike shops.”

According to Women On The Tools, a national network of women working in the construction industry, just two percent of the trade workforce are women. These women also experience on average a £7,000 pay gap compared to their male counterparts. Whilst these numbers are somewhat demoralising, the number of women and non-binary people entering the trade world is increasing, and there are signs of change within the industry.

However, for most of the tradespeople that I spoke to, the feeling of being a minority within the industry is something that they have all experienced. Gemma says she only knows of a couple of other women in Scotland who are plasterers. Similarly, Hana Lindsay, a sign painter in Govanhill says: “There are maybe 40 women sign painters in the whole of the UK and Ireland 32

Hana

and over 200 men. We are definitely in the minority.”

For many, this feeling of being in a minority is further exacerbated in the training stage and when working on traditional construction sites. Painter and decorator, Charlotte, speaks about how when they went to start an apprenticeship course: “I was the only non-man on the course and the oldest by a number of years”. Charlotte eventually left the course saying: “The teaching styles were very oldschool misogynist, sometimes it almost felt like bullying”.

Many of the tradespeople I spoke to see the apprenticeship scheme as a part of a wider issue in the trades world.

“Apprenticeships pay like nothing, only £4.30 an hour,” says Gemma. Charlotte adds that while on the apprenticeship “you’re not allowed to do any outside work for painting, decorating or any trade, no weekend jobs or anything” meaning you can’t earn any extra money than an apprentice wage. As such, many people find it easier to enter their trade through hands-on experience or short, intensive courses.

Rebecka Taylor, a painter and decorator known as Paints & Ladders, comes from a long line of tradespeople: “Pursuing painting was a no-brainer for me because my dad’s a painter too! I used to go to jobs with him when I was maybe around 12 or 13 years old.” Charlotte, too, entered the trade through family experience. But while Rebecka and Charlotte both were supported by their families, Charlotte pointed out that many women do not receive the same support: “A lot of the time families won’t hand down toolkits to daughters.”

Another way that many women and non-binary people experience the industry differently is that most don’t work on-site,

Find them on Instagram @suresigns_glasgow (Hana Lindsay)

@plaster.lass (Gemma Crook)

@paintsandladders (Rebecka Taylor)

@charlotte_the_decorator

(Charlotte Sammons)

@bikeforgood (Bike for Good)

@rachelemillar (Rachel E Millar)

@interiorsbypenelope

nor ever have. “Sites are full of toxic masculinity,” Charlotte tells me. Many have experienced this feeling of being at the bottom of the food chain. “They were explaining things to me that I already knew” Hana told me.

But the problem can be much worse than that too. te Rebekah recalls that: “I had to deal with racist and rlot Cha sexist remarks. I used to pretend I was sleeping in the van and that I couldn’t hear them. And when the first lockdown happened they never paid me.” The very structure and setting of the construction site is not designed with non-men in mind; female facilities are often scarce. There is also no place to turn to with your complaints Charlotte adds: “you’re in this hierarchical pyramid with no HR.” These experiences of overt misogyny are not however unique to construction sites. “I remember once leaving a hardware store with a new toolbox and a man shouting at me ‘that’s a pretty big makeup box’,” Hana recalls. Many tradespeople have experienced marginalisation in numerous settings where they were just trying to get on with their job. Furthermore, many felt that their dedication to the trade industry was constantly questioned. “Clients would ask me if this was a hobby and what my other job was,” says Hana.

This is not, of course, to say that all experiences on-site and with colleagues are bad.

“There are so many tradesmen that I am in touch with on a regular basis who mentor me, connect me to work, advise and cheerlead. Honestly I am so thankful to them,” Gemma says.

Everyone I spoke to was quick to point out that job satisfaction far outweighs any of the negative optics that they suffer: “I love meeting new clients and I just think it’s wonderful, everyday I’m learning something new” says Rebecka. Similarly Hana talks of the pride of seeing her work all around Govanhill.

This job satisfaction is a shared experience as the network of tradeswomen and nonbinary tradies continues to grow in Southside. The sense of community was another positive commonality identified amongst all the interviewees and is something that all try to actively engage with. Gemma and Charlotte have set up a Whatsapp group for these tradies. It’s used to connect each other with work, support each other, and give advice.

Hana is assisting fellow sign painter Rachel E Millar in organising a meet-up in Govanhill for women sign painters from around the UK and Ireland; the first of its kind to happen.

All the tradespeople agreed that Govanhill was an area that particularly welcomed nontraditional tradies, particularly with so many businesses in Govanhill being female and/ or queer owned. Charlotte also attests that for many of their clients, having a non-man or a queer person in their space makes them feel safer. “Many of my clients are trans and when they had workies over before, they would have to hide pictures of themselves so no questions were asked. With me they don’t have to worry so much. I am happy that I can walk around as a queer non-binary person and do the job that I love.”

A common thread that was mentioned time and again was the view that better and safer access to training schemes, apprenticeships and mentors were all key in getting more women and non-binary people into the industry. Bike For Good’s training scheme will equip six trainees with an industry recognised qualification in bike mechanics, mixing hands-on training with work experience. It is being funded by Smarter Choices Smarter Places and Glasgow Life.

Pippa, the scheme’s coordinator says that one aim is that it: “Will inspire people that come into a bike shop where they can see others who look like them and think, ‘oh, I can do this too’.” The initial course had over 40 applicants and they are looking to run the scheme again, ideally more than once a year: “We received applications from people from all walks of life who want to be a part of the bike mechanics world. So, yeah, we don’t want this to be a one time thing”.

The surge in women and non-binary tradies and training schemes for them, specifically in Govanhill, is a welcome shift in the male-dominated industry and a testament to Govanhill’s DIY Gemma community culture.

33

TIME FOR ONE POEM! Connecting poetry and poetry sceptics

When her community project of handing out poems on the street became impossible due to the pandemic, Annie Muir decided to make a podcast aimed at complete beginners.

By Annie Muir Illustrations by Rachael Procter

B

efore the pandemic, I used to go out once a week to hand out poems on the street. I moved to the Southside of Glasgow in October 2019, and in November I handed out photocopies of a poem outside Langside Library. I had been doing this regularly since 2016, when I was studying for a Masters in Creative Writing in Manchester, and came up with the idea of ‘Time for one Poem’.

I was certain that more people would like poetry if they gave it a chance. But I also knew that the way we’re taught it at school can be off-putting, and the idea of reading a whole book of poems is overwhelming. People just needed a place to start, which is why I decided to hand out photocopies of one poem (anything that had caught my eye recently, usually from the library I was visiting) to people passing by outside local libraries asking: “Would you like a poem?”

A lot of people said no, or just ignored me. But for every ten who didn’t take a poem, there was one person whose eyes lit up as their brain worked out what was happening. One of my favourite responses was when someone came back and thanked me wholeheartedly for the poem and told me that what I was doing: “really cheers people up”, adding: “Life’s not all about keeping your head down and slogging. Not everyone realises that.” And then there were the people who stopped to ask me why I was doing it, and who told me about their experiences of reading (or not reading) poetry.

I started a blog to try and convey these experiences, which became a sort of compendium of all the reasons people don’t read poetry. There was a woman called Gemma, who told me a story that had obviously made a big impression on her. At primary school she used to write poems, and had been writing one during an English lesson when the teacher snatched it off her and read it out “in a squeaky voice” before tearing it up and throwing it in the bin. She never wrote

MEET THE POETRY-SCEPTICS!

another poem, but has never forgotten that one: “It was about a raindrop rolling down the window, then stopping, then starting again.”

In Manchester, visiting all these libraries and talking to people in different parts of town made me feel more like a part of the community. When I moved to Glasgow, I wanted to do the same. The week after visiting Langside Library, I handed out copies of another poem outside Govanhill Library, where I met a nice librarian called Ewan who came and took a poem off me after helping me when the photocopier broke. Then I went to the GOMA Library in town, and then to Gorbals Library where I met Jim, who recited several Robert Burns poems by heart when I told him what I was doing. Then came 2020, when talking to your own family face-to-face wasn’t allowed, let alone talking to strangers.

When the pandemic hit and I wasn’t able to go out on the streets and talk to people, I decided to make a podcast. In each episode, I talk to one poet about how they got into poetry, and one poetrysceptic about why they didn’t. We then go through a poem together, and see what we can make of it.

I think some people are shocked by the fact that people who read and write poetry – me for example – don’t read a poem and instantly know exactly what is going on. But most of the time when I first read a poem, I have no idea what it is talking about, let alone what it means. That’s why I have found talking to people who don’t have experience of reading poetry extremely enlightening: every person I speak to brings their own individual interpretation to the poem we are looking at, based on their own life experiences.

One thing I didn’t like about poetry in school is that there always seemed to be a right answer that the teacher knew and the students had to work out. But I don’t see poetry like that now: there is no right answer. It doesn’t matter what the poet was thinking when they wrote the poem; it only matters what you, the reader, take from it.

To make the podcast, I recorded interviews with 12 of my favourite poets writing poetry right now. This included two brilliant local Southside poets: Sean Wai Keung, whose poems have featured in this magazine, and Callie Gardner – who was one of the first poets I met in Glasgow when I went to their reading group at Category is Books, and who sadly passed away last year.

After that, I set out to find 12 Glasgow-based poetry-sceptics to talk to – which proved extremely difficult. Using email, the odds were even less in my favour than with handing out poems on the street: it is much easier to ignore an email than a person standing on the street smiling at you. I started wondering: ‘why would anyone who doesn’t like poetry agree to take the time to talk to me about poetry?’

But in the end, I found 12 brave people from all different walks of life, including: Paul, a community gardener for Urban Roots; David, a 17-year-old in his last year of college; Chris, a photographer and coowner of Gulabi – an independent film lab in Govanhill; and Kirstie, a Save Glasgow Libraries campaigner who works for the charity United to Prevent Suicide.

Each of my 12 guests had different reasons for not having read much poetry: some liked it in school, some hated it in school; some wrote poetry as teenagers, some dabble in writing it now. But all of them have in common the fact that they agreed to take themselves out of their comfort zones and do something that didn’t immediately appeal to them.

Because of COVID restrictions, when I applied to Creative Scotland for the funding to make this podcast, I had to show that I could make the entire thing without leaving my flat. Handing out poems on the street had always been such a thrill to me, a way to get myself out there and away from the endless screens of modern life, to talk to strangers. By making this podcast, I found another method of getting out into my new neighbourhood and meeting people with views and experiences different to my own, at a time when the world was doing its best to keep us looking inward.

Two local podcast guests give feedback on their experiences of being involved with the project:

“I had never really thought of reading poetry before – just because I thought it would not leave me with the satisfaction that a song or a book gives me. But reading the poem [‘I will already remember you for the rest of my life’ by Hera Lindsay Bird] and coming on the show has opened my eyes. I am more open and, whenever I see a poem online, I do not scroll past but read it with an open mind.

I have not proactively looked for poems but I have read some here and there. I did really enjoy the poem we talked about and I am interested/drawn to the author of the poem. I definitely will look into the poet we spoke about as I feel a click with the poem.”

MATHIAS Care Administrator at The No.1 Care Agency “Prior to the podcast, I was quite intimidated by poetry. This was based on some learning experiences at school (until I discovered Philip Larkin and Spike Milligan), but it’s also based on how people have made me feel. There’s been some poor interactions with academics and people of privilege who have acted like gatekeepers and made me feel quite stupid at times. There’s a superiority complex that followed with these people which was – and is – disappointing.

We discussed [‘Bloom’], a Harry Josephine Giles poem, during the podcast. It felt refreshing in the writing and structure and it was great to be introduced to someone who I have since gone on to learn more about. I guess it slightly shifted my thinking about poetry, but I still find the people that occupy the space intimidating and I would love to discover more people within my thought space to interact with. I haven’t read any poetry since but it has lit a spark of curiosity.”

HALINA Podcast Producer; PR at Dardishi, We Are Here Scotland and SWIM (Scottish Women in Music)

‘Time for one Poem’ podcast is out now on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you find your podcasts! Read more about the podcast and Annie’s experiences of handing out poems at: time41poem.wordpress.com

35

EXPLORING SOLIDARITY in Glasgow and Beyond

By Silas Lehane Photo by Chris Moses

A

midst the frenzy that COP26 brought when it descended on Glasgow, refuse collectors of the GMB trade union went on strike. After a deal with employer COSLA fell through at the 11th hour, members walked out over a longrunning dispute concerning low pay, declining working conditions and deteriorating workplace facilities. Whilst rubbish collectors and street cleaners formed picket lines outside Glasgow’s refuse centres, reports came in that Glasgow City Council was planning to undermine the strike by drafting in new workers. When news of the threat of strike-breaking spread, a motley crew of supporters across Glasgow rallied to their cause.

At Polmadie depot, members of the tenants’ union Living Rent, alongside residents from Govanhill turned up to show their support.

Over at the Blochairn waste facility, youth climate activists from Fridays for Future joined the lines, leading chants to boost morale.

Living Rent’s statement called attention to their shared commonality in both groups’ causes: ‘The city’s residents and workers want the same thing – a clean city brought about by proper investment and a happy workforce.’

There might appear little in common between the aims of trade unions, environmental activists and a tenants’ rights organisation, but what these groups showed was a steadfast display of solidarity to one another. Solidarity is essential to collective action, a means to look beyond our immediate personal circumstance to demonstrate our support for one another’s struggles. ‘Stand with us, not against us!’, a rallying cry of the GMB unrest, seems a pertinent encapsulation of this. By making vocal their agreement with the refuse collectors’ cause, and encouraging others to do so too, solidarity as an abstract political principle was transformed into a practical commitment.

The 2014 film Pride is a powerful retelling of solidarity in action. It depicts the story of Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners who came to the financial aid of Welsh mining communities during the Miner’s Strike of 1984. Despite their cultural differences, these communities forged friendships and a shared political understanding through selfless displays of support across geographic boundaries. Here, solidarity seems most effective when there is a shared enemy to be confronted – in this case, both miners and the LGBTQ community were political targets of Thatcher’s government.

Solidarity with GMB strikers is far from the only such instance, as COP26 demonstrated vividly. The conference came amidst a sense of growing labour disquiet in the city, with workers in the transport, education and legal sectors organising to fight exploitation in the workplace. As the international community arrived, and the world’s media turned its attention to the city, activists and organisers saw the opportune moment to elevate their causes’ platform, ushering in a flurry of protest and direct action.

During the conference, Fridays for Future Glasgow was particularly notable for the tireless energy its members put into

showing solidarity. As well as forging connections with GMB, they supported many others, bolstering the lines at a picket by rail union RMT outside Central Station, when drivers on the Caledonian Sleeper were protesting for a genuine pay rise.

It is impresive how a group so young – both its members and the organisation itself – have so clearly perceived and articulated the inter-connections of their own environmental cause with the likes of labour. It is the grave, overarching threat of environmental catastrophe that makes climate justice a powerful medium through which different groups might organise together, finding common ground to cooperate between their specific struggles.

This is something too that Living Rent’s style of activism has honed in on. Living Rent’s rapid growth has seen it develop a holistic understanding of the housing crisis as deeply interwoven with other sites of socio-political struggle. The union’s work with GMB began prior to COP26, when collaborating to confront Glasgow’s waste crisis.

In October, Living Rent members collected overflowing litter from Govanhill, Partick, Govan and Dennistoun, dumping it temporarily outside the council offices in George Square. GMB organiser Chris Mitchell gave a rousing speech to onlookers about the policies of privatisation that have produced the crises of cleanliness and housing in the city – placing blame directly with Glasgow City Council – and the importance of working together to challenge the council’s failure to adequately fund services.

In Glasgow, protest and civil unrest have strong historic roots, stretching well back to the Red Clydeside era of the early 20th century. The city was a hotbed of revolt in the war period, with labour agitation in the city’s dockyards, anti-war protests and women-led rent strikes. The city’s long-standing political identity has not only struggled to improve its own lot, but moreover sought to recognise and support political struggles further afield.

In 1974, engineers at the East Kilbride Rolls-Royce factory refused to service fighter jets from the Chilean air force, a year after Pinochet had seized power. Their actions effectively grounded Chile’s air force, and, as the moving documentary Nae Pasaran tells, helped inspire hope in the country’s fractured opposition. The courage of these workers who showed international solidarity at their own risk was only recognised many years later. These actions suggest the potency of looking beyond the immediate, to consider how actions taken in one place might shape events far across the globe.

By seeking the interconnections of our struggles, however distant, abstract or minimal they may seem, solidarity looks to the longterm horizons of our social and political lives. These fights are won when people and communities work together, and an issue for one group now may soon be an issue for us all. As actors in Glasgow have shown, by challenging us to think beyond ourselves, solidarity is not only a feeling, but an essential tool for collective action for now and years to come.

36

father the hidden half of parenthood

a photography project by Eoin Carey

By Mikey Jarrell Photos by Eoin Carey

A couple of years ago, when I was about to become a dad, I thought a lot about how my life would change, and wondered about what sort of father I would be. Like many of us, I had some ideas about what a modern father is and does – ideas that are not always stereotypes but are often not far off. We might know some dads and get glimpses of real life fatherhood.

But until we become parents ourselves, we rarely see those real, messy, tired, joyful moments that happen behind closed doors.

A project by photographer Eoin Carey takes a look through the keyhole to reveal this hidden world of shared intimacy between dads and their children.

T

he collection of photos, named simply Father, is the first phase of an ongoing project that Eoin hopes will change perceptions of dads, but perhaps even more importantly, might help other men to begin to open up.

“My hope is that dads will see a little bit of themselves in the pictures. It could even provide an opportunity for them to talk”, says Eoin. The forthcoming print publication of this first collection of images also includes firsthand accounts of fatherhood in their own words, from conversations following the shoots, which he hopes will inspire other dads.

“Perhaps because of the routine hardships of parenthood, people don’t often open up about the real significance, or the emotional side of it. I think men even less so. Times have changed, and you can see more dads out and about with very young kids.

But five years ago I was often the only dad at the playgroup. I would talk to mums who can speak with some level of emotional depth about their experiences, but I just wasn’t getting that back from the men. Even with my pals that have kids, that I know well, I still find a friction to connecting in that kind of way. And so my mind was blown—and I was delighted—to hear these words from the dads that I photographed.”

We need more such opportunities to share our experiences.

As a new father experiencing the pressures of parenthood in a pandemic, I found that support networks were usually dominated by mums. Eoin says that this isn’t surprising: “There’s all this nuance and ritual behind motherhood. It’s an almost spiritual biological process, whereas for men it’s a very sudden transition.

You’re at the hospital gates with nothing more than an ‘off you go’. So maybe, after that start, we shy away from talking about it.”

This individual reluctance to talk and participate can sometimes cause us dads to exclude ourselves from parenting networks and support.

Despite these challenges, dads are tirelessly parenting behind closed doors with tenderness and vulnerability. “Fatherhood allows us to feel things that we’re almost not allowed to feel – playful, silly, in love, and quite openly so”, says Eoin. These emotions are instantly recognisable in his images, framing iconic, relatable scenes like the ever-present plate of fish fingers, and no shortage of tears.

To be invited inside to document these feelings is quite a responsibility, and Eoin chose to do so partly because it’s so difficult for dads to do it themselves. “As beautiful or tragic or chaotic as the images might look, it’s an impossibility to record that emotion yourself when you’re in the thick of it. You literally don’t have a spare hand, or even a spare brain cell.” As my 19 month old daughter enthusiastically hammers the laptop keyboard while I’m speaking to Eoin on Zoom, I can relate.

Photography can also freeze time during a turbulent period of life when nothing ever stays the same. I remember the relief as I started to feel competent with a three week old baby, only to be surprised that I knew nothing at all about a four week old baby.

Eoin’s experience with his subjects was similar: “Looking back at the images when it’s been months since, their life was completely different. The person in the photos wasn’t there any more, it was a totally different child. And so I think seeing the pictures has allowed them to get some objective distance on their own lives, and to see the kind of parents that they were, and that they are.”

If any of this resonates with you, however you define yourself as a father, Eoin would like you to get in touch, as the second phase of the project is in the pipeline. He’s looking for a broad spectrum of dads to come forward and get involved.

Contact details are on his website, eoincareyphoto.com, along with information on the print publication of the first collection.

38

“I am looking at the photos that Eoin took on his first visit and I’m crying at the everyday moment of having fish fingers with my sons. I no longer need to be a rock star. I no longer need to be the smartest person in the room. I no longer need the world to know me. I just want them to feel happy, to have friends, to be content and safe.”

Joel

“I’m not sure what my expectations of fatherhood were. I think I expected a child to slot into our lives, rather than totally reshape them. That seems astonishingly naïve now looking back. I didn’t expect it to feel as much like having grown another limb, which is what it sometimes feels like.”

Liam

”I don’t think I’d have had those touchstone moments without the project. It can be so hard to mark moments as a parent, you sometimes feel you’re on a treadmill, going from one milestone to another and you’re often not connecting into the journey you have been on. You don’t always mark how you’ve developed and how far you’ve come because rarely there’s a space for fathers or parents to receive the plaudits they deserve.”

Dan

39

peek into the past

Snapshots of Govanhill during the

1960s

By David Doren

I

was a home birth, born in Calder Street in 1959, the youngest of four children. My father was a chemist who worked for Boots the Chemist, and my mother was a housewife who did cleaning work, and other jobs to help make ends meet.

My parents’ families have been shrouded in secrecy and intrigue for decades, and it has taken years to piece together some of the different strands. Typically for Govanhill, my heritage is very diverse. My father’s parents were immigrants from Poland in the late 1800s. They fled persecution as they were both Jewish.

The movie “Fiddler On The Roof,” depicts aspects of their life accurately but without the singing and dancing of course.

My mother’s family can be traced back to both the Spanish Armada and the Highland Clearances. With one side of her family being Catholic and the other Protestant, this made for some interesting conversation at the dinner table. It always made people laugh when, they asked about our heritage. We would say, we were Heinz 57 varieties: we could be Irish but we’re not, we could be Scottish but we’re not, we could be Polish but we’re not, we could be Russian but we’re not, we could be Catholic but we’re not, we could be Protestant but we’re not, we could be Jewish but we’re not.

My childhood was one filled with good times and laughter, even though we led a hand to mouth existence. My education began well before I started primary or, as some would say, ‘the school of hard knocks’. I initially started primary at Cuthbertson Street and later moved to St Kevin’s. In 1964, we moved from Calder Street to a larger flat in Victoria Road, and I still live in the same flat today. I can say that, the only time I will leave the area, will be in a wooden box, and to keep the climate change activists happy, I expect it will all be biodegradable.

Growing up in Govanhill in the 1960s, there were some characters who really made an impression on me. Here are a few:

Aunty Lisa Aunty Lisa was not anyone’s real aunt, but we all called her that. She was a short, frail woman in her sixties with freckles on her face and arms and long ginger hair which she kept tied in a bun on the back of her head. She was Jewish, and a survivor of the Holocaust and concentration camps. The Nazis had experimented on her and her family which had left her unable to have children. On her emancipation, Lisa made a new life for herself in Britain, got married and eventually settled with her husband in Glasgow, living in a one-bedroom flat in Bowman Street.

All the children in the area knew Aunty Lisa as she would always greet you with a great big bear hug.

She considered all children to be precious. My first recollection of her was, when I was about two or three years old – her picking me up, and practically squeezing the life out of me, as her hugs were so tight.

She would always give you some money to buy sweets or an ice cream cone as, more than likely, the cone you had been holding had melted and was nothing more than an empty shell and a puddle on the pavement.

A WWII Veteran In the early sixties, I can remember there was an elderly man, who lived in the next set of tenements to where I lived in Calder Street, and he used to walk strangely. He wore heavy looking shoes with a bulbous toe cap and walked on his heels with the aid of walking sticks.

He never – or very rarely – allowed his toes to touch the ground. I did not know or understand the reason why. But when I was older, my mother told me the story how he had been a prisoner of war in Southeast Asia.

He had been relentlessly tortured during this time. His toenails had been removed and the soles of his feet had been beaten with bamboo sticks. His toenails had never grown back and that was the reason why he walked the way he did. It had affected him mentally for years, and he never forgave his captors for his treatment. He lived in a ground floor flat, with a very small front garden and it was his pride and joy. As he tended to the plants in the summer, he would give my mum cuttings from them for her flower box on our kitchen windowsill.

Millie the Milliner Millie Mann was a smallish older stout Jewish woman, who always dressed from head to toe in black, and had a hat making business and shop on Victoria Road. The shop is now a newsagent at the close next to the Dental Studios (previously the Royal Bank of Scotland). Millie was the go-to person in the sixties when you wanted a hat made for weddings and for going to church. My mother knew her and was considered her friend. I remember as a young child going into the shop and seeing this woman, all dressed in black, sitting on a silvery grey-coloured, low backed wooden chair in the middle of the shop, surrounded by all manner of hats on display around the walls and in the window.

Millie lived in a one-bedroom, ground floor flat in Bowman Street, directly across from what was the old doctor’s surgery. In Millie’s later years, near the mid 60s my mother was paid to clean her house, and I would sometimes help on my way back home from primary school. Millie would give me a few pennies for my services when she saw me passing the shop.

I held onto those pennies, and I still have them today, I suppose as a memento of my first ever paid job. As the years rolled on and Millie became frailer, my mother used to go up and get her washed and dressed, before preparing her breakfast. Then my mother would help her round to her shop where, Millie would sit ‘til the shop closed at 5pm. This continued for several years until, one day my mother found her dead behind the bathroom door, she’d had a heart attack during the night.

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books

THE 15 MINUTE CITY:

O

n the street in Glasgow where I live, there is a car that never moves. Parked under a tree, winter to summer, it is a fourwheeled advertisement for decay. The tyres are cracked, the roof is powdered with tree dust, and the driver, if they ever turned up, would sit behind a windshield of green mould.

Walking past it day after day, I used to wonder if something serious had happened to the person who owned this vehicle. Why did they never return to it? Some bad luck beyond their control?

Perhaps, more mysteriously, it was meant to be left there.

After a while, I added to the car’s abandonment and forgot about it, too; cities, after all, have unknowns at every corner. But in the course of writing about the ‘15-minute’ city, that car came back into my mind, and its forlorn state made me think about something else, the future.

Today, when we close our eyes and think of our home streets, we see lines of cars parked there. The same when we picture our city centres and neighbourhoods: cars, vans, motorbikes are there.

They belong there. They are necessary to a fundamental urban logic which understands cities to be places that keep moving.

In a fully realised 15-minute city of the future, however, the organisation of movement would be different. Cars would still be present, but in a heavily demoted role, sidelined in the same way that bicycles and pedestrians were pushed aside in cities by the roar of the automobile industry following the Second World War. The acceleration of car culture in the economic recovery of the 1950s marked, after the earlier advent of the railways, a second critical shift in urban life, and we are still untangling the consequences.

Railways laid the tracks for commuters to live further from their place of work, so unbuttoning the size of the average city, but cars made the cities themselves even busier. Pavements were narrowed, roads built and widened – all for the car to bestride the city. Even the Volkswagen factory, standing in ruins in postwar Germany, quickly resurrected itself amid a global boom in automobile production.

The 15-minute city would, arguably, herald the growth of industries associated with a new transport culture that would once again redraw the map of the road. Electric vehicles, yes, but also hydrogen power, micro mobility bike sharing and solutions for charging stations and parking facilities. Apps and services that streamline our transportation options into one smartphone thumbswipe would also become more prominent.

The business of transport is critical to the wider, more imaginative mission of the 15-minute city, since first and foremost, this ‘new’ kind of city is one that tries its hardest to minimise the emission of greenhouse gases in the race against climate catastrophe.The march of urbanisation, in which around 68 per cent of the global population is forecast to live in cities by 2050, makes it acutely important that cities acknowledge their role in the crisis. A more localised experience of urban life, in which we use fossil fuels less, and move around by bike or on foot where possible, would in theory help to bring carbon emissions down and brake the pace of rising temperatures. Cities are not permanent; they are fragile and vulnerable to the effects of climate – they need to build resilience against change, as well as take responsibility for it.

The neatness of the 15-minute city slogan creates a temptation to think that the environmental benefits can be modelled to equally neat proportions. But there is another reasoning for the quarter-hour framework. Researchers have found that 20 minutes is about the maximum length of time people are willing to walk in order to complete a daily task or chore. (This so-called ‘pedestrian shed’ before people opt to use a car or other transportation varies depending on social geography – in America, for example, it is sometimes capped at five minutes.) Since pedestrians and other active travellers are lead actors in the compact city neighbourhood, their known behaviours shape the outline of the urbanists’ thinking.

GLOBAL CHANGE THROUGH LOCAL LIVING

By Natalie Whittle Photo by Paul Reich

BLURB Cities define the lives of all those who call them home: where they go, how they get there, how they spend their time. But what if we built our cities differently? What if we travelled differently? What if we could get a cashback on time and make it our own?

In this carefully researched and readily accessible book, Natalie Whittle interrogates the notion of the 15-minute city: its pros, its cons and its potential to revolutionise modern living.

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books

In the 15-minute city, services and shops need to be close to one another so that a short walk or bicycle ride can achieve something in people’s lives, be it useful or educational or recreational.

Carlos Moreno, the Sorbonne professor of innovation who helped to pitch the concept to the city of Paris, calls the 15-minute city a ‘ville du proximité’.

Melbourne, Australia, where pilot 20-minute neighbourhoods are in place, has stressed the importance of walking as an enhancer of economic activity. This mercantile reality is a necessary part of the conversation, since the 15-minute city has to be able to offer thriving small high streets in order to meet its promise of enriched local living. Not everything about the 15-minute city is utopian glamour, either. Houston, Texas adopted a ‘complete streets’ policy in 2013, to improve the walkability and cyclability of its cityscape.

There is a rigour that accompanies the city’s long-term commitment to the project; one of the newer features, for example, is a website where residents can report potholes.

Parallel to these considerations is another apparently hardwired phenomenon called ‘the Marchetti constant’, named for the Italian physicist Cesare Machetti. In this argument, Marchetti posited that 30 minutes is the near-universal time that commuters throughout history have been willing to sacrifice on a single leg of their journey.

As transport technology advanced, this 30-minute tolerance did not alter, Marchetti argued. It simply allowed people to travel greater distances within half an hour, enabling their homes to be further apart from their workplace.

So whether on foot in ancient Rome or aboard a steam train in Victorian Manchester, on a tram in post-war Glasgow or an Underground train in modern London, half an hour is the duration we feel equal to, Marchetti’s theory suggests. But this doesn’t mean that the resultant sprawling cities accommodate our wishes.

Indeed, to many long-suffering commuters, a half-hour trip each way would seem like wishful fancy, disconnected from the reality of watching as minutes and hours of life pass through the frame of train and bus windows.

Another valid response to the question ‘what is a 15-minute city?’ is that it is a self-aware city, where we use time, space and energy with an acknowledgment of their impact on our planet. Many of our travel behaviours are unconscious, but the 15-minute city is a splash of water on our faces – reminding us that time is in acute relation to the environment.

If we have travelled a great distance in a short period, for example, there is usually a punishment to the planet. Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist, has repeatedly made this point by going the long way round, slowly, to all her global speaking engagements. As Thunberg said to assembled world leaders in Davos: ‘I want you to act as if the world is on fire, because it is.’

For change to be meaningful, however, we need to think differently before we can act differently, and raising this consciousness of how time, travel and energy connect is at the heart of the 15-minute conversation. Above all, the 15-minute city asks us to turn away from the perceived convenience of the fossil fuel car – the machine that enables us to gain the greatest control over the relationship between time and distance, by being a personal speed servant, driving us wherever and whenever we please.

This is an extract taken from a new book written by Natalie Whittle and published by Luath Press. Natalie Whittle is a writer and editor, who worked for 15 years at the Financial Times. She is the founder of Outwith Books, an independent bookshop and writing space in Govanhill.

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Cathkin Blazes are an inclusive and beginner-friendly football group pulling women and non-binary people onto the pitch. Formed in 2021 in Glasgow’s southside, the Blazes look to create opportunities for fun, fitness and friendship – the need for which has only grown as a result of the pandemic.

By Sarah Cochrane Photos by Alexander Hoyles

onversations in the Glasgow G42 Mutual Aid group led founders Yas and Beth notice a need in the community for opportunities to meet new people, have fun and connect again after the loss and isolation of the pandemic. Football – a sport that is easy to play with little money and equipment – was suggested, and after keen support from friends, the group was started.

The first week, only four of us turned up at Cathkin Park to play, but after a short match of two vs. two, we were all hooked.

Word quickly got around and within a month the group had more than tripled in size. Many of us had little or no prior experience of football, but this didn’t matter, the focus was on enjoyment. After an hour or so of running around outside, laughing, apologising and applauding one another, everyone seemed to leave the park on a high that was addictive.

Emma, the group’s coach, recounts her experience of getting involved with the group: “We met for the first time with a few other people at Cathkin Park, all having a laugh and kicking the ball around. It was a good time, so naturally we returned. As we kept coming back week after week, so did more folk, that brought more folk and now we have more than enough players for several football teams!

“The group is a dream to coach because everyone’s so enthusiastic and really enjoys playing, which is infectious. Despite the fact that the group has grown, what I love the most is that at its core, it still feels like that first time” Maintaining a non-judgmental, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere has been central to the Cathkin Blazes ethos. For many, football spaces have felt inaccessible in the past, be that through lack of opportunities, off-putting experiences, cultural assertions that football is ‘for boys’ or simply the fear of not belonging or being good enough. It was therefore important that the group was made as accessible as possible so no one felt excluded.

It is free to play and beginner-friendly, with each new member eagerly welcomed – whatever their ability and experience. The group quickly developed a warm atmosphere where many new friendships have been formed.

“I cherish the opportunity to get excited about playing football with a group of such friendly and inclusive people,” one member said, “I felt very welcome from the first session and have made lots of friends as the weeks have gone by. Playing football has

“I felt very welcome from the first session and have made lots of friends as the weeks have gone by”

44

“The group is a dream to coach because everyone’s so enthusiastic and really enjoys playing, which is infectious.”

also given me the motivation to keep exercising through the week – Something I haven’t done in a long time!”

Another added: “It makes a difference to my mental health to play sports with other people in this group in a non judgmental and fun way, that is free to attend, flexible and genuinely welcoming to all. It helps me to feel more relaxed around people and more confident in something I never thought I would.”

Many people’s mental and physical health has been negatively affected by the pandemic. Through football, lots of us have discovered a new relationship to health and exercise, discovering a feeling of pure joy that comes from moving our bodies and playing outside as part of a team. For those who moved to Glasgow during the pandemic, the opportunities for connection and social interaction the group has provided, have been especially valuable.

After a group vote, the team was christened Cathkin Blazes.

Cathkin, after Cathkin Park, where we would meet to play each Wednesday evening, Blazes, after Dixon Blazes, the nickname of the historic Govan Ironworks and a nod to the local heritage.

The choice to play at Cathkin Park originally came out of the need for free flat land, that would still give us some privacy, however as we uncovered the historical significance of the old Hampden Park site – the previous home to football clubs Queens Park (1884-1903) and Third Lanark (1903-1967) – playing football there felt even more special.

With the dark winter nights, unlit Cathkin Park is not a safe space to play in. Fortunately, we have managed to secure funding for pitches at Goals in Queens Park, allowing us to keep playing safely for free through the damp, dark months.

We are still keen to return to our original home at Cathkin Park in the summer. However, this may no longer be possible, with talk of the council handing the park over to a private company. This would risk the iconic park no longer being free and accessible to the local community and would be an enormous loss for Cathkin Blazes.There is hope, in the form of community group ‘Friends of Cathkin Park’, who are fighting to keep the park in public hands, but discussions are still underway and it is uncertain how things will turn out.

Although opportunities for spaces are more limited in the winter due to pitch size, new members are still very warmly welcomed.

For more information or to request to be added to the WhatsApp group, please email us at: cathkinblazes@gmail.com 45

Clear ing

Dr Zemirah Moffat aka. Zem Illustration by Suzie Cichy

Clutter Clearing is an art.

Its essence is simple, but that does not mean it is easy. It can be anything but.

I have been a professional Declutterer for ten years. Before this, I lectured in Visual Anthropology, the discipline of my doctorate. My PhD was all about a wonderful queer club in London called Club Wotever. It was a place that welcomed people of all genders and sexualities; supportive, celebratory and encouraging. A marvellous space that continues to this day.

Clearing Clutter is rather like coming out. It takes bravery, stubbornness, creativity, smart thinking, good friends and a supportive community. This is possible, particularly in Govanhill!

So, what is clutter?

Clutter is a blockage. It is stuff that gets in the way of what we want to do, what our housemates and families want to do and/ or what our communities want to do. This is where it gets tricky as sometimes what we want is at odds with the wants and needs of others.

Clutter is too much unopened mail, circulars and leaflets; too many broken, forgotten and unused items; unwanted gifts. inherited things. Clutter is a bouquet of feelings: roses with thorns, colourful stems and deadwood alike. Clutter clearing is about creating that bouquet that makes your heart sing, and then passing onto others the things that make their hearts sing.

At this point I need to tell you the uncomfortable truth: clutter clearing never stops. As we change and the people around us change, our needs change and so must our things. The best we can do is get good at giving and receiving, at fixing things and at moving things on to better places.

So, what are the main causes of clutter and how do we sort it?

There are four main personal causes for clutter: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. But for me the most critical cause is the sense of 'lack of time'. On a simple numbers level, I don't understand. We are living longer and yet we have less time?

This perplexes me, as does the fact that there are more than twice as many people on this earth as there were 100 years ago, and yet we are lonelier.

I encourage clients to challenge both these ideas, through taking time to deal with their clutter and nurturing friendships and relationships that will help get their clutter moving.

We also need to identify the main causes of our clutter. Is it that we can't see where things should go and don't know how to organise; or are we too emotionally attached to things? Perhaps we know what to do, but we're not able to move them and simply need physical help? Or could it be that our spirit really wants to play tennis, sing or learn Swahili, and is frustrated and so messes around with the unimportant, like excess shopping for example!? If so, let's find that racket, join that community choir and sign up for language classes.

When people ask me about my work, I describe it as 'intelligent tea-drinking'.

It is very similar to the work I did as an anthropologist: sitting with people and listening to what they said, and to what their things and places told me. As a professional declutterer, I use these skills to help people shift their focus and reevaluate the importance of their things, reflecting better who they are now, so they are in a place more in harmony with themselves and those around them.

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my advice for clearing clutter Start with a cup of tea And spend some time working out your barriers. Next, think about what the solutions could be. If you need more ideas, here are my top recommendations: Clutter Chat An online and Glasgow-based meet-up where peers support each other getting through their clutter (first session free, then paywhat-you-can monthly donation) clutterchat.co.uk YouTube A brilliant (free) resource of 'how to fix' videos, decluttering ideas and inspiration APDO-UK The UK's Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers where you can find local and experienced professionals (£45-£60/hr) apdo.co.uk Hoarding Disorders UK If you think your barriers are mainly psychological, visit hoardingdisordersuk.org for info and support. (In 2018, hoarding was classified by the World Health Organisation as a medical condition and our medical doctors can help too.)

arts and culture STREET LEVEL CULTURE COLLECTIVE

Photography Workshops in Govanhill

By Rhiannon J Davies The Culture Collective is a network of 26 participatory arts projects across Scotland that are being shaped by local communities alongside artists and creative organisations. It is funded by Creative Scotland with Scottish Government emergency COVID-19 funds.

Street Level Photoworks (based in Trongate) is one of the creative organisations participating in the project. They received funding for two artist residencies in Govanhill Grant McManus (along with two more in the Gorbals and two project posts based at the gallery). The roles were taken up by Morwenna Kearsley, as lead artist, and Alex Popa, as support artist – a position open to recent graduates. Morwenna’s work is concerned with both still photography and moving images, specialising in analogue and dark room printing. Alex did his post-graduate studies in sound design for moving image. Working alongside communities is an important part of both of their practices.

“What makes this residency slightly unusual,” says Morwenna, “is that there really wasn’t any remit at all. This money has been released to look at how art is important to communities and to support artists for a year to continue making community-based work. It’s for artists to work with different people and think of creative activities people might want to do to help with wellbeing.

It’s also looking at the issues that Covid has brought up, what role art plays in communities and what we can learn from that. It’s the widest parameters you can think of, which is great in one way, and tricky in another.”

The pair started by working with a group of students from Hollybrook Academy, and then went on to run photography workshops from cafes in Govanhill. They held sessions at Bees Knees Cafe and Wee Plate Cafe. They’d discuss the work of other photographers, before heading out and using it as inspiration on their photography walks. Morwenna says: “What all the participants have managed to do is to show me something familiar in a really unexpected way and to make the familiar look a bit strange.”

Alex, who is originally from Romania, says he has learned so much from the project: “I love the diversity here. People just have a different energy. I feel very welcomed here and that’s something I’ve never really felt before. So it’s quite important to me. The sense of community is very meaningful. I appreciate how we interact during the workshops, and how we have built this communication.”

In 2022, the pair are planning on doing a collaborative project with Bike For Good which involves filmmaking using GoPros exploring Queen’s Park, what that area means to people and how they use it.

They’re also working with Romano Lav, as well as a women’s group at Milk Cafe and others.

For more information or to get involved with future photography workshops, no matter what your experience, get in touch via: morwenna@streetlevelphotoworks.org

CREATING THE EARTH

Profile of Neve Pearce By giacinta frisillo

Neve Pearce has been working as a freelance prop and puppet maker since graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2020. During COP26, she was hired by BBC Scotland as a prop maker for The One Show. She created four works, artistically replicating satellite images of the earth taken by NASA. Speaking about the project, she said: “This production was clear to only include recycled materials. The TV and theatre industry are becoming more aware of the wasteful elements of their productions, however this often comes as an afterthought.”

Still, she managed to keep with the conference’s objectives and BBC’s production goals by using reclaimed objects, salvaged wool and charity shop clothing: “Each frame required the use of different materials that might best fit each image. The old shirts and trousers created swirling textures mimicking images of mountains from an aerial perspective. The other three canvases consisted of paints, wool and yarn un-picked from old jumpers. Wool was one of the most difficult materials to use during this project, as the process of dyeing and felting became so time-consuming.”

Since COP26, Pearce has worked as a freelance art department assistant with the BBC, building and decorating one-off sets for TV shows. Using recycled materials is particularly important when sets are only used once. “The moment filming stops, the set gets ‘striked’, meaning we completely disassemble it and leave the stage exactly as we found it that morning, as if nothing had happened.”

When she’s not building and tearing down backgrounds, Pearce can be found in the studio currently looking for new commissions and working on a collection of original ‘plushie’ characters, also constructed from recycled fabrics. Her concern for using found objects is not solely environmental, however: “Using reclaimed objects and recycled materials, like a piece of fabric that’s been passed down and used in different ways and loved by different people, makes a character unique and gives each of my characters a story and personality.”

She believes that TV and theatre can become less wasteful too: “With better preparation and a little more time, these productions can easily be built and sourced sustainably. Rather than seeing sustainable practices as an inconvenient box to tick,” she says, “we should be generating new ideas of how to best explore eco-friendly set design.”

What’s On

Normally we use this space to tell you about one off events coming up in the area. But we thought as it was a new year, there may be people interested in getting involved with a new club or activity.

If you want information about one off exhibitions, concerts and other events visit our online community noticeboard: www.greatergovanhill.com/noticeboard

MONDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

Renew Wellbeing Café

Women’s Group Drop-In Session

Where: The Point at Queen’s Park Baptist Church, 180 Queen’s Drive When: 10:00 - 15:00 Open to all, just drop in.

Where: Milk Cafe When: 10:00 - 14:00 No need to book, just pop in!

Cycling Lessons

English Language Café

Where: Bike for Good When: 10:30 Pay-what you can session, bikes and helmets provided

Where: Milk Café When: 10:00 - 16:00 A casual conversation and writing help session. To book email hellomilkesol@gmail.com

Computer Skills Workshop Where: Milk Cafe When: 12:00 - 13:30 More info: hellomilkit@gmail.com

Yoga for All Where: The Neighbourhood Centre, 6 Daisy St When: 12:30 - 14:30 Free but booking essential via: bit.ly/GHBaths

Cycle Rides for New Scots Where: Bike for Good When: 12:30 Bikes and helmets provided

Cast Offs - Knitting and Crocheting Where: The Neighbourhood Centre, 6 Daisy St When: 12:30 - 14:30 Free but booking essential via: bit.ly/GHBaths

Growing Govanhill Gardening Club Where: Urban Roots Allotment When: 12:30 - 14:30 Booking essential via: urbanroots.co.uk

TUESDAYS

Crosspoint Where: Urban Roots Allotment When: 12:30 - 14:30 Peer Led Mental Health Group drop in session

Playtime Sessions Where: The Point at Queens Park Baptist Church When: 10:00 - 11:15 Stay and play group for children 0–5.

More info at qpbc.org

Tai Chi Improvers Where: Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre When: 13:30 - 15:00 Free session for those in G41/42 area.

Book via: bit.ly/GHBaths

Singing with Lorna Where: The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street, When: 11:00 - 12:00 Free but booking essential via: bit.ly/GHBaths

Small Trans Library Meet-Up Where: GAS When: 18:00 - 23:00 Usually film and food night.

Priority given to those in the trans community.

Free but booking essential via: linktr.ee/TransLibGla

Language Exchange Drop-In Where: Glasgow Autonomous Space, 53 Kilbirnie St When: 17:00 - 21:00 Free drop in session, mainly focusing on Arabic

Men Talking Where: Finn’s Place When: 19:30 - 21:00 A peer support group to talk about men’s physical and mental health

This is just a taste of some of the regular activities happening locally.

For more, visit:

greatergovanhill.com/activies

LGBTQI+ Gardening When: 18:00 - 20:00 More info: www.facebook.com/groups/lgbtqiagardening

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THURSDAYS

SUNDAYS

Baby Play

Active Life Badminton

Where: The Point at Queens Park Baptist Church When: 10:00 - 11:15 Stay and play group for children under 2.

More info at qpbc.org

Pay What You Can Pilates

Where: Online (from the Wee Retreat) When: 12:30 - 1:30pm More info: theweeretreat.co.uk

Tai Chi Beginners Free Sessions

Where: Holyrood Sports Centre When: 12:00 - 13:00 8-18 yr olds. Free session.

Pregnancy Yoga

Where: Studio 70 When: 17:00 - 18:00 For both beginners and those looking to modify their technique for pregnancy.

Book via: studio70glasgow.com

Where: Larkfield Centre When: 13:30 - 15:00 Free session for those in G41/42 area.

Book via: bit.ly/GHBaths

Capoeira

Where: GAS When: 18:00 - 19:30 A free drop-in session that runs on a biweekly basis

FRIDAYS Renew Wellbeing Café

Where: The Point at Queen’s Park Baptist Church When: 10:00 - 15:00 Open to all, just drop in.

SATURDAYS The Repair Café Where: The Deep End When: 12:00 - 15:00 Every 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month. Free drop-in session, bring along your broken household items and the team of volunteers will seek to repair them.

Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Club Where: Pollokshields Community Centre When: 13:00 - 16:30 Biweekly drop-in session.

Sound Bath Where: Studio 70 When: 13:00 - 14:00 More info at: studio70glasgow.com

Active Life Club Football Sessions Where: Holyrood Sports Centre When: 13:00 - 14:00 8-18 yr old sessions. £2 per session or £5 per month, this gives you access to both football and cricket sessions

Feeling creative? Try one of our workshops in Shawlands.

We do pottery, sewing, book making and more!

Use code "GOVHILL10" to Scan below get 10% off our classes. @ArtSpaceG41 124 Kilmarnock Road Shawlands G41 3NN

These images were taken by attendees of the photography workshops run as part of the Street Level Cultural Collective community based artist in residency programme. Read more on page 47.

Happiness

by Annie Muir

Y R R ET NE P O OR C

Hot Shot

At first the title puts you off.

It sounds a bit – Fiction isn’t really your thing Your borrowed copy is hunchbacked and dog-eared and you can’t ignore the litter in the margins as you leaf through, half-heartedly, trying to get into it.

You know the story. Everyone does, though no one mentions the slow bits – learning a new language from scratch, family struggles, years

Grant McManus

spent in denial – but then, it’s all worth it when you get to that bit.

There are never enough pages, then, when the last one’s gone

Local P o Muir, p et, Annie ro Time fo duces the r podcast One Poem . about it Read more on pag e 34.

you return it bitterly to the library.

Bel Pye

Kenneth Cousin

Sophie McKenzie

Bracken Holroyd

Y OR LOCALL GOT A POEM E? R A H S TO TO TAKEN PHO E FEATURED TO WANT B T ISSUE? IN THE NEX

in to Send them anhill.com tergov ea gr @ lo hel nsidered. to be co

Sareh Abasi

Jessica Lockhart

STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS 12T H M A RC H - 15 T H M AY

T H I S S E PA R AT E D I S L E - INVISIBLE BRITAIN 33 P H OTO G R A P H E RS | 33 P O R T R A I T S | 33 N A R R AT I V ES E X P LO R I N G T H E T E N S I O N S A N D R E L AT I O N S H I P B E T W E E N I D E N T I T Y A N D B E LO N G I N G I N A D I V I D E D L A N D.

STREET LEVEL C U LT U R E CO L L EC T I V E

CO LL A BO R AT I V E PH OTOG R A PH Y A N D FI L M I N G OVA N H I LL A N D GO RBA L S

PH OTO G R APH Y PARTI C I PATI O N PRO DUC TI O N Street Level Photoworks, Trongate 103, Glasgow G1 5HD www.streetlevelphotoworks.org Image credit: Brooke McMillan, photograph by Ilisa Stack, from This Separated Isle.

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