The GENN Issue 169

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The

Glasgow East and North News

Your voice in the community 18-19

Next Edition 18th December 2015 PROUD TO BE SCOTTISH

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Christmas Countdown Get ready for Christmas

GLASGOW PRIVATE HIRE Eastends Biggest & Best

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GENN Travel Holiday Ideas

Dr. Don’s View Political Commentary

31-36

Local Sport Tom Scott with the latest news

NITEZONE LAUNCHED FOR FESTIVE SAFETY GLASGOW has launched its sixth NiteZone as thousands of festive revellers prepare to hit the city for Christmas nights out.

Festive partygoers are being urged to use the new NiteZone in West George Street at Anchor Lane and others around

the city to get home swiftly and safely.

A new SafeZone is also being set up at St George’s Tron Church of Scotland in Buchanan Street and Nelson Mandela Place.

It is a safe, central location where anyone in need of help

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can go during a night out. It will operate in addition to the existing NiteZones, extra policing and patrols by Glasgow Street Pastors and officers from Community Safety Glasgow.

Free mobile phone charging is also being offered at the SafeZone and by volunteer

Street Pastors to help partygoers stay safe and connected amid the festive fun.

The SafeZone will run until January 1st as part of a pilot carried out by Glasgow Street Pastors with support from Police Scotland, Community Safety Glasgow, Chill Welfare

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The new NiteZone in West George Street at Anchor Lane brings the total in the city centre to four. The others

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GENN The

Glasgow East and North News

Your voice in the community

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GENN The

Glasgow East and North News

The GENN Newspaper was launched because the team recognised the importance of connecting communities with the news.

The aim of THE GENN, is to encourage communities and groups to get more involved in the local news agenda and to collaborate on stories and content ideas. It is about working in association with you, our readers.

“We have always tried to go out into the community, understand what is going on around us and make our own contacts. But, now, we are looking to change the dynamics by giving community groups and organisations access to a low cost events promotion service which we hope will help to encourage people to get more involved with the local news agenda.”

We have a need to identify different communities, and avoid the trap that other news organisations have fallen into of assuming an ‘audience’ of consumers can be described as a community.

Although a target market might be geographically close, have a combined desire or be striving for a similar objective, the key to defining them is whether or not they are communicating with one another.

The premise behind the GENN is to identify, engage, and then work with communities rather than treat them as mute consumers or sources.

We provide the tools, the platforms, and the inspiration to bring the community’s stories to light, but then not get in the way of that story being told. This is your newspaper delivering your news help support and promote The GENN your voice in the community, all enquires to info@thegenn.co.uk

Your voice in the community

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Politicians, Councillors, Police, Drivers and Everyone, Bike Gob is conflicted.

Bike Gob has been quiet for a while and here is why.

A year ago I started writing this blog because I wanted to share my love of cycling with others and hoped that they would also find out how life changing cycling can be.

I wanted to help to improve conditions for cyclists in Glasgow while at the same time encourage more people to help the planet, their health, their pocket, and their happiness by travelling by bike.

And recently, people around me have actually started cycling, but this is where I’ve become conflicted. As well as feeling delighted for them, I have also found that I have been feeling worried for them and even a little bit guilty. As I ride around our city on our car-centric roads, and poorly designed and barely maintained cycle paths, I find that I am constantly putting myself in real and life-threatening danger. I’ve had two collisions, one serious, and too many near misses to count.

That’s too many near misses to count, on a daily basis. I’ve heard so many stories from

other cyclists in Glasgow of the regular dangers they face.

I even witnessed very recently, a fellow rider driven into, smack head on, right in front of my eyes. Amazingly and forever thankfully he walked away with only bruises, but I have been asking myself, do I really want to suggest that more people cycle? Why encourage more people to put themselves in danger?

Cycle, but risk injury or death. It’s over dramatic yes, and I truly believe that risk is better than a life watching TV on the couch, but this is actually the choice that cyclists in Glasgow are faced with. And when politicians harp on about the benefits of cycling, their aims to increase bike journey’s by whatever percent by whenever they’ve decided to say this time, and when they point out how bleeding environmental they are to even consider it, they need to take a long hard look at just exactly how they are going to seriously invest in their proposals, in order to allow someone considering taking up cycling to not have on their ‘cons’ points list, “I might die”.

It’s frustrating because despite how dangerous cycling is in Glasgow, there are so

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many solutions to helping more people on bikes not die every day. Obviously way more investment is needed in safer infrastructure. Obviously. But even the paltry little one street stretches of bike lanes that link up to nothing that we are being drip fed slowly over the years feel like they’re designed by anti-cycling BMW drivers on work experience. Obviously if you are going to invest in something, design it properly yeah? And what about legislation. Professional drivers in taxis, buses and HGV’s are often the worst offenders in poor driving on the roads. Enforce cyclist awareness training on everyone working on the roads. Introduce a driving around cyclists bit in the driving test. Enforce top up lessons and tests to all driving licence holders including questions such as “do cyclists pay road tax?”, “when can cyclists ride two abreast?”, “can cyclists ride in the middle of a lane?”, “when and how should you overtake a bike?” and “are cyclists allowed on the road?”. Impose stricter penalties for any kind of phone use when driving.

Introduce across the board, police supported automatic fines and extended driving

tests in return for close passes. Improve and standardise the police response to complaints from cyclists. Many drivers drive like they’ve forgotten how to drive, and like they don’t realise a car is a heavy dangerous thing that can kill people if they don’t pay attention when in control of it. For goodness sakes pass the no brainer Strict Liability Law and remind drivers of this.

It is not my intention in any way to discourage people from cycling. Far from it.

What I want is for politicians, councillors, police and drivers to understand that cyclists in Glasgow today are choosing to face serious risks that they can all do something to reduce. I hope that they can all read this and try to understand, and do something about it.

Bike Gob will always choose the bike because the bike is the best way. Bike Gob will let others choose for themselves, but Bike Gob hopes that one day in Glasgow, choosing to ride a bike will be a simpler choice for every gob.

Thank you for listening.

Yours sincerely Bike Gob Glasgow www.bikegobglasgow.com

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Party safe this Christmas THE party season is nearly here. A time for celebration, fun and catching up with family and friends. Police Scotland is asking everyone to take a few minutes to plan ahead when out and about to ensure you have a fun and safe Christmas.

Some tips could help prevent your night from ending badly; • Plan your Christmas night out – charge your mobile, remember to take it with you and think about how you’ll get home.

• Book a taxi from a reputable company or arrange for a family member or friend to pick you up.

• If drinking alcohol, be sensible about how much you consume. A drunk person is a far easier target for a criminal.

• Don’t leave drinks unattended • Don’t use drugs or New Psychoactive Substances, sometimes misleadingly called ‘legal highs’. Legal doesn’t mean safe – they can contain toxic and harmful chemicals.

Why risk your life?

• Stick with friends – don’t leave nights out on your own or with strangers.

• Take care of each other and make sure you all get home safely.

• Stay safe on your journey home - never take isolated short cuts. Keep to busy are-

as and on public transport, sit where there are lots of other people. If you’re using a taxi, make sure it’s licensed.

• Drivers should be mindful that partygoers, particularly those under the influence of alcohol can step out / stagger onto the road without warning. Slow down when in crowded areas.

Police would also like to remind people that the drink driving limit was lowered last year the limit is now 50mg in every 100ml of blood, so, beware the morning after: you could still be over the limit and risk your license the morning after the night before. Sleep, coffee and cold showers don’t help you to sober up – time is the only way to get alcohol out of your system.

Detective Inspector Michael Miller, safer Communities said: “I would urge anyone planning on heading out to please drink responsibly and not to take drugs. Don’t let a great night be ruined by the over-consumption of alcohol.

We want everyone to enjoy themselves safely this Christmas. ”Police Scotland’s message is simple, don’t take drugs and avoid any NPS, so called legal highs. They are incredibly dangerous, you don’t know what’s in them, and legal doesn’t mean safe Remember, This Christmas, Keep Safe.”

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GENN Glasgow drivers caught on CCTV pay more fines than any other

DRIVERS in Glasgow have paid more in fines this year for traffic offences caught on CCTV than in any other UK council area.

The £4m total is 11% of the UK figure and takes the amount raised by Glasgow City Council since 2013 to £11m.

Glasgow City Council currently has 15 CCTV cameras in operation.

There were 131,238 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued in Glasgow in 2015 - the highest number in the UK. The figures are contained in Freedom of Information (FOI)

data obtained by the Confused. com website.Offences caught on camera included driving in bus lanes, driving through no entry areas, stopping in yellow box junctions, going the wrong way on a one-way street and committing illegal U-turns.

Since 2012, the number of UK councils using CCTV to monitor motoring offences has risen by 76% to 44.

There are currently 768 active CCTV cameras being used by local authorities to track traffic offences.

‘Staggering amount’ So far in 2015, UK motorists

have been fined £36,802,955, with 977,969 PCNs issued.

Matt Lloyd, head of motor insurance at Confused.com, said the amount of money raised in fines by Glasgow City Council was “staggering”.

He added: “CCTV has always been a bone of contention for many people, as people feel their privacy has been invaded.

“However, the main reason why councils are using these cameras is to stop motorists breaking the law.

“By making drivers abide by the rules of the road, our roads should become a more stressfree and safer place to drive on.

“The point we would like to make is maybe some of this revenue which is being generated could be put back into an awareness campaign so we can improve road safety.”

CCTV fines in Glasgow What are the figures?

768 - traffic cameras in UK 15 - traffic cameras in Glasgow city 977,969 Penalty notices UK 131,238 Penalty notices Glasgow £36.8m Fines issued in UK £4m Fines issued in Glasgow

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Glasgow Taxis balloon launch goes international

PLAYTALKREAD NEEDS GLASGOW’S VOTE DO you enjoy finding the giant banana at Glasgow Green with your wee one, saying ‘moo’ to the Highland Cows at Pollok Country Park or looking at the pictures of boats in the Clydebank Museum together?

PlayTalkRead is calling for you to vote for top things for tots to do in Glasgow before voting closes on 13 December.

Parents and carers can vote from the 30 Things To Do in Glasgow list, which includes top playing, talking and reading activities to do with your wee one, by simply visiting www.playtalkread.scot/30things, selecting Glasgow and voting from the 30 activities listed.

Everyone who votes will be entered into a prize draw to win a bumper box of Play-

TalkRead prizes worth £250.

Created with the help of parents across Scotland, the list includes activities such as building sandcastles in the sandpit at Battery Park, having a picnic at the Kelvingrove Museum and looking in the Hunterian Museum.

Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell commented: “PlayTalkRead is all about enjoying time together with your wee one to help their brains grow. It doesn’t need to involve lots of toys or extra equipment - the 30 Things To Do in Glasgow list offers lots of free ideas that have been suggested by parents and carers across Scotland, so it is truly by parents and for parents.

“As a mum of two young

children I know first-hand how difficult it can be to find new and exciting activities for the kids to enjoy so by voting for your favourite activity not only allows you to have your say for your local area, but you might discover some fun new ideas too.”

Once the results are in, PlayTalkRead will share the top things to do in Glasgow, as voted for by parents and carers. www.playtalkread.scot has loads of ideas for fun, simple and free activities to enjoy together. You can also visit the PlayTalkRead Facebook page or follow PlayTalkRead on Twitter for lots of handy tips and advice: Facebook: www.facebook. com/playtalkread Twitter: @PlayTalkRead

A PAPER tag from the Glasgow Taxis balloon launch has been found 600 miles (around 1000km) away in Germany.

The balloon launch was part of the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the Glasgow Taxi Outing in June, sponsored by Optical Express.

The balloon tag was found in the small German town of Schneverdingen, around 35 miles south of Hamburg, by Hans-Heinrich Heuer and returned to the Glasgow Taxi Outing Fund.

If the balloon had travelled another direction for the same distance it could have made its way to Oslo, Paris, Brussels, or 1/4 of the way to the moon.

The 960 miles by road be-

tween Glasgow and Schneverdingen would take a Glasgow Taxi around 15 hours in good traffic conditions. The driver would, however, face toll roads, the Channel Tunnel, driving on the right side of the road and five border crossings (Scotland-England-France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany).

If charged on the meter, it would cost the traveller £2113.80.

In the 70 year history of the Glasgow Taxi Outing, no balloon launch tag has been returned from outside of the UK. The second furthest entrant of this year’s competition picked up her tag in Stenton, East Lothian.

Optical Express has contacted Hans to congratulate him and give him a hamper of Scottish goodies.

On 17th June more than 150 taxi drivers gave up their day for free to take more than 300 children with additional support needs, as well as their parents and carers to Troon for a day to remember.

The day is made extra special as the cars are donned in fancy dress.

Hundreds of well-wishers attended the traditional starting point at Kelvin Way where the balloons were launched.

Stephen Flynn, vice chairman of Glasgow Taxis said: “In a year that we celebrated the Glasgow Taxi Outing

Day’s 70th birthday, it’s a wonderful surprise to also reach such a huge milestone with our famous balloon release. ”We’re proud to dedicate our drivers every year to such a fantastic cause and to be able to bring a little bit of joy to kids who face daily difficulties is a priviledge.”

David Moulsdale, Chief Executive of Optical Express, said: “When we launched the balloons back in June, I never thought we’d see one come back from the continent.

“The Glasgow Taxi Outing Day is a great cause and I’m very proud that Optical Express has supported it for a number of years. My dad was a Glasgow Hackney taxi driver for 38 years and always looked forward to his day out to Troon, so it’s a cause that I feel very strongly about.”

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4 ELECTRONIC COLLARS CONSULTATION A CONSULTATION on whether electronic training collars for cats and dogs should be regulated or banned in Scotland has been launched.

The Scottish Government is formally seeking views over the next 8 weeks on whether the technology should be subject to tighter controls, or even prohibited altogether.

It comes after a number of requests for electric shock and vibration collars for animals to be banned.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, who has lead responsibility for animal health and welfare, said: “Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and protecting the welfare of our pets is of paramount importance. Over the past while, I have heard strong arguments for a ban on electronic training aids on the grounds of animal welfare.

“As well as valid concerns about the potential for misuse of some these devices, I have also been made aware of situations where these training aids, when used properly, have benefited animal welfare.

“This consultation seeks views on whether electronic aids in Scotland should be subject to tighter controls – like those in New Zealand and Victoria, Australia - or whether the devices should be banned outright, as has happened in other countries such as Wales, Denmark and Germany.

“I urge everyone in Scotland with an interest in the welfare of dogs and cats to have their say before this consultation closes on January 29, 2016. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind dog owners to ensure their animal is microchipped before it becomes compulsory next year.”

Microchipping dogs will become compulsory in Scotland from April 6, 2016.

Until January 2016 the Dogs Trust are running free microchipping road-shows and are facilitating free microchipping at their rehoming centres and participating veterinary practices in Scotland – further details can be obtained from their website. http://www.chipmydog. org.uk/have-your-dog-chippedfor-free/.

CRAFT FAIR THE Dennistoun Diggers Community and Craft Fair will be held on Saturday, December 5.

Dennistoun New Parish, on Armadale Street, just off Duke Street, is set to host the event, which will raise awareness and funds for Dennistoun Diggers Community Garden.

The Craft Fair will also highlight excellent local businesses and events taking place within Dennistoun.

GENN

AN INVITATION FROM GLASGOW CATHEDRAL

GLASGOW Cathedral dominates the city’s skyline, but have you ever been inside?

This historic 13th century building is one of the city’s major tourist attractions, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world each year. The Cathedral has been the venue for many historic occasions and is still the frequent choice whenever there is need for the city to gather in celebration or sorrow.

But Glasgow Cathedral is also the parish church for the Townhead and Drygate areas, and is the home of an active congregation.

The services are particularly notable for their music and a recent venture has been a weekly broadcast of Choral Evensong, a short service of prayers, readings and choral music lasting about 40 minutes, which is held every Sunday at 4 pm. This

is streamed live and remains available during the following week on www.glasgowcathedral.org.uk These broadcasts have been watched by as many as 25,000 people worldwide.

As one regular viewer says, “I work on Saturday and Sunday afternoons so for me the streaming of Evensong is a great way of enjoying the service late on a Sunday or on another day of my choosing”.

The Cathedral website also carries an inspirational two-minute “Thought for the Day” by the Rev. Dr. Laurence Whitley, who has been the minister since 2007.

In addition to the regular 11 am Sunday morning services, the Cathedral has organised a number of special services over the Festive Season which are always well-attended.

These include:

A service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 20 December at 6.30 pm Christmas Eve Watchnight Service on Thursday 24 December at 11.15 pm Christmas Day Service (and Communion) on 25 December at 11 am Hogmanay Watchnight Service on Thursday 31 December at 11 pm For those who simply want to look round the building, the Cathedral is open every day (admission free).

Guides are on hand to show visitors around and answer questions, and a place for quiet reflection and prayer is available in the Lower Church.

Winter opening hours are 10 am to 4pm

Monday to Saturday, and 1 pm to 4pm on Sunday, with last admission at 3.30 pm.

Among the numerous other activities associated with the Cathedral are the Sunday School which meets during the morning service, and the Boys’ Brigade which meets on Tuesday during term time between 5.45 and 6.30 pm in the Cathedral Halls (situated in the Museum of Religious Life). All boys of primary school age are welcome to join the fun and further details are available from captain47thglasgow@btinternet.com The Cathedral also has a “Not Quite New” Shop at 262 High Street where items such as household

goods, bric-a-brac, clothes and books are for sale at bargain prices. The shop is open on Monday and Friday afternoons and all day on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Whether or not you have ever had a church connection,” says Rev Laurence Whitley, “we hope that you might think of looking upon the Cathedral as a place where you will always feel welcome. Why not give it a try? We’d love to meet you!”

If you would like to know more about the Cathedral or have a chat about the Christian Faith, please contact the Cathedral Office on 0141 552 8198 or email H. Blackwood@glasgowcathedral.org

First Minister unveils Inverclyde powerboat SCOTLAND’S First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has welcomed the newest event on the Scottish racing calendar.

For, in June 2016, the P1 Powerboat Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea will be hosted in Inverclyde.

To celebrate, a specially designed Inverclyde branded boat has been unveiled in Greenock

by First Minister, NicolaSturgeon, Provost Robert Moran and RI chairman Gerry McCarthy at James Watt Dock Marina.

The boat, which will race in the first ever Scottish Grand prix of the Sea next June, will also race during the rest of the P1 Powerboat calendar in 2016 at Scarborough, Gosport, Cardiff and Bournemouth.

The First Minister said: “This major event will attract tens of thousands of powerboat racing fans to Inverclyde, an area with a rich maritime history.

“Visitors to the area are guaranteed a friendly welcome and the event is expected to bring significant benefits to the local economy.

“The River Clyde will provide a magnificent backdrop for all the races, which will be broadcast live on TV across the

UK.” Inverclyde Council will host the event jointly with regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde.

Inverclyde, Provost, Robert Moran, said: “The P1 Powerboat is an exhilarating event and it is a great honour that Inverclyde is able to bring the Grand Prix of the Sea to Scotland for the very first time.

The new Inverclyde branded boat will race in the waters of the Clyde and across the UK to help to showcase Inverclyde and Scotland. With the huge number of cruise ship passengers visiting Scotland through Greenock, our two major marinas, the wealth of water based activities, Scotland’s Boat Show at Kip Marina each October and the powerboat event next June, Inverclyde can truly lay claim to the title of marine leisure capital of Scotland.”

Riverside Inverclyde Chair, Gerry McCarthy, said: “Doesn’t the Inverclyde branded boat look superb? It’s designed to attract the interest of visitors and businesses alike to area, and get people talking about Inverclyde. Remember this event gets broadcast into 400 million

homes around the world. I’m really looking forward to 18th and 19th June. I’m a big fan of Formula 1 Grand Prix, so having a Grand Prix of the Sea at Greenock’s Esplanade is really exciting – especially when there is an Inverclyde boat we can cheer on. I’m sure the people of Inverclyde and beyond will give this first ever Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea great support.

Riverside Inverclyde is proud to be able to present this event as co-hosts with Inverclyde Council” The P1 Powerboat and Jet Ski national championships will be staged in Greenock’s Esplanade on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 2016. The event will be hosted by Inverclyde Council and regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde (ri).

The Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea is an international high profile event that has never been held in Scotland. UK championships have been held in England and Wales.

Powerboat P1 is the world’s leading marine motorsport promoter, successfully staging more than 200 events in 17 countries on three continents since 2003.

And, as part of the wider promotion of tourism in Inverclyde, tourism related businesses will have the opportunity to showcase themselves on the Esplanade with a planned ‘milelong Inverclyde Showcase’ accompanying the event.

The events are shown on Sky

Sports in HD. If next year’s event is successful, Council and regeneration bosses have pledged to examine the event with the option of hosting in 2017 and 2018.

Link to video of Powerboat P1 events: http://www.powerboatp1.com/Television.ink

GENN PETERSHILL SET TO HOST JANUARY CHARITY MATCH GLASGOW District Sunday Football League referee John Lappin is aiming for another successful Charity Match in January.

For the past two years, John has organised a game in aid of Marie Curie, with proceeds going to the Hospice at Stobhill.

He said: “Last year, over 50 of us took part in the match in horrible conditions, and raised over £750.

“The match is made up of four teams. For the first half, it is Referees v Team Managers.

The second half features two League Select teams.

“This game is specific to Marie Curie, but the charities we

have helped include foodbanks and homeless units.

The New Year game will be played at Petershill Park on January 10. Kick-off is 10am.

John added: “The game will be followed by a buffet and raffle. All of our collected money raised over the year goes towards Glasgow charities.

“Great to be part of the setup and I just think it would be nice for the guys behind the scenes to see that it is appreciated.

“By contacting the GENN, I am looking to get word out about the league, raise awareness and try to get more teams involved in the set-up.”

Left to right: Douglas Watt (League Committee), Joanne Johnson (Marie Curie Hospice) and CharityMatch Organiser John Lappin.

5 NEW CITY CENTRE RESTAURANT UK RESTAURANT group CAU is confident its new Glasgow restaurant will be a huge hit with city diners and foodies as it opened its doors Wednesday 25th November 2015.

CAU selected Glasgow as the location for its first Scottish restaurant due to the city’s expanding tourism and hospitality sector and its growing reputation as one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

Located within the new glass-fronted 110 Queen Street building, CAU Glasgow occupies a prime city centre site of over 4,000 square feet. The 108-seater restaurant, which features a mezzanine level, available for private dining and business meetings, as well as a cocktail bar area. A 28-strong team of front of house and kitchen staff, all employed locally, have been putting the finishing touches to the restaurant.

Glasgow diners and foodies will be able to feast on an eclectic mix of dishes inspired by Buenos Aires culture, with Spanish and Italian influences. A prominent feature on the CAU menu is Argentinian beef, which comes from grass-fed cattle, which incidentally started life in Scotland – the first Aberdeen Angus beef was introduced to Argentina from Scotland in 1879.

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CHRISTMAS BOXED UP FOR WORLD’S POOREST CHILDREN DISADVANTAGED children across the world will receive gifts this Christmas - thanks to the generosity and goodwill of the Glasgow community and flexible workplace provider Regus.

Over the last few weeks, individuals and groups have donated over 175 present-filled shoeboxes at the local Regus centres at 69 Buchanan Street, 176 St Vincent Street, 151 West George Street, 20-23 Woodside Place, Blantyre Industrial Estate and 68-74 Queen Elizabeth Avenue which have supported the ‘Operation Christmas Child’ appeal for the third year running. The Glasgow centres are part of a network of over 300 Regus centres in the UK which together collected over 15,000 boxes.

Run in conjunction with international relief charity Samaritan’s Purse, the appeal involved filling shoeboxes with small toys, sweets and other gifts to send to children overseas living in refugee camps, orphanages, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods.

BOOK WEEK AT DCC

BOOK WEEK SCOTLAND was a week-long celebration of books and reading that takes place every November.

This year, it ran from Monday, 23rd until Sunday, 29th November.

During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life came together in libraries, schools, community venues and workplaces to share and enjoy books and reading.

They were joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life.

Highlights included: A Brew, a Book and a Banter with Tom Keenan Dennistoun Book Group discussed books and reading with Glasgow author Tom Keenan - short listed for the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger award for his novel, The Father.

A Brew, a Book and a Banter with Neil Broadfoot Neil Broadfoot, former journalist with both national and local newspapers, including The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Evening News, covered some of the biggest stories of the day. His first novel, Falling Fast, was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize and the Deanston Crime Book of the Year prize. The Storm is his second novel, and a third will be published in 2016.

For more information contact libraries@glasgowlife. org.uk or 0141 276 0768

Richard Morris, CEO of Regus in the UK, said: “Operation Christmas Child is a very worthwhile cause and we’re delighted that our local network of Regus centres could help by acting as drop off points again this year. We’d like to extend our thanks to all the local businesses, schools, groups and individuals who got involved in the appeal and brought in their shoeboxes to our centres.”

Since the Operation Christmas Child appeal launched 22 years ago, over 124 million children in 150 countries around the world have received a Christmas shoebox.

Regus operates a global network of flexible, modern work spaces including business lounges, meeting rooms and day offices. See www.regus. co.uk or www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk

SUPERMARKET LAUNCHES GLUTEN FREE RANGE

BRITS suffering from food intolerances won’t be missing out on any of the festive feasting this Christmas, as Asda reveals sales of its specialist Christmas Free From range have skyrocketed by a staggering 500% already this year, and it’s not even December.

Four in 10 people in the UK live in households where someone is avoiding specific foods or ingredients, yet the traditional mince pies, Christmas puddings and seasonal chocs risk making the festive season of snacking a misery for those who can’t eat gluten or dairy.

Asda is ensuring everyone can indulge in the run up to Christmas by quadrupling its Free From Christmas range this year, including gluten free Mince Pies, Christmas Puddings, Yule Logs, Gingerbread Men and Tiffin, as well as dairy free Advent Calendars and Chocolate Coins in the collection.

Championed by the likes of celebrities and chefs including Victoria Beckham, the Hemsley sisters, Dawn O’Porter, Deliciously Ella and Gwyneth Paltrow, the Free From phenomenon means 12 million Brits are now buying gluten free** – an increase of 120% over the past five years and this year even saw the Great British Bake Off introduce a whole epi-

sode dedicated to Free From baking for the first time.

Former Great British Bake Off contestant and Free From enthusiast Howard Middleton is excited by the increase in activity on the Free From aisle: “This significant sales growth reflects the impressive array of products now on offer to people who have food allergies, or are simply adopting a new lifestyle.

“Christmas is the time of year when no one should have to miss out on that extra bit of indulgence, so it’s fantastic to hear that the Free From aisle is seeing an influx of shoppers who are getting excited for the festive season and stocking up on tasty treats now.”

Asda’s Free From buyer, Joanna Crease says: “Christmas is a time for indulging in your favourite foods, so it’s important that all the family can join in. That’s why this year we are proud to offer a broad range of Free From Christmas foods for everyone to enjoy, including a delicious Free From Yule Log for the first time.

“More and more of our customers are identifying food intolerances so we’re expecting to sell upwards of 100,000 dairy-free chocolate coins, 1.8 miles of gluten free Yule Logs and 110,000 gluten-free Gingerbread Men.”

100 Years of Women in Policing Police Scotland Time Capsule AS the number of women becoming officers with Police Scotland continues to rise the force is celebrating 100 Years of Women in Policing with the installation of a Time Capsule at the Police Scotland College, Tulliallan.

Around 70 invited guests attended a reception this morning (Wednesday 25 November 2015) to view the contents of the oak casket, which included a range of historical items - a vintage policewoman’s tunic, old-style handcuffs, a baton of the kind previously issued to women officers (which was significantly smaller than that of their male counterparts, and designed to fit inside a police issue handbag), a cravat and a policewoman’s hat.

Alongside archive material are: press clippings from events which have taken place around Scotland this year to celebrate the centenary; photographs; pin badges; insignia & epaulettes from the legacy Scottish police forces; tributes to female officers who have died in the line of duty; and letters from currently serving Police Scotland officers, Special Constables and staff.

The Time Capsule was sealed by: Chief Constable Sir Stephen House QPM; Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick QPM; Minister for Fair Work, Skills & Training, Roseanna Cunningham MSP; and Superintendent Suzie Mertes, Chair of the Scottish Women’s Development Forum.

It will be installed in a display cabinet in the Museum at the Police Scotland College, Tulliallan.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, QPM said: “I am delighted to be able to play a part in the celebrations of 100 Years of Women in Policing today as the time capsule is sealed and preparations get under way to install it, for the next 100 years, within the museum at Police Scotland College, Tulliallan. It has been wonderful to observe the celebrations taking place around the country, and in particular, the pride generated as a result of events bringing together women of all ages.

“A celebration of this kind is a welcome reminder of both the recent and more distant history of policing in Scotland, and highlights the significant and vital role women have played in helping to keep people safe.

“Great efforts have been made to ensure the police in Scotland more accurately reflect the make up of the country’s population. While Police Scotland acknowledges the need to continue that work, it is heartening to know the number of women in superintending ranks and above have leapt from just 5% in 2003 to 19% at the end of October 2015.

“Recent classes passing out at the Police Scotland College,

Tulliallan, have seen women make up as much as 40% of the course. I very much hope the events throughout 2015 will encourage women to consider a career in policing.

“My hope is that everyone within Police Scotland plays a part in ensuring that over the next 100 years every part of the organisation becomes thoroughly representative of the communities we keep safe.”

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick, QPM said: “I believe women in Police Scotland are role models, and that they inspire each other to give of their very best in their professional lives, every time they come to work and serve the public.

“When I joined the police, in 1987, women were still paired with male officers on patrol the streets: women couldn’t go out on night shifts; and there were hurdles in their way if they hoped to follow a career in certain aspects of policing, including public order.

“Thankfully, much has changed, and I am glad that’s the case. There is no rank or role in Scotland which women cannot now attain, and, speaking on behalf of my colleagues in Police Scotland, I hope we are seen as a modern, fair and diverse organisation where women can thrive and develop themselves.

“At every stage of my career, I have been encouraged by colleagues, and remember in particular a female inspector, when I was a sergeant, who showed me that it is possible to be an effective police officer for the public, to care for your colleagues and also to remain true to yourself. I hope today’s female Police Scotland officers bear that in mind and support each other.

“As we recognise the contribution women have made to policing in Scotland throughout the past 100 years, we cannot forget the seven women who have laid down their lives in the line of duty: WPC Isabella Harris; PC Melanie Igoe; PC Jacqueline Haswell; PC Karen Balfour; PC Kirsty Allan; and DC Diane Donald. Most recently, in 2013, PC Kirsty Nelis lost her life when the Police Scotland helicopter she was working onboard crashed

into the Clutha Vaults Bar in Glasgow - a crash which also claimed nine other lives.

“The 100 years of Women in Policing celebrations have been a resounding success.

Friendships have been made, old bonds strengthened, and generations brought together, with retired officers and staff, as well as the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, playing significant roles. I am so proud to be part of Police Scotland and to have been involved with the 100 years of Women in Policing celebrations. I hope they will leave a legacy fit for the next 100 years.”

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham MSP said: “The casket that we are sealing today will be a permanent reminder of the contribution of women to policing, and the progress that has been made, from a few pioneering individuals 100 years ago to where we are today. I have absolutely no doubt women will continue to make a powerful and growing contribution to the continued success of Scotland’s policing in the years ahead.”

Superintendent Suzie Mertes, Scottish Women’s Development Forum chair, said: “The SWDF has been delighted to be involved with the 100 years of Women in Policing celebrations in Scotland this year, and, as chair, it has been a privilege to oversee the events which have taken place.

“I am so proud of the achievements of women in policing in Scotland over the last century, and am very excited to see what changes take place in the coming years. The 100 years of Women in Policing celebrations have been a triumph, providing tangible links from the past to the present, and with the sealing of the time capsule today, a link to the present.

“I am honoured to have been invited to seal the capsule on behalf of the SWDF and its members. I very much hope that when it is opened in 100 years its contents will provide a valuable resource to women in policing in the future.”

The Time Capsule has been made possible as the result of generous sponsorship by the Scottish Police Credit Union.

7

GENN

CHRISTMAS FAYRE

QUARRIERS TO SERVE UP LIFE SKILLS AND HOPE FOR GLASGOW’S YOUNG HOMELESS THIS CHRISTMAS QUARRIERS, one of Scotland’s largest social care charities, has launched its ‘Box of Hope’ Appeal at its Stopover Service for young homeless people in Glasgow.

The Appeal hopes to raise awareness of the plight of the city’s young homeless people and help them develop essential life skills, confidence and independence. To help build a feeling of hope, Quarriers is calling on supporters to dig deep and spread a little festive joy amongst youngsters facing homelessness this Christmas.

Donations are made in the shape of a ‘Box of Hope’ which will contain basic living essentials for the winter to help a young person build towards a better life. In order to promote their personal development, Glasgow Chef and star of The Great British Menu, Jacqueline O’Donnell shared a range of easy, healthy and tasty recipes, which were being tested out by youngsters at the Appeal’s launch.

The three options of Boxes for supporters to donate include: • A £10 Starter Box with basic winter essentials such as toothpaste and shower gel which most people would take

for granted - representing what a young person arriving at a service will need.

• A £20 Christmas Box with items such as a hat, socks, gloves, pyjamas, chocolate, an electricity card and food voucher, which may be the only gift a young person receives - representing a sense of belonging at a time when they can feel lonely and isolated.

• And a £50 Moving on Box containing basics, such as a kettle, towels and cutlery to support young people to move on to their own tenancy – representing the gift of hope for the future.

Donations can be made at www.quarriers.org.uk/hope or by calling 01505 690 875.

The Appeal hopes to provide a Christmas box for every young person who will spend this Christmas at one of Quarriers’ homeless services, and to provide a starter pack for every young person who will arrive at a service in the next year.

Quarriers runs a number of services across Glasgow that support young people who will benefit from the Box of Hope Appeal and the charity believes the campaign can have a significantly positive impact on some of the city’s most vulnerable

youngsters.

Fiona Nicolson, Quarriers Head of Children’s Services said: “Christmas is not all about cosy family get-togethers for some of the young people in our services. The truth is that some of the people we support have not had a happy childhood, and many of them have never experienced a good Christmas day.

“Our staff work hard to bring some festive spirit into their lives with kindness, compassion and good food. This appeal is important as it gives our supporters the opportunity to give young people - who are experiencing homelessness, and who may not have family or other support - some dignity, belonging and hope for the future this Christmas. The Box of Hope also tells the young people that others do care for them as well.”

Quarriers’ services help young people turn their lives around by working with them towards a more positive future.

The charity’s services focus on everything from participating in new activities to finding education or employment opportunities as well as developing practical skills such as cooking and budgeting.

EASTHALL Community Group have a number of attractions planned for their Christmas Fayre on Saturday, December 19.

A free ice rink is expected to be hugely popular, and will be available for 30 people (per session), between noon and 4pm.

In addition to the musthave Santa’s Grotto, there will craft and gift stalls, home baking, food, and a variety of entertainment.

COMMUNITY MEETING DENNISTOUN Community Council will hold their final Ordinary Meeting of 2015 on Tuesday, December 8 (7pm).

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ gennnews

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Dr Liu can help find the cause , not just the symptoms . As a result the cause can be treated together with the symptoms so that the problem will not come back . Dr Liu has a very high success rate in treating a lot of problems.

Joint pain such as back pain, sciatica, frozen shoulder, etc is a very common complaint in Scotland .Mrs Yvonne Kunz from Glasgow has been receiving acupuncture and herbal treatment from Dr Liu . he said “the pain on my shoulder is so horrible , I only can lift my arm less than half way, It is very pain , on the night , I often wake up because the pain

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The first consultation is free and is used to ascertain what the nature of the problem is and how best to treat it .The treatment is very enjoyable . patients come out feeling stress free and revitalized.

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8

GENN

Multicultural Ceilidh at Keppoch Campus IN celebration of St Andrew’s Day recently ng homes held a multi-cultural ceilidh at Keppoch Campus to bring the vibrant and diverse communities of North Glasgow together.

The event was attended by over 150 people including special guests and builds on the success of the recent Chinese Festival events which focus on family and friendship.

Bill Rossine, Vice-chairperson of ng homes who welcomed everyone to the event, said: “Glasgow has always been recognised as being a welcoming and friendly city and events like this in our community provide wonderful opportunities for people to form relationships and friendships whilst also learning about other cultural traditions and customs in a fun way.”

With more than 60 Chinese families and 90 African tenants living within ng homes properties strong partnerships have been formed with both African Challenge Scotland and the Confederation of Fujian Associations in Scotland.

Special guests included MSP for Springburn and Maryhill Patricia Ferguson and MP for Glasgow North East Anne McLaughlin who were delighted to take part and meet people in their communities.

There was a range of entertainment on the night including African drumming, Ceilidh dancing with the Chittery Bite Ceilidh band and the Scottish Fire and Rescue (SFRS) Junior Pipe Band who had everyone on their feet waving the flags of all nations.

The event was organised by ng homes and supported by staff from the Build, Bridge, Bond programme funded by the Scottish Government’s People and Communities Fund. Other partners included the SFRS Junior Pipe Band and Confederation of Fujian Associations in Scotland.

Food for the event included Haggis, stovies, mashed potatoes, spring rolls and dumplings to name but a few. The food was supplied by local business Snack@Jax, the Amber Regent Restaurant and the Asian Gourmet Restaurant.

Active Wellbeing Officer for ng homes Claire Alexander said: “We were delighted that we could put on this event for our community with the help of all our partners and volunteers.

It was a great success and we had a terrific turn-out despite the weather.”

Regeneration Manager for ng homes Margaret Layden said: “We would particularly like to thank the volunteers who spent many hours preparing for the event, they are inspirational.

Special thank also go to Kate Collins from Keppoch Campus who supported the event on the night.”

Patricia Ferguson MSP was on hand to draw raffle prizes and said “It’s great to see so many different cultures coming out for the evening and enjoying a night together. I love a good St Andrew’s event and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than seeing people of all ages and backgrounds enjoying themselves together in North Glasgow. The programme was excellent and everyone is having such a great time”.

One attendee said “What a fantastic night! It was great to meet families from a culture other than my own and the food and entertainment were excellent. I especially liked seeing people in traditional dress from all over the world and everyone joining in the dancing. When the pipe band were on it was so emotional – I had goosebumps! A brilliant Friday night in Possil.”

In addition to these activities look out for our planned African Film night, an Art Project for Sheltered Housing residents, Drama project, Community Walks, cooking and much more!

For more information about Build Bridge Bond contact Kevin Carroll, Project Development Co-ordinator on 0141 560 6000

Springburn (East)

Email: info@nghomes.net

Ned Donaldson House, 50 Reidhouse Street Springburn, Glasgow. G21 4LS Tel 0141 560 6000 Fax 0141 560 6005

Website: www.nghomes.net @ng_homes

ng homes is a trading name of North Glasgow Housing Association

Possilpark (West) Saracen House, 139 Saracen Street, Possilpark, Glasgow, G22 5AZ Tel 0141 336 1300 Fax 0141 560 6005

9

GENN ng homes Regeneration Activities and Events Event

Venue

Time

Contact

Song, Shimmy, Sausage Roll

Saracen House

Friday 18th December 1 – 4 p.m.

Claire Alexander calexander@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Song, Shimmy, Sausage Roll

Saracen House

Friday 29th January 1 – 4 p.m.

Claire Alexander calexander@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Song, Shimmy, Sausage Roll

Saracen House

Friday 26th February 1 – 4 p.m.

Claire Alexander calexander@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Song, Shimmy, Sausage Roll

Saracen House

Friday 25th March 1 – 4 p.m.

Claire Alexander calexander@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Oriental Exercise

Possilpoint Community Centre 130 Denmark Street, G22 5LQ

Wednesdays 9.30 – 11.00 a.m.

Up until 16th December.

Resumes Wednesday 13th January

Michael Kam mkam@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

African Drumming Session

Possilpoint Community Centre 130 Denmark Street, G22 5LQ

Fridays 10 – 12 Starting from 15/1 to 18/3

Samuel Akintula sakintula@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

African Drumming Session

Tron St Mary’s 128 Red Road G21 4PJ

Mondays 2 – 4 p.m.

11/1 to 14/3

Samuel Akintula sakintula@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Chancers group

Possilpoint Community Centre 130 Denmark Street, G22 5LQ

Wednesdays 11 – 2.30 Resumes Wednesday 13th January

Gillian Halliday ghalliday@ng2works.com 0141 560 6000

Inner Circle Mens Group

Possilpoint Community Centre 130 Denmark Street, G22 5LQ

Thursdays 11.30 – 2.30 Resumes Thursday 14th January

Gillian Halliday ghalliday@ng2works.com 0141 560 6000

Little Rascals Parent and Toddler Group

Possilpoint Community Centre 130 Denmark Street, G22 5LQ

Mondays and Thursdays 9.30 – 11.30 a.m.

Resumes Monday 11th and Thursday 14th January

Gillian Halliday ghalliday@ng2works.com 0141 560 6000

Make Some Friends (50 plus from MSF)

Balgrayhill MSF community room G21 3AH

Thursdays 11 – 1 p.m.

Resumes Thursday 14th January

Claire Alexander calexander@nghomes.net 0141 560 6000

Friday Night Youth Club 5- 12 years

Springburn Sports Centre, Kay Street, G21 1JY

Fridays 4 – 6 p.m.

Resumes February.

Date to be confirmed

Robert Docherty rdocherty@ng2works.net 0141 560 6000

Judo Girls only Age group?

Springburn Sports Centre, Kay Street, G21 1JY

Mondays 6 – 8 p.m.

Resumes

David Millar (Judo Scotland) DavidMillar@ judoscotland.com / 07977 494752

Parkrun

Springburn Park (meet at monument in centre park, G21 3UB

Saturdays 10 a.m.

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/ springburn/

In addition to the above, there are a variety of football and sporting activities carried out within local schools and after school. For further information on this please contact Robert Docherty on rdocherty@ng2works.com or 0141 560 6000 If you are interested in volunteering please contact Clare Bird on cbird@nghomes.net or 0141 560 6000.

Further events are currently being organised and will include: Multicultural events, Cook Safe programme in partnership with Scottish Fire and Rescue Services, events and activities for the 50 plus age group and much more.

Details will be updated within ng homes housing offices, concierge stations and local media.

Please also continue to check our website for updates on: www.nghomes.net Facebook: ngsportslegacy If you would like to be kept informed of events and activities please contact info@nghomes.net with your e-mail address and telephone number and a member of staff will respond.

ng2 400 Petershill Road, Springburn, Glasgow, G21 4AA Tel: 0141 630 4252

Innovative Project Helps North Glasgow Residents take control of their energy usage The system will also help ng homes gather information on how their customers consume energy which will enable the housing association to see how well their properties are performing in terms of energy efficiency. It will also help them to identify customers who may require a free home energy assessment check to make sure they are getting the most out of their energy consumption.

Amanda Cunningham, the first ng homes tenant to receive the new Control and Save Hub said: “I’m really pleased that ng homes is doing something to help tenants bring down the cost of heating their homes. With a 5 month old baby I need the heating on all the time right now so if this new hub can save me money on my bills then I’m all for it” CEO of ng homes Robert Tamburrini said: “We are serious about helping our customers affected by fuel poverty. Although it’s at a very early stage, the Control & Save pilot has the potential to help our customers control their heating remotely from anywhere and let them see how much energy they are using which should result in reduced fuel bills.”

A PILOT project designed to help customers of ng homes take control of the energy they use has been launched in North Glasgow.

Working with ScottishPower and City Technical Services, the association’s current Gas Contractor, ng homes are one of the first housing associations in the country who will install “Connect” Smart heating controls in 50 of their properties free of charge under the Control and Save project.

A wireless sensor will be installed in each property in a central location and a user friendly hub with a remote control will be situated next to the customer’s gas boiler.

The installation process typically takes under an hour and the system consists of a control hub, a wireless sensor and an App for mobile or tablet which can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.

Customers will be able to control their heating and hot water remotely from their phone or tablet via the App which allows them to re-set their boiler either for new timings or to switch their heating on or off immediately. The App also gives customers more flexibility so they only use their heating and hot water when they need it as they can switch it on 30mins before they come home or switch it off if they are staying out.

Although it’s not a requirement to be a customer of ScottishPower to use the system, those who are would have access to their account information.

Email: info@ng2works.com

Funding for the project comes from ScottishPower through their Warm Home Discount Obligation and Paul Slater, Senior ECO Account Development Executive at Scottish Power said: “Control and Save is an innovative project to help social housing residents who are either in or at risk of living in fuel poverty monitor and hopefully reduce their energy consumption. We are delighted to be working with ng homes on this pilot project and we look forward to helping residents in North Glasgow take control of the energy they use in their homes.”

Stuart McKindless, Operations Manager for City Technical Services said: “We are delighted to be working on this pilot project with ng homes and ScottishPower to install Control & Save Hubs for North Glasgow residents. We have been working with ng homes for over 10 years providing their gas service and maintenance to all their tenanted properties. We recently installed wall insulation to over 500 properties which again was funded

by ScottishPower under ECO. We are passionate about saving energy for our clients and their tenants which extends right through every aspect of our business and to this end we are proud to be part of this exercise with ng homes.”

Chairperson for ng homes John Fury said: “At this time of year energy bills tend to be a lot higher so if the Control and Save hubs can help our customers take control of their energy usage and have an impact on their bills then that can only be a good thing” For more information: www.nghomes.net www.scottishpower.co.uk/connect/ www.citytechnical.co.uk/

Website: www.ng2works.com

ng2 is a subsidiary of ng homes

ng in the community

Saracen House, 139 Saracen Street, Possilpark, Glasgow, G22 5AZ Tel 0141 336 1300 Fax 0141 560 6005

10

GENN Grant funding available to help community litter prevention

ORGANISATIONS in Glasgow are being urged to take advantage of new grant funding to target litter prevention in their area.

Applications are now open to public, private and third sector groups to help tackle littering through grants of £500 to £10,000, being made available by Zero Waste Scotland.

Research conducted by Zero Waste Scotland earlier this year suggests a number of factors contribute to littering behaviour in local areas. These include location, time of day, social situation and perception of different types of litter.

Building on the findings of this research, Zero Waste Scotland has produced a range of innovative design materials which aim

to tackle litter problem areas. The designs can be used to make a number of communication tools to deliver suitable messages to prevent littering in different locations.

The grants will be used to cover the costs of producing these materials aimed at litter prevention in busy public areas such as beaches, town centres, residential areas, parks, schools and sporting facilities.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: Scotland’s national litter strategy, Towards a Litter-free Scotland, focuses on preventing litter being dropped in the first place, to reduce the need for clean up or enforcement. We want to use this grant funding to support organisa-

tions to deliver real impact in their areas, and build on our recent litter insights work in order to target littering behaviour before it starts.

“A great deal can be achieved when we look beyond clean up and work to prevent the problem occurring in the first place.

“For that reason, we strongly encourage organisations to look at any problem areas in their community that could benefit from this funding. By tackling the problem at its origin, we can help to make Scotland’s communities safer and more pleasant places to live.”

Funding is open to all sectors including local authorities, community councils and local businesses.

Applications should be made online at www.zerowastescotland. org.uk A brochure is also available which showcases a range of materials and messages developed by Zero Waste Scotland on preventing litter. This can be viewed on the Zero Waste Scotland website.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Zero Waste Scotland to discuss possible projects to determine eligibility and for further information.

The final deadline for applications will be 5pm on Friday 18th December 2015. It is expected successful applicants will be informed during the week commencing 4th January 2016.

STREET LEAGUE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE IN NORTH GLASGOW

SNP MSP for Glasgow, Bob Doris, recently met with young adults attending a Street League employment initiative, an organisation focused on tackling youth unemployment, at Petershill Park in Springburn, benefitting from the course.

Street League gives participants the opportunity to compete in football tournaments and helps develop coaching and event management skills.

Ultimately the course identified work placements for participants with an opportunity of paid employment at the end of the course.

Anyone interested in either signing up for the Street League course, or who has a

company offering a work experience placement, should contact Street League on 0758 450 4968 brian.lennox@streetleague.co.uk Following the visit Bob Doris MSP commented: “It was good to see firsthand how Street League has benefited local youngsters. I chatted with both Cameron and Lindsey, who are both on the course. It was clear just how enjoyable and beneficial they found it to be. Both Cameron and Lindsey are currently out on work placements and I very much hope this leads to permanent jobs for them and the other participants.

I am keen for more local

youngsters to benefit from the initiative and for local companies to also back our youth and offer work opportunities.

I also know Street League would like to work with secondary schools in the north of the city and I am keen to support them in that.”

Brian Lennox Glasgow Operations Manager added: “We are really grateful to Bob, and others MSPs, who give up their valuable time to support Street League in our mission to tackle youth unemployment in Glasgow and across Scotland.

This year Street League in Scotland will have helped more than 1000 young people move into employment and training. Now we need more employers to step forward and provide the work placements which will give those young people the vital experience they need to become valued employees, and Scotland’s workforce of the future.”

TOLLCROSS HOUSING ASSOCIATION NETWORKING BREAKFASTS where they got an opportunity to showcase their services.

Susan Craig from Carmyle Community Centre said: “I have found the event to be very knowledgeable and interesting. I really enjoyed the speakers and it is a great opportunity for us as a community group to learn about what other projects do and

THE Association held its first Network Breakfast Event on Friday 20th November in Tollcross Community Centre. The event brought together a diverse range of people and organisations to create an opportunity for partnership working, information sharing, sharing resources and finding out what

services each of the organisations provide in our communities.

The event was a huge success with over 70 people participating. A very warm welcome was made by Clive Douglas, Chief Executive of Tollcross Housing Association who explained that the format of the event was to

see if we can link in. I think it’s a great idea.”

Jane McKenzie from Volunteer Glasgow added: “I think quite a lot has and will come out of even this first event!

Still can’t get over how well attended it was.”

If you are working or volunteering in a group / project or just want to find out what’s

going on in the community and would like to come along to a Network Breakfast to represent your group in the future then please contact Veronica at Tollcross Advice & Learning Centre, 1061-63 Tollcross Road, Glasgow, G32 8UQ, Tel: 764 1234, email: veronica.telfer@tollcross-ha. org.uk

be very relaxed with guests enjoying a warm breakfast too. This included people mingling to help connections and sharing information from the groups attending, such as Glasgow Community Safety, Scottish Fire & Rescue and Red Cross. We also heard from Glasgow Kelvin College and the Caravan Project

We are at: 1061 Tolcross Road Glasgow, G32, 8UQ Tel: 0141 764 1234

11

GENN JUNIOR BUDDY’S LAUNCH BRAND NEW THURSDAY SESSION IN SHETTLESTON BUDHILL Football Academy Chairman Billy McNaught has expressed his delight over their latest community project.

With a Junior Buddy’s programme already finding huge success at Barlanark Community Centre and Tollcross YMCA, the Academy have rolled out another programme on a Thursday afternoon at the Fuse Youth Café in Shettleston Road.

Said Billy: “It is great to be able to offer this idea to local parents and guardians within yet another East End-based location.

“Transport links to and from the venue are excellent, and the early feedback has been totally positive.”

Billy McNaught Junior, pictured front left, joined other young Junior Buddy’s at the new Thursday afternoon project.

Aimed at 2 and 3 year-old children, it looks as though

WATER BILL NON PAYMENT INCREASING

THE SOUND LAB AT YMCA TOLLCROSS THE Sound Lab is a registered charity based in the East End of Glasgow. They have been running events and music classes in the area for nearly 15 years but of late they have been a bit quiet.

Over the last few months They’ve been working towards getting some programmes off the ground and they’re now in a position where can deliver a new project.

They have a partnership with the YMCA in Tollcross and with them they will be running a four week drop in programme, where young people in the area can come and and enjoy access to a myriad of musical equipment.

These will be scheduled every Monday 4pm - 6pm for Primary children and 6pm - 8pm for High School pupils.

They are looking for as many children to attend as possible.

FRANK CROSS BUTCHER

Budhill Football Academy have come up with another winner!

AN INCREASING number of households are not paying their water bill, new figures show.

There had been an increase in unpaid bills between 2010 and 2015.

Unpaid bills now add around £21 to the annual charges for every household.

The report shows that low-income households, working-age adults living alone, lone parents and single pensioners are more likely to have problems paying and are more likely to be in debt.

Most companies had not achieved their initial targets for customers signing up to new social tariffs, which offer cheaper bills to those who are struggling.

The proportion of customers contacting National Debtline with issues related to water bills has increased by almost 10% in the last five years.

The increase in debt over the last five years comes despite below-inflation rises in average bills.

This important research highlights that while three quarters of customers think their water services are good value there is a growing problem that more customers are not paying their bill.

Some companies need to get better at collecting unpaid bills from those customers who can pay but don’t. Yet this report is clear that many households are feeling the squeeze and need support.

While some companies are improving how they respond to these customers, others have to get better at identifying those at risk and helping those who are genuinely struggling.

This is not only the right thing to do, but benefits everyone as it will bring down the cost to everyone of unpaid bills and increase trust and confidence in the provision of these vital public services.

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12 COUNCIL AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISES OFFER ENERGY SWITCHING SERVICE FOR BUSINESSES IN GLASGOW GLASGOW City Council and partners the Wise Group and Citrus Energy have launched a commercial energy switching service – Glasgow People’s Energy - that could potentially save businesses and organisations huge sums every year.

Glasgow People’s Energy was launched at the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and its first stage will focus on providing an independent and impartial energy switching service for the city’s businesses and third sector organisations.

To illustrate what an energy switching service can do for a business or enterprise, the Wise Group has saved over 8% on energy costs after a review carried out by Citrus Energy.

From this first stage, the aim is then to develop the service to provide an energy switching service for domestic customers, especially fuel poor households.

A memorandum of understanding between the partners means that the scheme will be in place for a minimum of five years.

The service will have a dedicated team dealing with enquiries for Glasgow properties, and this team can be contacted on the following free phone number: 0800 112 4059 or email enquiries@GPE.scot. The service is now live.

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Coun-

cil, said: “This energy switching service promises to be of great benefit, first to our businesses and third sector organisations, and later to Glasgow households.

“Glasgow City Council is committed to tackling fuel poverty for our residents and businesses, and I am sure Glasgow People’s Energy will make a real social and economic difference to the city. I am delighted that the council is working with our partners the WISE Group and Citrus Energy to deliver this service.”

Laurie Russell, Chief Executive of the Wise Group, said: “The Wise Group is well known in the city for working to reduce fuel poverty and helping households and businesses become more energy efficient. We are delighted to be part of the new and exciting Glasgow People’s Energy service.

“The partnership with Glasgow City Council and Citrus Energy will help businesses and third sector organisations in the city save money on their energy costs. Glasgow People’s Energy service will help us expand the G. Heat service to help more Glasgow families tackle fuel poverty issues” Frank Sweeney, Chief Executive of Cunninghame Housing Association, of which Citrus Energy is a social enterprise subsidiary, said: “This ground-

breaking collaboration, the first of its kind in Scotland, has the potential to deliver substantial financial savings to Glasgow businesses on their gas and electricity bills.Longer term, the aim is to ensure continuous support to G. Heat in the delivery of its excellent fuel poverty service to disadvantaged Glasgow households. All business customers should, therefore, be confident that given the governance of the partners involved that Glasgow People’s Energy will deliver a transparent, ethical and trustworthy service.”

This scheme - which Glasgow City Council is providing £78,000 in funding to begin - is the latest in the series of Affordable Warmth programmes available for homes and businesses in the city, that offer both reduced energy costs, tackle fuel poverty and a reduced impact on the environment.

These have been delivered by the council’s Affordable Warmth team, often in collaboration with partners such as G. Heat (Glasgow Home Energy Advice Team), who offer free and impartial energy advice and assistance on fuel bills/debt issues. * Special thanks to Paul Kane (Media Office) for his help in making this article available to the GENN.

New York galleries swapped for a shopping centre in Easterhouse HIS paintings are the toast of Manhattan, drawing the discerning New York art crowd to a gallery in super-cool SoHo to look over his portrayals of Scots celebrities.

However next month, artist Gerard Burns will proudly place the same prized pieces in the middle of the shopping centre in Glasgow’s Easterhouse.

The 55-year-old Cumbernauld painter, whose likeness of Alex Salmond was unveiled at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery recently, pledged to show his work in the unlikely venue after an interview with The Daily Record in New York during the Tartan Week celebrations.

This week, Gerard served notice of his Easterhouse exhibits by bringing his portraits of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and actors Brian Cox and Ewan McGregor to the shopping centre to launch the exhibition.

While thrilled at the positive response to his work

hanging in such high-profile surroundings, he was forced to consider why Manhattanites were being given the chance to enjoy his work, rather than the good folk back in Scotland.

“Easterhouse is as valid a place to have an art exhibition as any of the more recognised places to exhibit.

People who don’t come from this area will hopefully come to see the paintings, too, because this is probably the only chance they’re going to get to see them again.

Most of the works have been sold or crowd-funded to raise hundreds of thousands for charities around Scotland, from the National Trust to CLIC Sargent.

The artist has extended invitations to his subjects, including former Celtic boss Neil Lennon, Sturgeon, author Denise Mina, Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross, tennis mum Judy Murray and Breaking Bad actress Laura Fraser. Several are expected to attend his day-long show on December 11

GENN

NEW ELECTRIC HONEY RELEASE

ELECTRIC Honey the student run record label at Glasgow Kelvin College are proud to announce the release of the album “Ti Mangala Ki” by Yacouba Sissoko through an exciting cultural exchange and collaboration between the college and the UK-Mali Cultural Programme.

The Electric Honey label has produced a unique learning opportunity for Music Business Management students for more than twenty years, releasing music from internationally acclaimed artists including Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

The UK-Mali programme provides an opportunity to expand the international reach of the label in order that students can gain necessary skills and expertise for working in the creative industries.

Yacouba Sissoko was born into one of the great musical families of Mali, and has played a variety of instruments from a very young age – different forms of the ngoni, a traditional West African stringed instrument, taman, yabara, calebasse or other percussion instruments, as well as acoustic or electric guitar.

Influenced by the different strands of the Malian musical heritage, and also by afrobeat and Cuban and Latino music, Yacouba quickly made a name for himself on the stages and in the studios of Bamako, the Malian capital. He has performed and recorded with many of the country’s worldclass musicians, including Toumani Diabate, Bassekou Kouyate and Ballake Sissoko and has also accompanied

many international musicians drawn to the fascinating musical culture of Mali, such as Damon Albarn, Bjork and the American jazz artist Dee Dee Bridgewater, with whom he toured the United States.

After many years as a sought-after accompanist, in 2013 Yacouba recorded this, his first solo album, ‘Ti Mangala Ki’, in which the hypnotic rhythms and melodies of Malian music are blended with jazz, blues, rap, afrobeat, reggae, soul and chanson.

During a trip to Scotland in early December 2015 Yacouba, accompanied by musicians Mark Mulholland, Craig Ward and Hannes d’Hoine, will be leading a music workshop which will take place at Glasgow Kelvin College City Campus on Wednesday 9th December at 2pm .

A further live performance will take place on the same evening at the Hidden Lane Gallery, 1081 Argyle St, Glasgow. Doors 8pm and live performance 8.30

Caring responsibilities impact the working lives of almost a quarter of Scottish employees ALMOST a quarter (24 per cent) of Scottish employees have taken time off work or worked irregular hours to care for a family member, according to research.

Although 33 per cent have benefited from flexible working to do so, almost two-fifths (39 per cent) have used their annual holiday allowance and a further 10 per cent have taken sick leave.

Cities the highest proportion of workers affected by caring responsibilities in the UK with 38 per cent of employees taking time off, while just 16 per cent in the rural areas did so.

Although employees have a legal right to take time off to deal with emergencies involving dependents, those having to juggle work with ongoing caring responsibilities can feel under considerable pressure and may even be forced to give up work.

There is a strong business case for offering flexible working options, with such provisions improving pro-

ductivity and cutting costs by reducing staff turnover and absenteeism.

Legislation introduced last year has given all employees with 26 weeks of service the right to request flexible working. The Willis study, however, found that just 28 per cent of workers in Scotland are aware of this entitlement, the lowest in the UK and considerably lower than the national average (42 per cent).

Furthermore, only 44 per

cent believe their employer would accept a request for flexible working in any case to help them manage their work-life balance.

Family life demands can be extremely challenging and faced with an ageing population, eldercare responsibilities are set to rise,” added Blake. “The workplace will need to keep pace to ensure the health, wellbeing and motivation of staff is not compromised.

13

GENN Loretto Care win ‘specialist service’ trophy at Scottish Care awards

A SERVICE which provides life-changing support for people with alcohol-related brain damage has picked up a top Scottish care award.

The Loretto Care service, based at Fullarton, was named Scottish Care’s ‘Specialist Service of the Year’ at the industry awards.

Scottish Care represents the health and social care sector in Scotland. And their awards – held at the Glasgow Hilton on 20 November – recognise the very best in the care industry in Scotland.

The winning team, made up of nurses and social care specialists, were commended for their commitment to the people they work for and their innovative services.

One of the people they work for at the Fullarton service, Stanley Muir also picked up a prestigious ‘Service User Achievement’ award for his commitment to charity and volunteer work in his local community.

Director of Loretto, Cathy Fallon said: “These awards are an incredible achievement for both the staff at our Fullarton service and for

Stanley.

“I am delighted that the passion and dedication of all the staff at the service – and the people we work for – has been recognised in this way.”

Loretto Chair James Muir said: “At Loretto Care we want to help the people we work for live life to the fullest and maintain their independence as much as possible. The staff at Fullarton help the people who live at their service do just that.

“Everyone at Loretto shares in the pride of this achievement and I am personally delighted that they have received the recognition they deserve.”

The last year has seen service users like Stanley take part in events like pet therapy days and a tandem sky dive. The team at Fullarton will shortly open a local gallery to display artworks made by the people they work for.

Scottish Care said: “The staff in our care homes are real heroes, making an enormous difference to the lives of those they look after, and it is just fantastic that we have this opportunity to reward and recognise their contributions.

“The Awards Ceremony is their night, and our way of saying thank you.”

Loretto Care has almost 1,000 care clients across Central Scotland. Loretto is part of the Wheatley Group, Scotland’s leading housing, care and community regeneration organisation.

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National Pothole Day 2016

FOLLOWING the great success of last year’s inaugural National Pothole Day, www. streetrepairs.co.uk is proud to announce NATIONAL POTHOLE DAY 15th January 2016.

Owner of the website Colin Mahoney said: “The reaction to the first National Pothole Day was overwhelming with the national press, Sky TV, ITV, BBC, all greeting its launch with enthusiasm. Reports of potholes increased dramatically with over 88 per cent of reports now relating directly to potholes and increasing the awareness nationally of the seriousness of the problems and potential dangers relating to the disrepair of our roads.”

In 2013 two enterprising young men felt

enough was enough - our road infrastructure was falling apart, as local authorities and the Government saw an easy target for constant budget cuts in road transport. The two guys decided to do something positive to help combat the UK’s ever deteriorating roads and pavements and had the bright idea of setting up www.streetrepairs.co.uk Using their accumulated experience of creating innovative web sites and software they designed “Street Repairs” as a user friendly, geographically driven centralised forum for you and I to report those annoying defects.

Every report entered serves to highlight issues to those local authorities that let their highways fall into disrepair. It quickly caught the imagination of more than a long suffering public, as well as praise from the likes of the RAC and Auto Express. The 15th January 2015 saw the successful launch of NATIONAL POTHOLE DAY, the very first of its kind here in the UK - and now www.streetrepairs. co.uk is looking forward to the second NATIONAL POTHOLE DAY on 15 January 2016.

A wholly self financed idea, free of external investment, “Street Repairs” is out there helping communities, ratepayers, and taxpayers alike. It also helps local authorities better manage worn out highways countrywide.

National Pothole Day sees an enthusiastic response from the public keen to address the safety and financial issues involved.

“The highway authorities and their insurers are starting to sit up and taking notice of “Street Repairs”. They have to! We are a force fighting for you, the public”, Mahoney stated.

Recent Poll Finds That 30% of Motorists Don’t Know When Their ‘Road Tax’ Is Due, Do You? RESULTS from a recent poll we carried out have revealed that a staggering 30 per cent of motorists do not know when their vehicle excise duty (VED) is due.

If this number is a true reflection across the UK that means out of the 45.5 million people who hold driving licences in the UK, over 13.5 million could forget to pay their vehicle tax on time.

Dramatic findings Since the abolition of the tax disc, we have been researching and recording findings. According to the DVLA, taxing was supposed to become easier thanks to a new digital system that was set up. However, it seems from these figures that more and more UK motorists could be driving without valid tax.

In September 2015, we re-

vealed that 1 million plus motorists in the UK are driving vehicles that are not taxed. That number could rise dramatically if this new poll is correct.

We also found, that on average, ‘car tax’ costs £170 per vehicle with this in mind that means the DVLA is losing out on around £170m per year.

Millions tax on time A spokesman from the DVLA has refuted the claims that its new digital system is failing and said: “The vast majority of people tax their cars on time, with over 42 and a half million drivers taxing their vehicles since 1 October 2014“.

He continued: “Of these more than 29 million have chosen to tax their vehicles online or by phone. [The DVLA] also still send reminders to motorists when

their vehicles are due to be taxed.

[The DVLA] send V11 reminders to all motorists except those who have chosen to pay by Direct Debit - they would receive a Direct Debit reminder.”

Motorists driving without valid tax could be fined up to £1,000 and face having their vehicle impounded.

Surge in clamping Our findings also coincide with a huge rise in clampings. Last week The Guardian reported that the removal of paper tax discs has led to nearly a 60% jump in car clamping by the DVLA in the past year, with some drivers facing huge fines.

The DVLA said that a staggering 99,307 have been immobilised or towed away in the past twelve months - a rise of 58% compared with the previous year.

WINTER DRIVING TIPS BLESSED with a moderate climate, the UK doesn’t experience extreme winter weather as often as some countries, but when the snow and ice does hit, the consequences can be severe.

During the winter months, it’s not always possible to postpone journeys, with millions of drivers still needing to use Britain’s roads for professional or personal reasons.

So as a Qualified ‘Advanced’ Driver and LGV driver with 38 years’ experience driving on all kinds of roads, in all kinds of conditions, I wanted to share my top tips for safe driving in poor weather.

Preparing for your journey • Keep essential items in your vehicle. Ice scrapers are helpful when leaving in the morning and a folding shovel, kept in the vehicle, can be useful for clearing a path through deep snow.

Don’t forget your gloves, warm clothing/blankets, snacks and a safety triangle.

• Plan your journey. Try to use main roads wherever possible as they are more likely to have been cleared and gritted.

Avoid using very quiet roads wherever possible. Keep an up-to-date map in the vehicle (don’t just rely on Sat-Nav).

• Make sure your fuel and fluid levels are topped up. You may need to make a longer jour-

ney than originally planned due to road closures or traffic congestion.

• Charge your mobile phone and keep a spare charger in the car. This will allow you to call for help in an emergency.

If you are travelling alone on a long journey, let someone know your ETA so they can alert the emergency services if you do not arrive.

• Consider winter tyres. If you live in an isolated area known for bad weather conditions, winter tyres could be a good investment or you might consider hiring or buying snow chains. Regular Tyres should be at the correct pressure and have good all round tread depth.

• Keep windscreens and all windows clean and clear. You should also remember to fill up the windscreen fluid bottle with screen wash, to avoid freezing.

• Use your heater system or air conditioning to demist the windscreen. This will lessen the amount of condensation inside the vehicle.

• Make sure all lights and number plates are free from snow/Ice. This should be done on the front and the back, it’s a legal requirement. If a light stops working, replace them as soon as you can. Carry out a walk-round check of your vehicle before you set off on your journey.

While driving • Change your driving habits.

Accelerate/brake gently, avoiding high revs, and consider setting off in a higher gear to avoid wheel spin.

• Keep well back from other vehicles. Remember that stopping distances can increase ten-fold in icy conditions. You should therefore drive accordingly and watch your speed.

Keep a safe distance from the car in front and avoid sudden steeringmovements. It is also important to always keep an eye on the other cars and remember to use all your mirrors.

• Use dipped headlights or fog lights in reduced visibility.

This alerts other drivers to your presence, but ensure you turn them off if visibility is above 100 metres.

• Keep an eye on both the weather and the temperature.

When temperatures drop to around zero, keep a close eye on the road. If it looks wet, then it’s probably icy. Always be mindful about the possibility of black ice.

• Try to drive so that you don’t need your brakes. When the roads are icy, using your brakes can do more harm than good. Give yourself plenty of time to slow down, moving down the gear box gradually/ smoothly to reduce speed in a controlled way.

THE UK’S STRANGE DRIVING HABITS

A NEW national survey has found that UK drivers take part in some strange (and highly dangerous) activities whilst driving.

According to the OSV Ltd survey, almost one in seven UK drivers have admitted to engaging in sexual activities whilst driving a car. Fourteen per cent of UK drivers gave this response when asked if they have ever engaged in sexual activities whilst behind the wheel.

The results found that men were more willing to admit to this indiscretion. Sixty per cent of those that admitted to participating in a sexual activity were men, whilst only forty per cent of those that confessed were women.

Unpredictably, younger drivers were not the key culprits of this activity. In fact, around sixty per cent of those that made the admission were between the ages of 30 and 59.

Thirty per cent were between the age of 18-29 and only ten per cent of those owning up were over the age of 60.

However, engaged in sexual activities was not the most popular activity choice. The survey found that ‘engaged in sexual activities’ was the second highest admission on the survey, with ‘picking your nose’ coming out on top. Over 40% of the UK driving population admitted to picking their nose whilst in control of a vehicle.

Other dangerous admissions include; checking social media (10%), taking a selfie (4%), driving naked (2%) and eating with utensils (2%).

This survey helps lift the lid on what people get up to whilst driving. It is deeply worrying that so many people admit to taking part in these dangerous activities and shows that more needs to be done to help highlight and educate people about the dangers that come with participating in these activities.

Engaging in sexual activities should be the last thing that people do whilst behind the wheel.

The survey questioned 500 respondents throughout the UK.

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GENN

Be Healthwise This Winter: Dr Owl takes flight across Scotland

PEOPLE in Glasgow are being encouraged to get Healthwise with the official return of Dr Owl. Along with Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, NHS 24’s John McAnaw and schoolchildren Hannah and Struan, Dr Owl launched the

‘Be Healthwise This Winter’ campaign to encourage us all to look after our health this winter.

Managed by NHS 24, the ‘Be Healthwise This Winter’ campaign is designed to raise awareness of the simple steps we can all take to manage winter illnesses and advising what

to do if we do fall ill. As well as helping to keep us healthy and well, the campaign also aims to reduce pressure on our vital NHS services during the very busy winter months by helping people make the right choice about where best to take their health needs this winter.

John McAnaw, NHS 24’s

Head of Pharmacy, said: “Dr Owl was a real hit last year but he does have a serious message to deliver. Winter poses some real health challenges for everyone and it’s important to be familiar with different opening hours at many local pharmacies and GP surgeries.

That is why people who need repeat prescriptions should check they have enough for the holidays and order what they need in plenty of time. If for any reason there is no access to repeat medicines then a pharmacist should also be able to help with this.

“Winter is the time for coughs, colds, flu, and tummy bugs and a lot of the symptoms can be managed at home. To do this, it’s important to stock up on over the counter medicines such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and rehydration salts.

Your pharmacist can advise on what’s appropriate for adults and children. Anyone who is concerned about symptoms and doesn’t feel they can wait until their GP surgery or pharmacy re-opens, can call NHS 24 on 111. And there’s excellent health information about common conditions available online at www.nhsinform. co.uk.

“For some people the festive holidays bring added pressure which can cause anxiety and

stress, all of which can take its toll on our mental wellbeing.

The Breathing Space service can be contacted on 0800 83 85 87 to support people suffering low mood or anxiety.”

The Be Healthwise campaign is part of the wider NHS Scotland winter health planning announced by Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. Ms Robison says the #healthwise campaign is an important part of the planning. She said: “The Be Healthwise campaign featuring Dr Owl is a really good way of reminding us how we can do our bit to look after our own and our family’s health and in doing so preserve our front line services for those in most clinical need.

It’s also worth reminding people about the excellent range of services provided by our community pharmacies. People who run out of their usual medicines or dressings can speak to a pharmacist about an urgent supply rather than walking into their local Emergency Department.

“As we prepare to head into winter we have been working closely with health boards and stakeholders to put measures in place. This includes our winter guidance for boards, which was issued two months earlier this year than previous years,

and additional investment of £10.7 million which will help ease pressure.

“The Dr Owl campaign is another aspect of winter planning which will help raise awareness about what we can all do to look after ourselves and access the right service for when we need it.”

Dr Emilia Crichton, Interim Director of Public Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde added: “The best way not to be caught out by winter weather is to plan appropriately. We want everyone in Glasgow to have a great time this festive season and that means following Dr Owl’s great advice. Stocking up on over the counter remedies for common complaints, ensuring you order what you need for your repeat prescription and making sure you know where to turn if you do need help by checking what facilities are open and when.”

Dr Owl will be delivering his messages across radio, television and newspapers, as well as Facebook and twitter (@ NHS24 #healthwise) throughout December. You can join in the conversation and share your own top tips via #healthwise.

For more information visit the winter health zone at www. nhsinform.co.uk.

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16

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GLASGOW PHOTO REVIEW GORDON McCracken is a Dennistoun born amateur photographer who lives in Maryhill. Earlier this year he started to document all the places he visited as he

went about his business.

He doesn’t drive,and walks everywhere and has always liked to explore and nosey around.

He wanted to show the real

life of Glasgow that you don’t see very often in photography.

Locations not on the regular tourist routes, but still possessing great architecture and beautiful parks.

He has visited Ruchill, Possilpark, Springburn, Dennistoun, Whiteinch, Anniesland, Port Dundas, Maryhill as well as the West End and City Centre.

Gordon has also visted the city’s 90 parks, which given our population of around 650 thousand, that’s a lot of parks!

Over the coming weeks we will be printing several ofGor-

don’s photos.

Gordon has two slide shows of his work from this year and they can be viewed at http:// www.dailymotion.com/MadeInMaryhill

17

GENN

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Merry Christmas

18

Christmas Countdown

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CHRISTMAS GAMES FOR THE FAMILY

COULD this Christmas see a revival of old-fashioned family entertainment? We offer a selection of games that won’t cost a penny to play Great games to keep kids of all ages happy on a holiday afternoon The presents have been opened, the food devoured, and everyone is getting a little bored with the endless loop of

Christmas movies playing on the tv. Time to shake things up with a little family fun. It doesn’t matter if your family is large or small, old or young, active or full of couch potatoes — five fun and festive family games to keep folks laughing all day long.

1. Family Tree: This game will only work if you have someone in your group who is

an incredibly good sport. The idea is to decorate a person as a Christmas tree. The willing victim must stand still as all the kids in the group decorate him (or her) with decorations made from red and green crepe paper, aluminum foil, paper, candy, bows, leftover wrapping paper and whatever else you can find. The end result? Hilariously good family fun!

2. Jingle Bell Rings: This is a great game for a large group, so it’s perfect for the big family gathering at grandma’s.

Have the group divide up into groups and choose one member of each group to be the family representative. The reps should leave the room for a few minutes (good time for a retreat to the kitchen) while the rest of the group rehearses. Each family should come up with a bell sound — think “ding, dinga, ding,” or “jingle, jingle.” They can use the time while the family reps are away to rehearse. When they return, the reps must be blindfolded and stand in a line on the opposite side of the room. One by one, each group should make their bell sound — you can even race around the room to mix it up. And the family reps must guess which bell ringing sound belongs to their group. This is a great way for a big family to share some big laughs together on Christmas morning.

3. Christmas Song Picture Game: Is your family fond of picture games? Head over to this website and print out the game, then let everyone take a shot. First one to finish is declared the Christmas song guru! This is a great game for families to play at the table after dinner and before dessert.

4. Present Scramble: You’ll need to do a bit of prep to pull off this game, but it will pay off 10-fold in family laughs when the time comes to play. Wrap a small gift in a small box.

Then wrap that gift in a larger

box, and repeat as many times as you can. To play, choose a number and then have everyone in your family take turns rolling the die. The first person to roll the chosen number can begin unwrapping. But there’s a catch: they have to wear oven mitts to do it! The remaining players continue rolling while the player wearing the mitts is unwrapping. The next person to roll the chosen number takes the mitts and continues the unwrapping. The person who unwraps the actual prize gets to keep it.

5. Christmas trivia: Does your family know everything there is to know about Christmas? Why not challenge the clan to a Christmas trivia showdown? Pull out some Santa trivia, Christmas tree trivia, or trivia about Christmas traditions from around the world — or go for the gold and mix up questions from all three. You can have a dedicated game time where players compete for a prize (extra dessert!) or just ask the questions throughout the day to keep everybody guessing!

A costly Christmas – 1 in 3 people in Scotland are feeling pressured to spend more than they can afford this festive season •Average spend on presents is set to be £435 in Scotland •10% will be resorting to additional credit to fund Christmas •12% have already sold unwanted items to fund Christmas presents CONSUMERS in Scotland are set to spend an average of £370 on Christmas presents this year, according to a survey from musicMagpie – a re-commerce company which gives people cash for their unwanted phones, CDs, DVDs, games and electronics.

However, one in three consumers in Scotland are feeling pressured to spend more than they can afford with 12% having already sold unwanted items to fund the cost of Christmas, and 10% resorting to additional credit such as bank loans, pay day loans and credit cards.

Liam Howley, marketing director at musicMagpie, com-

ments: “Christmas shopping is a significant area of expenditure for consumers at this time of year, so it’s no surprise people in Scotland are feeling the pressure to spend more than they can afford.

“It’s easy to get carried away buying presents. There’s the pressure of making sure the kids get the latest toys and gadgets and the pressure of making sure everyone gets a present. The best way to stop yourself from overspending is to set a strict budget and stick to it – but there are always ways to increase the amount you have without getting into any debt.

“In the past few weeks,

we’ve seen trade-ins rise significantly and they are continuing to increase as Christmas comes closer. Selling unwanted items such as CDs, DVDs, games, mobiles and electronics is an easy way to make cash quickly, and is a much better alternative to borrowing money, especially if consumers use our new Faster Payments method - what’s more, it’ll make your budget go further.”

Personal finance commentator, Felicity Hannah adds: “At Christmas, so many of us are short of two things: cash and space so this is a way to get more of both. Selling off unwanted items to fund your festive spending just makes sense, and Music Magpie makes it incredibly easy to do so. Selling off the stuff you never use is not just good for your pocket it’s also good for the environment because it gives people more choice on the second-hand market and means they don’t have to buy

new.

“And going into 2016 with a clutter-free home and no Christmas debt would be a great start to the New Year.”

Essential Christmas saving tips: 1. Set your maximum budget

2. Make savings where possible – reconsider your Christmas feast 3. Cut the Christmas cards and go digital 4. Trim your Christmas present buying list 5. Make your gifts 6. Plan the cheapest way to

travel 7. Shop around 8. DON’T be tempted by payday loans 9. Sell your unwanted stuff 10. Use cashback websites 11. Enter competitions 12. Use discount codes and keep an eye out for flash sales

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Christmas Countdown

Christmas diet tips CHRISTMAS often results in us piling on the pounds, with some stats claiming that we gain up to five! Here are the top ten best ways to avoid overindulging over the festive period.

1. Sugar: Get rid of sweet cravings by swapping sugary treats for a low calorie hot chocolate. Guilt free and still delicious.

2. Exercise: Skip a ‘Home Alone’ movie marathon and make the most of family time with a festive walk instead.

A half an hour brisk walk will burn off 200 calories.

3. Gluten: Beat the bloat and embrace gluten free options.

Many celebrities have endorsed the diet, reporting a positive impact on digestion, mood and general wellbeing.

4. Sleep: Adopt hibernating habits and say no to late night partying. Catching up on some zzz’s will improve your overall health and wellbeing.

5. Alcohol: Fend off the hangover, and the calories, by switching to non-boozy cocktails. Or stick to lower calorie drinks, such as gin and slim line tonic (drink responsibly)!

6. Sanitise: Christmas often brings an unwanted gift to many- the flu virus. Keep your

hands clean by frequently washing or sanitising them and ensure nasty germs are kept at bay.

7. Turkey: Embrace tradition and have turkey for your Christmas dinner. It’s leaner than other meats, high in protein, naturally gluten free and has low saturated fat content, making it the perfect choice.

8. Desserts: Christmas pudding is full of fibre, B vitamins, potassium, iron and calcium making it a relatively guilt free dessert (just make sure you stick to one portion). Or knock the lid off your mince pie to lose a third of its calories!

9. Breakfast: Trade bucks fizz and croissants for a more nutritionally filling alternative.

Smoked salmon and poached eggs or a bowl of hearty porridge will keep you satisfied until dinner is served.

10. Cleanse: Reduce your consumption of pasteurised fruit juices and swap to cold pressed alternatives.

Cold pressed juices give you a higher content of vitamins and antioxidants, without having to consume as much.

We’re all guilty of over indulging over the festive period but with these tips you can still embrace the Christmas treats

20 ways kids make Christmas magical again IT’S easy for Christmas before children, we feel more about our hangovers and expanding waistline than any real festive spirit.

Then you have a child and all that changes.

Not since you were a kid, listening out for Santa in your PJs, have you felt so infused with joy and enchantment. Here are some ways we think Christmas becomes magical when you’re a parent …

1. It used to drive you crazy that Christmas started pretty much in October but now you can’t wait for the shops to bust out the Christmas lights and to hear Noddy Holder’s dulcet tones. The advent calendars, and the ads and the Christmas lists...

2. Nothing can prepare you for the heart-melting sweetness of watching your little one in their very first Christmas nativity or school play, whether they have a starring role or not. Don’t forget your tissues!

3. Kids make it OK to sport clashing decorations and an OTT Christmas tree.

In fact, the more of mash-up of colours and styles of baubles, the better.

4. It’s acceptable to buy chocolate decorations again.

5. Christmas list to Santa reads like a stock-taking sheet of ToysRUs. But it’s the ‘and I’ve been soooo good’ line that really makes you smile.

6. You’ve got a good excuse for the mis-shapen mince pies. All your toddler’s own work, yes?

7. You love channelling your inner-storyteller with stories of Father Christmas and seeing your children’s eyes widen with delight.

8. Creating your very own traditions is something you’ll share for a lifetime. Maybe you write a Christmas poem together, or put on a little festive play for the grandparents? Or leave one more present in the garden to be discovered. ‘Oh look! Santa must have dropped it!’

9. Leaving a glass or milk (or something stronger) for Father Christmas, and a carrot for Rudolph, never loses it’s charm.

10. Or drinking that something stronger on Christmas Eve, when the wee ones are safely asleep.

11. Nothing beats that amazing feeling of satisfaction on Christmas Eve when everything is wrapped and ready for the next day. Savour the scene - because the next day it’s carnage!

12. A great time of year to dodge any tedious social engagements: honestly, babysitters are so unreliable...

13. Family films are no longer an indulgence, they’re mandatory. From the Muppet’s Christmas Carol to Home Alone, it’s the perfect season to snuggle up on the sofa.

14. Place your bets on what time Christmas Day officially starts. And yes, it feels magical even though it’s 5am.

15. As you watch them open their pressies, you remember the fizzy feeling of thrill and excitement you had as a child. And seeing the joy your children bring to their grandparents is priceless.

16. Eating together as a family is something to take time over and savour. Who cares if the potatoes are a tiny bit burnt, or the sprouts a bit hard? It doesn’t have to be perfect to be appreciated.

17. Snow is what dreams are made of when you’re five. And snow at Christmas... cue delirious children and giggling parents!

18. The pleasure of tumbling back into a warm and cosy house after a good old stomp outside brings the colour to cheeks and sparkle to eyes.

19. Knowing at the close of Christmas day that the hard work is over for another year - and despite the odd flurry of tears and tantrums - they’ve had a pretty wonderful day. Well done, you!

Glasgow On Ice returned on Friday November the 27th and will be open until December the 31st for five weeks of outdoor skating, fairground rides and unmissable festive fun. Wear your Christmas jumper, dig out your winter woollies and get your skates on!

As well as the skating at Glasgow on Ice there will be all sorts of other things to come along and enjoy as Glasgow celebrates Christmas. Our unique double-deck cabin will give you fantastic views over the shimmering ice rink while you sit back, relax with a warming drink in hand and watch the world skate by in a flurry of winter wonder.

Enjoy the view from the top of the big wheel, experience the thrill of riding the chair-o-planes or join in some of the festive entertainment we have on offer. Why not sample the festive food and drink in George Square or simply come along and soak up the special atmosphere as we celebrate Christmas in Glasgow. The festive season isn’t complete without a visit to George Square.

Young Scot and Kidz card holders will be able to take to the ice at specially discounted rates to enjoy the unique experience of skating underneath Glasgow Christmas Lights and there will be special sessions for the under 8s and accessible sessions too.

Opening Times Glasgow On Ice opens on Friday 27 November until Thursday 31 December.

Weekdays 12pm - 10pm and 10am - 10pm at weekends.

Between 21 December and 31 December - extended opening hours from 10am - 10pm.

Join us under the Christmas Lights for a skate under the stars this festive season.

While we take every opportunity to ensure the details for Glasgow On Ice are accurate, we always advise that you contact the event organiser before setting out for the event to avoid disapointment.

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HOW TO TREAT DOGS WELL

THERE are many ways you can drive a dog nuts — and you probably aren’t even aware of them.

So if you want to be your dog’s best friend, find out how you can fix your annoying habits.

Here are some of the things we do that might make dogs question whether they want to remain best buddies or cut ties completely: Using words more than body language We’re a vocal species. We love to chatter away, even at our pets, who can’t understand the vast majority of what we’re saying.

Dogs might be able to deduce what a few key words mean — walk, treat, toy, off — and maybe even learn hundreds of words as some border collies have done.

But they can’t understand human language. What they rely on to figure out what we mean is our body language. Dogs have evolved to be expert readers of the human body and can figure out what you’re thinking and feeling before you even realize you’re thinking and feeling it. But we can easily send mixed signals if we are only paying attention to what our mouths are saying and not what our bodies are saying. If you go to any beginning dog training class, you’ll see plenty of people saying one thing, doing another, and a confused dog trying to figure out what in the world is wanted of them. For instance, telling a dog to “stay” while leaning forward toward the dog and holding out a hand like a traffic cop is, in body language, actually inviting the dog to come toward you. But when the dog does, she gets reprimanded for breaking her stay command. It’s all so confusing!A great experiment (and something that will probably have your dog sighing with relief) is to try to spend a whole day not saying a word to your dog, but communicating only with your body. You’ll realize just how much you “talk” with your body without knowing it, how to use your movements and body position to get the response you need from your dog during training, and how involved a conversation can be without emitting a single sound.

Hugging your dog While you might love wrapping your arms around a furry canine friend, most dogs hate hugs. We as primates think hugs are awesome and express support, love, joy and other emotions through hugs. It’s totally normal to us to wrap our arms around something and squeeze, and it only means good things. But dogs did not evolve this way. Canids don’t have arms and they don’t hug. Rather

than camaraderie, if a dog places a foreleg or paw on the back of another dog, this is considered an act of dominance. No matter your intentions with hugging, a dog is hardwired to view the act of hugging as you exerting your dominance. Many dogs will tolerate it with grace — the smiling face of the family golden retriever with a child’s arms wrapped around it comes to mind. But some dogs will feel threatened, fearful, or just flat out loathe the feeling — and in fact, a child grabbing a dog for a hug is why many dog bites occur. Also, the same dog that enjoys one person’s hug might react entirely differently with another family member who tries the same thing. You’d be hard-pressed to find a dog that actually enjoys or seeks out hugs.

If you’re wondering if your dog hates your hugs, just pay attention to her body language when you go in for a cuddle. Does she tense up? Lean her head away from you? Avoid even a hint of eye contact? Lick her lips? Keep her mouth closed? Pull her ears back against her head? All of these are signs that a dog is uncomfortable.

Yes, even the dog licking her lips while someone snuggles her is not showing that she is overcome with love, it is showing submissive, even nervous behavior. So next time you want to go in for a hug, pay very close attention to whether or not the dog is okay with it.

After all, you’re putting your face right next to a set of sharp teeth.

Petting a dog’s face or patting her head Having someone reach out and tap us on the head, no matter how lovingly, is not something most of us enjoy. It’s annoying at best and painful at worst. And we really don’t want the hands of strangers reaching toward our face. If someone were to reach their hand toward your face, I’m guessing your reaction would be to pull your head back and lean away, and get a little tense about the invasion of personal space. Yet most humans think that dogs like being patted on the head. The reality is that while many dogs will put up with this if it’s someone they know and trust, most dogs don’t enjoy it. You may notice that even the loving family dog might lean away slightly when you reach for her face to pet her. She’ll let you because you’re the boss, but she doesn’t like it. It’s a personal space issue for dogs just as much as it is for us. This is why responsible parents teach their children to gently pet a dog’s back or rear, but don’t pat, and definitely don’t go for the

dog’s face. If you really want to reward your dog for being awesome, don’t bang on their head, but give them a rub on their rear end right by the tail. They’ll thank you for it!

Not providing structure and rules Dogs want, need and love rules.

You might think having strict rules makes life boring or unhappy for your dog. But dogs really want to know what’s what according to their leader. And really, it’s not so hard to relate as humans. Children thrive when they have a consistent set of rules to follow, and they do less well in environments that provide them a free-for-all. Think about polite, well-balanced kids you know, and the spoiled kids who lack social skills or throw temper tantrums when they don’t get what they want. Which set of kids are the ones with consistently enforced rules and boundaries?

And which set tends to be most consistently happy? With dogs, it’s pretty much the same thing.

Rules make life a lot more predictable, a lot less confusing and a lot less stressful.

And speaking of confusing, dogs don’t understand exceptions to rules. They don’t understand that they’re allowed to jump on you when you have leisure clothes on but not when you have work clothes on. They don’t understand that they’re allowed on the couch after a bath but not after coming in from a romp in the mud. Additionally, saying “No” for breaking a rule but not actually doing something to help the dog stop the behavior and learn the rule doesn’t count as enforcement. Dogs thrive when they know where the boundaries are, and when you spend time enforcing consistent boundaries with positive rewards, you also are building up their trust in you as a leader. You’re setting up conditions for a very happy dog!

Forcing your dog to interact with dogs or people she clearly doesn’t like Just like so many other social species, dogs have their favorite friends and their enemies. It is easy to see what other dogs — and people, for that matter — that a dog wants to hang out with and those with whom she’d rather not associate. Yet, there are a lot of dog owners who go into denial about this or simply fail to read the cues their dog is giving them. It is common for overly enthusiastic owners to push their dog (sometimes literally) into social situations at dog parks when their dog would rather just go home. Or they allow

strangers to pet their dog even when she is showing clear signs of wanting to be left alone.

It is important to note that there is a difference between positive encouragement with shy, fearful, or reactive dogs. Taking small steps to encourage them out of their comfort zone and giving them rewards for any amount of calm, happy social behavior is important to helping them live a balanced life. But knowing the difference between gentle, rewards-based boundary pushing and forcing an interaction is vital to your dog’s safety and sanity. When dogs are pushed too far in social situations, they’re more likely to lash out with a bite or a fight. They’ve given cue after cue — ignoring, avoiding, maybe even growling — and finally they’ve had enough and give the clearest message of all with their teeth. What is possibly even worse, is that their trust in you as a protective leader is eroded, and they have an even more negative association with a park, a certain dog or person, or a general social setting. So do your dog a favor: read the body language she gives you when she doesn’t want to be around certain other individuals and don’t force it.

Going for walks without opportunity to explore and smell There are walks, and there are walks. It’s definitely important to have a dog that knows how to walk obediently on a leash. However, it’s also important to allow a dog to have some time to explore her surroundings while walking obediently on a leash. Dogs see with their noses, and they place as much importance on their sense of smell as we humans place on our sense of vision for interpreting the world around us. It’s probably safe to say that dogs appreciate the smell of a tree trunk the way we appreciate a beautiful sunset.

Dogs loathe not being able to take in their world for at least a few minutes a day, and too often we humans are focused on going on walks for the sole purpose of exercise or potty breaks. We trudge along the same old route, often without any variety or sense of leisure, and in too much of a hurry to get back home again.The sense of smell is how a dog takes in the world, and sometimes they’re simply desperate for a chance to take a good sniff.

Do your dog a favor and dedicate one of your daily walks to having a “smell walk” — going slow and letting your dog take in the world with her nose. Go somewhere entirely new, explore a different neighborhood or trail, let

your dog sniff at a spot until she gets her fill, even if it’s for minutes at a time before moving forward.

For helping your dog know the difference between a walk where she should be obedient and stay beside you, and a walk where she is free to explore, you can have a special backpack or harness that you use only for smell walks. Just make sure it is something very different from your usual collar and leash set-up so the different purpose for the walk is obvious to your dog. These walks are a wonderful opportunity for your dog to get some of the mental and sensory stimulation that keeps life interesting for her.

Keeping a tight leash, literally Just as dogs are amazing at reading our body language, they’re amazing at reading our tension levels even through the leash. By keeping a tight leash on a dog, you’re raising the level of stress, frustration, and excitement for your dog, and conversely, for you.

I know what you might be thinking: “I don’t want to hold a tight leash, but I have to. My dog is the one pulling, not me!” But this is why it is so important to teach a dog how to walk on a slack leash.

An amazing amount of energy is transferred between you and your dog through that little strip of canvas or leather. By keeping a loose leash, you’re letting your dog know that everything is fine and dandy, that there’s no reason to be worried or tense. With a slack leash you’re saying to your dog that you are calm and have everything under control so your dog is free to be calm as well. On the other hand, by keeping a tight leash you’re sending a message to your dog that you’re tense, nervous, on alert, ready to fight or fly, and your dog responds in kind.

Just as you don’t like your dog pulling you around, it doesn’t feel good to your dog to constantly be pulled and thus cued to be on alert. They’re also well-aware that they can’t get away from you even if they think they need to. A dog that walks on a tight leash is more apt to bark or be reactive in even the most mild of social situations.

But a dog that can walk on a slack leash is more likely to be calm.

This is a difficult thing to master, and something the majority of dog owners can commiserate about, but it is so important to having pleasant walks with a relaxed dog.

Being tense Tension on the leash isn’t the only way a dog can pick up how you’re feeling. You can tell when a person you’re around is feeling tense, even if you don’t realize it.

Dogs have the same ability. The more stressed and wound-up you are, the more stressed and wound-up your dog is. And dogs, just like us, don’t like that feeling.

You might roll your eyes, but the next time your dog is acting frus-

trated and tense, check in with yourself — have you been feeling that way for the last few minutes, for the last few hours, or the last few days? Your dog might just be acting as your mirror. If you need a reason to meditate, helping your dog calm down is a great one.

Being boring You know that feeling of being stuck hanging around someone who is totally boring? Think back: remember having to be with your parents while they ran grown-up errands? None of which revolved around a toy store or park, of course. Remember that feeling of barely being able to contain yourself, of wanting to squirm and groan and complain. You couldn’t take part in the adult conversation, which was boring anyway, and you were told to sit still and hush. But oh boy did you ever want to just moooove! Just run around the block or something to break the monotony. That’s how your dog feels when you’re busy being that boring grown-up. Dogs abhor it when we’re boring. And it’s hard not to be! We get home from work and we want to unwind, to get a few chores done, to make dinner and sack out on the couch and relax. But that’s about the most annoying thing we could do to our dogs who have been waiting around all day for us to finally play with them.

If your dog is making trouble — getting into boxes or closets, eating shoes or chewing on table legs — she’s basically showing you just how incredibly bored she is.

Luckily, there is a quick and easy solution to this: training games.

Teaching your dog a new trick, working on old tricks, playing a game of “find it” with a favorite toy, or going out and using a walk as a chance to work on urban agility, are all ways to stimulate both your dog’s mind and body. An hour of training is worth a couple hours playing a repetitive game of fetch in terms of wearing a dog out. While of course exercise and walks are important, adding in some brain work will make your dog happy-tired. Even just 15-30 minutes of trick training a day will make a big difference.

Teasing This should be obvious, and we won’t spend too much time on it. But it’s worth pointing out because too many people still think it’s funny. Don’t bark at a dog as you pass it on the street. Don’t wave or talk to a dog that is barking at you from behind a window or door. Don’t pull on a dog’s tail.

The list can go on and on, but in short, don’t do something you know makes a dog mad just because you think it’s funny. It’s not funny to the dog and can lead to some serious behavioral problems — and, perhaps deservedly, you getting to sport some new dogshaped teeth mar

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USES FOR BANANA PEELS

THE WORLD consumes over 10 billion bananas a year which creates an awful lot of banana peels. A tiny fraction will be used for the age old practical joke, with the rest clogging up our landfill sites.

The next time you finish a banana, try recycling the peel in one of these creative ways: 1. REMOVE ANNOYING SPLINTERS The amount of time most people spend cutting, digging and scraping the skin around a splinter causes more frustration than the pain and irritation of the splinter itself.

Incredibly, the enzymes on the inside of the banana peel work wonders on human skin, opening the pores and making it smootherSimply tape or hold a section of fresh banana peel over the affected area for a couple of minutes and you should find that when you apply pressure behind the splinter, it just pops straight out without a pair of tweezers in sight. Make sure that your banana skin is fresh (used within the last few hours) as once the inside of the peel is open to fresh air, the enzymes quickly start to lose their effectiveness.

The best way to test is to run your finger up the inside of the peel. If it feels wet, you’re good to go 2. SOOTHE AND REDUCE ACNE Acne can become so severe that it can ruin a person’s self confidence in their body image and make it hard for them to interact with others. For the large majority of teenagers, the onset of puberty makes dealing with acne a daily problem and one that can quickly become expensive when you start buying chemical treatments.

Fortunately, mother nature has provided a natural soothing balm in the banana skin and again it’s the enzymes on the inside of the skin that helps to open the pores in the skin.

Tight pores combined with an increase in skin oil production is what leads to blackheads and acne in the first place, so if your pores are open, the oil can be released easily. You’ll need to keep your skin really clean during your banana peel regi-

men as having open pores also allows dirt in which can cause a different set of skin problems.

3. FERTILISE YOUR GARDEN There is an age old myth that you should put bananas in your compost bin as they don’t biodegrade quick enough to be usable during planting season.

Whilst the rise in demand for the “perfect” yellow banana has caused more plantations to cover their fruit in preservatives and colourings, the Fairtrade movement has reduced this chemical overload, giving you the freedom to recycle your banana peels into your garden.

Once they’re in the compost bin or soil, the naturally high levels of potassium and phosphorus found in the skin are excellent biodegrading agents for other natural items. You only have to look at the other fruit in the fruit bowl when you leave them next to a banana for too long to see how banana skins speed up the metabolic process. You can also skip the compost bin altogether and put chopped up bits of banana peel directly into the soil.

4. MAKE YOUR TEETH SPARKLE Billions gets spent each year across the globe on teeth whitening products and operations as everyone goes in search of that Hollywood smile. You can, of course, keep your teeth whiter through a process of regular cleaning with whitening toothpaste and avoiding food and drink that stain such as coffee and red wine. However, you can save time, money and chemicals by using the inside of your banana peels to brighten up your smile.A quick note should be made that using a banana peel is and never will be a substitute for brushing them with toothpaste, but rubbing the inside of the skin on the surface of your teeth before brushing them will give you whiter enamel in just two weeks. Only use the peel once (you could put it in the compost bin when you’re done) as any harmful plaque will stay on it, nullifying the effect of the peel.

5. MAKE SHOES SHINE Bright shining shoes are

often a measure of success in business, and most people have a range of leather care products that they’ll use over the weekend to get their shoes ready for the grind of Monday morning.

Most shoe shining products simply mask the visible signs of wear and tear that comes with wearing the same shoes day in day out around the office.

However, the enzymes on the inside of a banana peel actually go some way to repair the fabric of the shoes from the inside. They react with the lower layers, filling in the gaps that make your shoes look scruffy which in turn means you can turn the top layer into a shiny sheen. For this operation, use banana peels that are around a day old, as if the skin is too slick on the inside, you’ll end up with slimy shoes that have a faint whiff of banana.

6.HEAL BRUISES FASTER Bruises are one of the very few areas that modern medicine have left well alone in terms of treatment. In part this is due to their non-fatal nature and the fact that the body has its own healing mechanisms that take care of the problem in a few days. There are also plenty of effective herbal remedies, such as arnica, which do a better job than any pill.

For larger bruises, however, regular application of the outside of an old banana peel will speed up the healing process.

Any bruises larger than a saucer will heal from the outside in, meaning the centre will take a few weeks to recover. The enzymes in the banana peel speed up the skin’s recovery process by boosting the metabolism of your skin cells that aren’t receiving enough blood as they’re being blocked by the edge of the bruise. Just be sure to leave the banana skin on for at least 10 minutes twice a day.

7. ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES TO YOUR GARDEN The final way to get a second life from a banana peel is to use their natural fragrance to attract more insects and butterflies to your garden. The sugars in the banana skin create a heady aroma and send out the message that your garden will be a fruitful source of pollen and food for flying creatures.

For this reason, you should hang the skins around the borders of your garden to spread the scent as far as possible.Of course, banana skins degrade and become unsightly after around a week, shorter if they were already on the turn when you ate them, so you should keep a ready supply to switch out. In terms of the aesthetics of your garden, you can either have them on proud display as a colour boost or hide them behind sheds, benches and long leaf plants so you can focus on the colourful butterflies coming in.

CHRISTMAS DINNER ALL MONTH

PUBS and restaurants have revealed that it isn’t just the 25th of December when Brits are tucking into their Christmas dinner, as company figures shows the number of bookings made throughout December to have tripled in recent years.

Statistics revealed the number of meals sold in the first two weeks of December has tripled from around 90,000 back in 2012 to a turkey-gobbling 272,000 last year.

This should come as no surprise however as, in a recent consumer survey, 65% of consumers said that they would be having more than two Christmas dinners throughout December - with 7% revealing they’d be enjoying five or more.

Juggling work-dos, nights out and family time, it’s easy to see how we are dining out

more and more in the run up to Christmas. For instance, 82% of people are expecting to celebrate with family and 64% of us look forward to this the most. Celebrating with friends (30%) along with the office party (20%) were also high on the list and interestingly, just over 10% of us actually look forward to work parties the least.

Travel is another reason people are choosing to eat out. On a whole, 75% of us will travel less than five miles as we look to celebrate close to home.

“Whether you’re entertaining friends and relatives, travelling to see family, or even having to work over the festive period, Christmas is rarely stress free. Whilst carving the turkey on the 25th is seen as tradition, our survey shows

that in actual fact, more of us are having more than one Christmas dinner as a result of catching up with friends and relatives at their local and even as part of a Christmas shopping trip when taking a break.

“One of the reasons for this is the simple convenience of eating out. Not having to worry about cooking means that people have one less thing to think about – making the prospect of having Christmas dinner out much more appealing.”

Other stats revealed that Scottish families will be entertaining the most guests on Christmas Day, with 14% of those asked accommodating for 15 guests or more. And if you’re not tucking in to turkey, 37% of us would choose steak as an alternative.

CURRY HEAT MAP OF THE UK

IT SEEMS that some like it hot doesn’t apply to Glaswegians!

Eating painfully hot curries has become one of the great British past-times.

While most of us like to enjoy the complex flavours of Indian cuisine, others like nothing more than punishing themselves with chilli-packed dishes.

Now, a ‘heat map’ of the UK has determined who are the worst offenders (or spice champions, depending on how you look at it).

According to the study,Glaswegians prefer milder while southerners prefer the hottest curries – with Kent and Essex folk enjoying it the spiciest.

Although a few Northern outposts – such as Lancashire and Manchester – typically prefer hotter curries, overall it’s southerners who want the hottest dishes.

People in Scotland prefer a very mild curry as do those in NI and Wales, while Midlanders enjoy a medium chilli heat in their curry.

The research collated the findings using five years of research of tweets containing names of curries and assigned a heat rating to each location

based on the dishes mentioned.

Hari Ghotra, chef and founder of Harighotra.co.uk, said: “It’s exciting to see the cross-section of consumers who love spicy curries and to reveal some interesting trends across the UK

through my curry heat map.

“I created my curry kits to help Brits cook easy and authentic curries so knowing the heat range across the UK means I have developed something to suit all tastes.”

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USING FESTIVE LEFTOVERS

People in Scotland are set to throw away over 50,000 tonnes of food and drink throughout the month of December, including 280,000 turkeys, 240,000 Christmas puddings and 3.5 million mince pies.

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead – who recently announced his intention to introduce a formal food waste reduction target for Scotland – has teamed up with Scottish celebrity chef Tony Singh to urge people to plan ahead, resist the temptation to over-buy and help to cut the amount of food they throw away over the festive period.

The advice came as part of European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR, 21 – 29 November), which encourages people throughout Europe – including public authorities, private companies and the general public – to arrange activities which promote the importance of reducing waste. In Scotland, over 100 EWWR events have been scheduled, demonstrating the crucial role that waste reduction plays in reducing carbon emissions and boosting the economy.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “In October, I announced the very encouraging news that since 2009, avoidable food waste in Scotland had dropped by almost eight per cent, representing an annual saving of around £92 million for households throughout the country. There’s so much more to be done, however, particularly during the festive period – when we’ve previously seen a spike in food waste figures as people admit to throwing away more food at this time of year than any other.

“Planning ahead for the party season is easy to do. It’s crucial that we all play our part to reduce food waste and appreciate the very significant environmental and economic impact it has. Tony Singh is widely recognised as one of the country’s top chefs, and I know he shares my passion in terms of helping Scotland to work towards becoming a zero waste society. He is a fantastic ambassador for Scotland and I’m delighted that we’re able to make the most of his expertise as a seasoned chef and restaurateur during European Week for Waste Reduction.”

Tony Singh – perhaps best known for his many appearances on the BBC’s Great British Menu, as well as one half of the duo The Two Incredible Spice Men with fellow chef Cyrus Todiwala - has partnered with Scottish Government-funded organisation, Zero Waste Scotland, to provide his top five tips for planning ahead effectively, during the party season: Tony’s tip 1.

“You can keep waste to an absolute minimum when cooking Christmas dinner – as well as avoid putting people off their dessert – by calculating and controlling portion size. Do a few simple calculations based on your Christmas Day guest numbers.

In the restaurant trade, we create recipes around a basic adult or child size portion. You can do this by applying a simple formula of 140g turkey (100g for a child), two tablespoons of carrots (one for a child), two florets of cauliflower (one for a child), four brussels sprouts and one parsnip (1/2 for a child), to each portion. Multiply that quantity by the number of guests you’re entertaining and you will be able to accurately work out your requirements and

therefore cut down on your food waste very easily. The key thing to remember is don’t be tempted to overload your guests’ plates.

Being presented with much food can be off-putting and can end up wasted – it’s far better to allow people to ask for more if they want it.”

Tony’s tip # 2.

“Don’t worry if you overestimate slightly and make a bit too much on Christmas Day itself.

You can continue to plan ahead for the days following Christmas by keeping your festive leftovers aside to make some very quick, easy and healthy recipes that I’ve created exclusively for this campaign. Let’s face it - no one can really be bothered cooking on Boxing Day and, in any case, people are usually looking for something a bit lighter. My noodle & turkey broth, healthy veggie & tomato curry or turkey and slaw baguette are the perfect day-after antidote to a heavy Christmas dinner!”

Tony’s tip # 3.

“Only attempt a Christmas shop if you’re first of all armed with a very specific shopping list, based on your pre-calculations.

That way, if you’re tempted by one or two additional special offers, they’re less likely to go to waste since you’re not buying an excess of the other essentials. Remember to check your cupboards first too, as you may already have a lot of the ingredients you need. It goes without saying that you should check the use-by dates on fresh items, and buy the freshest you can find on the shelves, usually stocked towards the back. Make a conscious decision not to get sucked in by the glossy advertising, marketing and special offers around Christmas time. Stay focused and only buy what you

need on your list.”

Tony’s tip # 4.

“Think ahead about your guests’ preferences. If you know you don’t have any Christmas pudding fans, don’t buy any! Instead, base your dessert choices around the things you know your guests will enjoy, and if you don’t know, ask! Be creative – perhaps a chocolate yule log or a simple trifle would be better-received, and again, calculate the quantity needed by multiplying the number of portions by the number of guests.

Leftover cheese needn’t be wasted either – it freezes very well and can be kept frozen until you need it later, perhaps at New Year.”

Tony’s tip # 5.

“Think like a professional chef, save time and reduce the hassle on Christmas Day by preparing as much in advance as possible. By washing, chopping, bagging and freezing your veg in advance – such as sprouts and carrots – you can save a lot of time and they will retain the same nutritional val-

ue as if you prepared them from fresh.”

Tony’s tip # 6.

“Buy local produce wherever possible – it’s a good idea to place an advance order with your local grocer or butcher for exactly what you need by a specific time, so that you’re not tempted by last-minute bargains during a panic-stricken trip to the shops, which may otherwise end up wasted. And don’t throw out your leftover mince pies – check the use-by date, and if you know you’re not going to eat them, save them and take them into work for your sweet-toothed colleagues post-New Year!”

Tony Singh commented: “It’s great to be working with the Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland on this fun and festive food waste reduction campaign – and I’m delighted to have provided some festive leftover recipes to keep the cooks inspired after the big day.

“I hope that by sharing some of the experience I’ve gained in

over 25 years of working in the restaurant trade, I can really help people to reduce their food waste at Christmas, as well as to save a considerable chunk off their festive food bill.

By shopping smarter and planning meals better, everyone in Scotland can save money and help the environment – not just at Christmas, but throughout the year. The invaluable advice that Tony has provided is something we should all consider whenever we go shopping for food.

“Zero Waste Scotland delivers the Love Food Hate Waste campaign in Scotland, which offers a range of recipes, advice and tips to help families save an average of around £470 per year.

For the post-Christmas feast leftovers, Tony has created a set of exclusive lighter, healthy and delicious recipes to re-energise revellers, which make the most of ingredients like roast turkey and vegetables.

1.

Egg Noodle and Turkey Broth This is such a simple but delicious recipe, and can be done with any type of leftover meat you have.

You can either make the stock yourself, or just use a stock cube on its own. Either way it’s an absolute winner with the kids, who unwittingly wolf down the leftover sprouts in this great winter warmer.

For the stock: Ingredients Leftover roast turkey bones – pick off as much meat as you can and chop or break up the carcass as small as you can Vegetables – just use whatever raw veggies you have, such as one large onion, one large carrot and a stick of celery 1 stock cube – veggie, chicken or beef Method Select a pan large enough to accommodate both the bones and the vegetables and add the stock cube.

Fill the pan with just enough cold water to cover the bones and veg. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for an hour, but if you can

do two, that’s better.

Strain and use in the broth below, or freeze and use from frozen whenever needed.

For the soup: Ingredients Leftover roast turkey stock (as above) 2 tsp garlic puree 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 pepper, quartered and thinly sliced 140g medium egg noodles Leftover turkey meat, shredded Leftover Christmas veggies – especially the sprouts 1 bunch spring onions, sliced 1 small bunch of coriander, chopped Soy sauce to taste Chilli oil to taste, recipe below.

(You can also buy it in supermarkets – it’s a great store cupboard ally and helps make any leftovers taste great) Method Bring the stock to the boil and throw in the aromatics – the onion, garlic and ginger.

Simmer together for four minutes, then add the noodles and

simmer for a further three minutes. Stir in the leftover turkey and veg, then simmer for another two minutes.

Season with chilli oil and soy sauce to taste.

To serve, ladle into bowls, scatter the spring onion and coriander on top and drizzle with a little chilli oil as desired.

2. Chilli Oil Ingredients 100g chilli flakes 20g Szechuan peppercorns, crushed 200ml rapeseed oil Sea salt Method Place oil in a deep, medium pan.

Place the pan on a high heat for about four mins. Check if it’s hot enough by dropping in a couple of flakes – if the oil is ready, the chilli should sizzle.

Take the pan off the heat and add the other ingredients. Stir well, pop a lid on and leave to one side for about an hour.

Use when cool – the flavour will develop and deepen over time.

3.

Leftover Turkey-filled Bánh mì.

A super tasty Vietnamese street

food-inspired baguette with homemade slaw, stuffed full of delicious roast turkey. You can use any type of bread you have handy – a well fired morning roll also works well!

Ingredients 2 small baguettes Leftover pâté from your Christmas feast (don’t worry if you don’t have any) 3 inch piece of peeled & de-seeded cucumber, thinly sliced 2 big handfuls leftover turkey – a mix brown and white meat, shredded Butter (for spreading) Mayonnaise - enough to mix to your taste 1 chilli, chopped Fresh mint (small bunch), chopped Fresh coriander (small bunch), chopped – including the stalks Salt & freshly ground pepper For the slaw 1 chilli (with seeds), chopped 2 small carrots, coarsely grated 150g white cabbage, thinly sliced 150g red, white or spring onion, finely sliced 2 inch piece of ginger, grated 1 tbsp vinegar (any type)

1 tsp sugar (adjust to taste) Juice of 2 limes ½ tsp fish sauce (adjust to taste) Method To make the slaw, mix the carrots, cabbage and onion into a bowl.

In another bowl, mix the ginger, vinegar, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce together with the chilli and taste it - you’re looking for a balance of hot, sweet, sour and salty.

Pour the sauce on to the vegetables and toss together. Set aside.

Meanwhile mix the leftover turkey in a bowl with mayonnaise, chopped chilli, salt and pepper.

Halve the baguettes lengthways, then spread the butter followed by a generous layer of pâté over the bottom half. Top with the slaw, cucumber and turkey mixture, then sprinkle over the mint and coriander leaves. Serve.

4.

Mixed Leftover Veg and Tomato Curry Ingredients 2 large onions, sliced 1 tin chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato puree 3 tbsp rapeseed oil ½ tsp cumin seeds

2 tsps garlic puree 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled & finely chopped – or you can use pureed ginger ¼ tsp turmeric 1 tsp chilli powder 1 ½ tsps ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala Salt to taste 1 pint water Method Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add cumin seeds – as soon as they begin to change colour, add onions and sauté until well-browned.

Add garlic paste and ginger paste and continue sautéing. Add turmeric and mix. Add tomatoes and stir. Add tomato puree and salt.

Mix and add chilli, coriander, garam masala. Sauté on a medium heat till oil begins to separate.

Add the water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes to allow the mixture to reduce a little.

Keep an eye on the mixture to ensure it doesn’t burn, stirring once in a while. The, add all the leftover veggies, bring back to the boil and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with rice.

GENN

GENN TRAVEL

Edinburgh’s winter festivals FAMOUS the world over for its hilltop castle, cultural festivals and Hogmanay street party, Edinburgh provides a magical backdrop for Christmas shopping, nights out and exceptional winter events.

Things to do Running now - 4 January, Edinburgh’s Christmas offers no shortage of things to see and do this winter. Enjoy panoramic views of the capital from the top of the Big Wheel,

spin around on the charming carousel in East Princes Street Gardens or brave a twirl on the 60-metre-high Star Flyer, in St Andrew Square.

Younger kids will love Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens, a festive fairground with six fun rides and a children’s market full of gifts and toys.

Try to find the Elves’ Workshop hidden in the Christmas Tree Maze, or visit Santa’s Grotto to meet the man himself!

The Ice Rink in Princes Street Gardens is another highlight for kids and adults alike. St Andrew Square will be hosting the oval Ice Rink again, looping around the Melville Monument - hire a pair of skates and spin across the ice behind a gorgeous backdrop of the glittering city.

Christmas markets Don’t miss the festive markets in the city centre, a popular highlight of Edinburgh’s Christ-

Christmas in Glasgow FROM ice skating and outdoor markets to festive gigs and pantomimes, here are ways to get the most out of Glasgow’s Christmas spirit Sourcing a special, unique gift for your loved one can be a bit of a hassle - there are only so many scented gift sets and flowers your mum will accept, you know? Before resorting to

the old, unimaginative standards, have a glance round Glasgow Christmas fairs and markets - you might find just the thing you didn’t know you were looking for. One to try Riverside Christmas Fair A festive bonanza right on the river A full-on festive bonanza, with free fairground rides, a

Victorian craft market, creative workshops for kids, a Santa’s Grotto aboard the Tall Ship and WWI-era performers adding a historic air to proceedings. 5TH and 6TH Dec and its FREE Glasgow Christmas Market Food, festive booze and gifts galore Traditional Christmas mar-

mas. Enjoy delicious food and drink and traditional crafts at the Scottish Market in St Andrew Square, pick up unique gifts and goods at the European Market in the Mound Precinct, or choose presents for the wee ones in the Children’s Market, part of Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens.

Shopping Whether you’re looking for high-tech gadgets from leading department stores or a designer outfit from the boutiques in Multrees Walk, you’ll find that Edinburgh’s city centre is a great place for shopping. You can also take time to search for the perfect gift thanks to ex-

ket where you can pick up a smorgasbord of tasty British and European foodstuffs as well as assorted gifts.

Catch your favourite festive film in Glasgow cinema this Christmas It’s a Wonderful Life The only Yuletide favourite to pivot around an attempted suicide, Capra’s post-war fable is a fascinating melange of social and personal impulses and the questionable charms of home.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ puts individual and group interests in tension. Denied the opportunities for individualist enterprise that are the stock in trade of American cinematic heroism, George is pulled towards communal effort and self-effacement. Yet the film’s bravura fantasy sequence, imagining the hellishly licentious Bedford Falls that would exist without George, makes the grandest possible case for the importance and uniqueness of individual agency – ‘Battleship Potemkin’ this ain’t.

Funny, compelling and moving.

Screening at: Glasgow Film Theatre, Fri Dec 11-Thu Dec 24 Grosvenor Cinema, Fri Dec 11-Thu Dec 24 Odeon Braehead, Tue Dec 15 Glasgow University Chapel, Fri Dec 18

tended festive opening hours, with many stores opening until 8pm or later.

You’ll also find several retail centres just outside Edinburgh where you can pick up toys, clothes and other gifts. At Ocean Terminal in Leith you can enjoy Christmas shopping with a relaxing range of restaurants and cafes, and a trip around one of the city’s top attractions, The Royal Yacht Britannia. Why not make a day of it, or even enjoy a city break in the capital?

Events Browse the shows and events for all ages as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas, a fantastic winter events programme running until 4 January, and of course, no winter in Edinburgh is complete without Hogmanay!

This year’s programme includes the Torchlight Procession through Edinburgh’s

23

Old Town on 30 December, followed by the famous street party, a ceilidh, a concert in Princes Street Gardens and a spectacular fireworks display on 31 December. Book now to begin planning your unforgettable New Year in Scotland.

Shows Edinburgh is brimming with festive performances to enjoy, including including pantomimes such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at The King’s Theatre from 28 November to 17 January and the Scottish Ballet’s Cinderella at The Festival Theatre from 5 December – 31 December.

Children will love the fantastic adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe this year at The Royal Lyceum Theatre from 28 November – 3 January or Julia Donaldson’s The Stick Man in the Spiegeltent in St Andrew’s Square from 20 November – 29 December.

Other outdoor ice rinks in Scotland YOU can take to the ice this holiday season with outdoor rinks across the country offering alfresco fun and a chance to burn off a few turkey and mince pie calories.

Princes Street Gardens Ice Rink The Princes Street Gardens Ice Rink has become a Christmas tradition in the city, with the stunning location beneath the castle hard to beat for setting the Christmas tone.

Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, 20 Nov–4 Jan 2015, 10am–9.30pm

ket are also in the square.

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, 20 Nov–4 Jan 2016, 10am–9.45p

St Andrew Square Ice Rink Returning for a second year, the St Andrew Square Ice Rink is a welcome addition to Edinburgh’s Christmas festivities.

The oval rink circles the Melville Monument, and there’s a fully stocked bar at one end to keep you hydrated. If you’re not exhausted afterwards, the Spiegeltent and Scottish Mar-

M&D’s On Ice Get your skates on at the theme park’s open air ice rink.

Spectators can enjoy festive food and keep toasty at the fire pit. To really confuse the senses, visit Scotland’s only indoor tropical rainforest afterwards.

M&D’s, Motherwell, 20 Nov–14 Feb 2016, 12pm–7pm

Aberdeen Christmas Village Ice Rink Aberdeen’s outdoor Christmas ice rink is returning to the centrally located Union Terrace Gardens. There’s also a German style market, funfair rides and an entertainment marquee showcasing North-East bands and comedians.

Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen, 26 Nov–3 Jan 2016.

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GENN

HERCULES THE BEAR

Imagine what life would be like if you shared your home with a 9-foottall, 70-stone grizzly bear? Well Maggie Robin knows, she and her husband lived with one for 25 years and loved him as their son. Her new book Hercules The Bear tells the life story of Britain’s favourite ‘big softy’ Herc, the bear that stole the nation’s hearts, met Margaret Thatcher, was named “Personality of the Year” by the Scottish Tourist Board, drank a lot of beer and became part of folklore history forever.

Show Jumping champi-

on Maggie and her professional wrestler husband ‘Grizzly’ Andy Robin bought the 9 month old cub from a Scottish zoo for £50 in 1976 with the dream of domesticating and living alongside ‘the fiercest animal in the New World’, a feat that no one thought possible. Against the odds the couple succeeded and initially trained Herc to fulfil the role of a unique sparring partner for wrestling champ Andy. But word of a domesticated grizzly soon spread and Hercules fast rose to become an international sensation, starring in adverts for Kleenex and Hofmeister Beer, appearing in James Bond’s Octopussy, as well as various chat shows and documentaries.

From his days wrestling in the ring, to the media frenzy whipped up in 1980 when Herc went missing for 24 days, the travels to the USA in their specially adapted tour bus, to everyday life at home in Sheriffmuir near

Dunblane, Maggie Robin recounts the life story of her beloved ‘son’ and the highs and lows of their truly unique family life.

Telling of how Maggie lovingly nursed Herc back to health after a near-crippling spinal injury, his death in 2001 and his emotional reburial in July this year, this book is a one of a kind entry into the animal memoir genre possessing anemotional core and riveting story that will appeal to animal lovers everywhere.

About the author Maggie Robin, is a former Scottish Ladies show-jumping champion, who alongside her British Commonwealth wresting champ husband Andy, lived for 25 years. with their ‘son’ Hercules, a 9-foot-tall, 70-stone grizzly bear.

Maggie wanted to write this book to honour the life of Hercules. Maggie now owns and runs a clothing boutique, called Bear Necessities, and lives with husband Andy near Perth, Scotland.

744,000 drivers say they will be over the limit when they drive this Christmas

A HUGE 744,000 drivers think that they will be over the legal alcohol limit when they get behind the wheel this festive season according to shocking research.

Of the 2,000 drivers questioned, 10% said that they would be having at least one alcoholic drink per night out over the festive period with nearly a fifth (18%) admitting to thinking that they would be over the legal drink drive limit when they take to the roads.

Despite years of widespread anti drink driving campaigning, the main reason these people are planning to do this is because they believe ‘that it won’t harm anyone’ (31%). A fifth (20%) admit to drink driving being something that they have done before. Nearly half (49%) of drivers who are having at least one drink will be carrying passengers, and are most likely to have their partners and children in the car.

Drivers who plan to drink drive seem to be in denial about the consequences of their actions on the public and themselves if they are caught.

According to the DVLA, those caught driving or attempting

to drive whilst over the legal limit or unfit through drink can receive: 6 months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years).

Despite this, 80% of those who believe they will be over the drink drive limit when they drive, rely on their car for work – either to get to/from or actually use for work purposes.

The findings have also revealed that driver’s attitudes about driving the day after a heavy night out isn’t much better. Nearly half (48%) of drivers don’t believe that they would be under legal alcohol limits to drive after a festive night out. Shockingly, however, over a quarter (26%) are driving around within a few hours of waking up after a night out.

More Welsh drivers (27%) expect to be over the limit behind the wheel this Christmas than in any other region. This is followed by drivers in London (24%), the South East (23%), the West Midlands (23%) and the South West (17%). 16% of drivers also expect to take to the roads under the influence in Yorkshire and Scotland, 13% in the North West and 8% in the East Midlands.

The research has also revealed that residential streets will be mostly used (45%) by drivers who plan to have at least one drink over the festive

period to get home. On average, drivers will travel five miles to get home after a festive get-together.

A third of drivers (33%) try to lessen the effects of alcohol by reaching for food before they drive. However as the Drink Aware website states: “Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive so the only safe advice is to avoid any alcohol if you are driving.

Rather than trying to lessen the effects of alcohol, The Coop Insurance is urging people to designate a driver over the festive period to try to lessen the risks on the roads.

The fact that over 740,000 drivers believe that they are going to be over the limit when they drive this Christmas is not only shocking but inexcusable.

The effect of drink driving is far reaching and can have devastating consequences for the drivers themselves, their passengers, other road users and their communities.

Over a tenth (11%) of people argue about who will drive over the Christmas period with the job often falling to Mum (17%) or Dad (19%).

Whilst many designated drivers (24%) are indifferent to their alcohol fuelled passengers it does seem happiness could be contagious with 18% of designated drivers feeling happy to be ferrying people home. That said, one in ten (11%) designated drivers get annoyed at their passengers, whilst 9% say they feel like they don’t want to drink again because of their merry passengers.

WORDS NOT TO USE AROUND KIDS

AS we all know kids are very impressionable and the words we use can be a lot more powerful than we think.

Here is a list of words that I personally believe should never be used with your children if you want to help them grow up to be confident, happy adults.

1) Fat There is enough in the media and social networks that cause people to look down on themself and not feel good enough.

Children should not be exposed to things that can lower their self esteem.

This includes using the word fat in regards to yourself. Sentences such as “Ugh, I’m feeling really fat today” or “Do these pants make me look fat?” can have quite an impact on children and can put an unnecessary focus on the outward appearance.

2) Can’t Putting boundaries on children around their abilities is never a good idea. There is going to be enough in the big wide world that cause a child to question themselves.

This should not come from us. We should be the people that teach our children than anything is possible.

The word “can’t” creates limita-

tions and is often used so frequently and usually not even in the right context. “Can’t” is actually a word that means unable, as in physically or mentally. Such as “you cannot fly.”

However it is often used so often by parents in the setting of boundaries such as “you can’t play in the mud.”

This is actually incorrect as physically the child is quite capable of playing in the mud. If you are setting a boundary try using “You are not allowed” or “You may not”.

3) Bad This word should not be used in relation to your child ever.

Telling a child they are bad can have a serious impact in their view of themself and will in fact have an influence on future behaviour.

If they are doing something you don’t like, try explaining to them that the behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, not that they are bad.

In relation to food “bad” is also a ative results. Calling a child “Smart” word that should be avoided. Label- or “gifted” has been shown to cause ling foods as “bad” or “good” can more harm than good. Why? Because also lead to eating disorders down once a child thinks they are “gifted” the track as children should instead they link this to their self esteem and be taught moderation and what is studies have shown that these chilhealthy, rather that foods being “bad” dren are less likely to put in a lot of which can cause guilt and other iseffort to a task – why should they? sues around eating.

They are already smart.

4) Hate They also tend to take less risks, I have never liked the word “hate”. can become unteachable – they alNeither did my mother. ready know it all and they undermine It is such a strong word and once the value of learning. in the vocabulary it is often lumped Overall, there is huge power in to so many things… foods, activities, words and we as parents, grandparweather even people. Allowing our ents, carers etc need to think carechildren to use it can lead to other fully before letting them escape our negative words and can increase feellips, especially in the presence of our ings such as anger and discontent. children.

5) Smart or gifted Words need to uplift and encourage Although these both sound like but not be unrealistic or “labelling” great words they can have a bigger impact Across on your 1. Lovers 4. Asylum 9. Rifle 10. Radar 11. Dress 12. Magnets 13. Yields child than 15. Person 19. Fiddles 21. Gamut 23. Alarm 24. Drier 25. Tremor you think.

26. Shriek Any kind Down of labelling 1. Laundry 2. Verse 3. Refused 5. Shrug 6. Ladders 7. Marks 8. Beams can bring 14. Endgame 16. English 17. Network 18. Aside 19. Feast 20. Limbo about posi22. Merci tive or neg-

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

25

GENN

Music

With Mark Johnson

GIRLS AGAINST GROPING AT GIGS

IMAGINE going to see one of your favourite bands, you are enjoying yourself and then you start being ‘ groped’ or sexually assaulted, as it should be called.

Sadly, this is a real life experience for hundreds of concert goers all over the country. In a large crowd with limited security this practice has been widespread but never really talked about in the media until now.

Following a groping experience at a Peace concert in September, Glasgow teenager Hannah Cammileri took to Twitter to share her experience, where the Harry Koiser of Peace picked up on it, commenting “If this happens at a peace show tell me or security asap. If you think this is ok then please I beg you do not come” This led to the formation of the Girls Against Gig

Groping, founded by Hannah and four other teenagers, Anni, Anna, Ava and Bea, to raise awareness of, and ultimately end, sexual harassment at gigs and concerts.

Talking about starting the group Hannah commented “We decided to start it because we were so fed up and thought something had to be done. My story received quite a bit of attention on twitter so we knew that it was probably worthwhile.”

Continuing, she expanded on their purpose: “Our primary goals are to provide a safe space for people to discuss what’s happened to them, sometimes we think it’s easier to talk about things like this when you can’t see the person’s face.”

Having had experiences of security at concerts being less than helpful Hannah explained “We would also like to see mandatory training for security companies on how to spot and deal with sexual harassment appropriately. Security becoming more approachable and easier to access is another thing we’d like to work on. Keeping a dialogue between us, bands,

25 YEARS OF SHOOGLENIFTY 2015 has been an epic year for Shooglenifty, a band formed 25 years ago in Edinburgh.

Retaining four of their original members plus their bass player of 12 years standing, the line up has been invigorated in the past year by fiery young mandolinist Ewan MacPherson who contributes four tunes to their critically acclaimed new CD release The Untied Knot. Also new in 2015 is ‘puirt a beul’ vocalist Kaela Rowan who graces the album with the first ever collection of Shoogle songs.

Shooglenifty’s sound springs from traditional Scottish dance music, energised by the beats and bass line of something altogether more contemporary. It is not a sit-down kind of music, it’s a join-in, and get on your feet kind of vibe. Attempts to describe this almost uncatagorisable band include: ‘dub-diddly’,‘hypno-folkadelic-ambient-trad’ and ‘Acid-Croft’. Whatever it is, it has endured, evolved and, above all, entertained for quarter of a century.

The band are most at home playing live, and matching the excitement of releasing the new album, 2015 has been a year of

very special gigs. They enjoyed not one, but three(!) 25th Anniversary Parties – they sold out the city’s iconic Old Fruitmarket venue at Celtic Connections in January, they blew the roof off a packed Glenuig Hall in April, and, in May, celebrated at a late

venues, and security is something really important to us.”

Having bands on board with the campaign is hugely important. If members of bands raise the issue and ask their fans not to do it, then the message will eventually get through to the sexual predators among concert crowds with Hannah commenting “Gaining the support of bands and the media has been really great and makes us feel like we’re actually making a change.”

Girls Against have also been raising awareness by selling badges outside of and around concerts across the country as well as a solid presence in the media.

Hannah explained the extent of their media exposure recently: “ So much awareness is being raised - we were recently on BBC breakfast, which is quite exciting. After an interview with Newsbeat about the issue ShowSec have said something that we’re not content with. We want something real to be done but so far that’s the only real setback we’ve had.

We’re in the process of contacting venues and festivals across the country at the mo-

ment. We’ve been featured in DIY, NME, the BBC and Teen Vogue.”

With a twitter following of almost nine thousand already, in barely two months the organisation has been going from strength to strength.

Reflecting on the success of what they’ve achieved already Hannah is looking at the future and what their plans are commenting “Just to continue what we’re doing! It’s a slow process because we’ve also got to juggle our school work alongside it but at the mo-

ment we’re managing it quite well. Eventually we’d like to take the campaign across more genres, to festivals, across the UK and then the world!”

Girls Against exist for all victims of sexual harassment, regardless of gender.

It’s important to remember men can be victims, trans people can be victims, and anyone else of any gender identity/expression.

For more information on Girls Against visit http:// girlsagainst.tumblr.com or find them on twitter @girlsagainst

WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF PRONTO MAMA

night album launch at La Belle Angele, Edinburgh, scene of their first residency in the early 90s.

Shooglenifty play Stereo Glasgow on Friday 18 December 2015 for more information and tickets visit shooglenifty.com

EAST end favourites Pronto Mama hold their biggest headline show to date at the East End’s newest venue on Friday 5th December.

The six piece pop/soul/proggers will take to the stage at former church St. Luke’s supported by Edinburgh’s Bwani Junction and Redolent and Glasgow singer songwriter Mark McGowan.

Ciaran McEneny, keyboards and vocals said: “This is our biggest headline show to date, so it’s going to be a pretty special occasion.”

With rumours of something special going around, this is sure to be a show not to miss.

For more information and tickets visit https:// www.musicglue.com/instinctive-racoon/ events/4-dec-15-pronto-mama-saint-lukes/

26

Your Horoscope Predictions

By Eris

Aries

(21 March - 20 April)

Libra

(24 Sep - 23 Oct)

Venus and Mars are both linked with human relationships. The former pertains to romantic love, the latter ensures passion and in the right circumstances, a sexual attraction.

Both together in your partnership zone this week, these planets suggest some memorable encounters, although tricky contacts from Uranus and Pluto warn ongoing developments could be too hot to handle. There is bound to be an element of friction wherever you feel your freedom is compromised, although this might serve to enliven proceedings, rather than creating conflict.

This week your constellation soon becomes embroiled in a complicated and potentially stressful planetary pattern that isn’t of your own choosing.

Still, this doesn’t mean there are no positives set to come out of it, or that it won’t be a growth process either, if you are able to apply yourself. But you should still expect there to be moments when you feel locked into a set of circumstances, where it looks like whichever way you turn, there are going to be several minuses whatever you decide.

Taurus

Scorpio

(21 April - 21 May)

Say what you mean and mean what you say during the next few days. You are usually quite deliberate, as you approach every utterance in a carefully considered fashion, having thought through the subject matter first. But when you’re dealing with a topic that is embarrassing or unpleasant, it can be hard to get your sentiments over in a decorous and diplomatic fashion.

Rather than risk being unable to state your case honestly, you keep everything bottled up inside, until you reach a breaking point.

Gemini

(22 May - 21 June)

The full moon in your sign marks a point to reflect on the months since your birthday in particular. The Moon after all has no light of its own, but provides an outstanding mirror for the Sun’s rays. This makes it a more introspective period and a time to focus on your personal and private affairs, rather than pursuing temporal goals with their roots in external objectives.

Curiously though, by thinking over certain hurtful events in your distant past, you are able to establish a solid foundation that’ll help support a range of activities in future.

Cancer

(22 June - 23 July)

Interpersonal difficulties can be temporarily resolved by turning your back on them. Where folk are giving you a hard time, a pressing engagement or interest elsewhere provides you with the space and time you need to maintain an agreeable equilibrium, until everything calms down. Sounds great doesn’t it, only there will be occasions when you are clearly thwarting your own intentions, by walking away from a complex scenario that is crying out for your attention. There are moments when conflict and anger must be faced and are minimised this way.

Leo

(24 July - 23 Aug)

The planetary action is now taking place elsewhere. You cannot be entirely surprised, after how long your constellation has dominated proceedings. But much that is significant continues to occur, adding to your knowledge and experience, even if this no longer extends to a wider public notice or to your accustomed place in the spotlight like before.

Yet these ongoing developments are no less valuable or important as a result; except when it is applause and approbation you are after, as you’ll need to get used to a little less.

Virgo

(24 Aug - 23 Sep)

Probably you have already guessed, but even when you are surrounded by the best cosmic circumstances imaginable, there will always be moments when you need to think carefully about complicated issues that require you to address them. In fact, there is a school of thought that would suggest when things are going well, it is the moment to drag all your uncertainties out into the open and to make sure they are tackled under sympathetic skies. This is nonetheless a task you are best attending to yourself.

(24 Oct - 22 Nov)

While the emphasis on your financial interests continues, it is important to realise that money and your attitude towards it, are primarily a reflection of many deeper concerns and a set of priorities that may or may not influence, your economic circumstances. Your budgetary priorities and how much money you have in the bank, offer an insightful illustration of what you value, according to your spending habits and those criteria that impact on your outgoings. Look at your expenses and you can learn a lot about what matters most to you.

Sagittarius

(23 Nov - 21 Dec)

Capricorn

(22 Dec - 20 Jan)

A challenging link from Saturn to Neptune hasn’t witnessed exactitude since last century. On Thursday these planets make up for it, with a contact that repeats twice next year. Saturn defines a restrictive and sometimes harsh reality, while Neptune represents your ideal of how you’d want the world to be. Certainly money or the lack of it, is part of this equation. But just like the early days of the World Wide Web when bandwidth was the limiting factor, those keen to get their message over require creativity and ingenuity.

This week, you’re advised to tread carefully where all your closest relationships are concerned. This includes your romantic partner of course, but also anyone on a social or professional basis, who you need to deal with at an individual level. Some assertive energies presently incline you to lay down the law, or to become so wrapped up in your own way of doing things that it’s impossible to see an alternative. While normally you might be able to counterbalance this by putting yourself in the next person’s shoes, a rash move or ill-considered comment, could provoke an extremely emotional reaction, at or near the weekend.

Aquarius

(21 Jan - 19 Feb)

Your sign is called fixed, but it’s more complicated than that, as it is also the constellation linked with change.

Rebellion, revolution and progressive ideas all come under the governance of your region of the sky, yet your own opinions are quite enduring and once formed, resist updates and alterations.

Plus, there is the thorny matter of your conditioning; habits ingrained at an early age and imparted by those charged with raising you. These have been buried by the accumulated layers of your subsequent experiences, so it is almost like they are set in stone.

Pisces

(20 Feb - 20 Mar)

Neptune and Saturn form an exact right angle for the first time in sixteen years. These are powerful planets with ponderous orbits, so this contact is not something you’ll feel suddenly; rather its influence has been building for around a year. Similarly, it continues far beyond this week, on a lengthy timescale the themes of which you will need to address. From a personal perspective you are feeling pulled in different directions. On the one hand you are keen to finish what you’ve started where your professional interests are concerned.

GENN

Just a Thought

GET OFF AUTOPILOT

ARE you going through your days as if living on automatic pilot?

Have you slowly abandoned the dreams you cherished in your childhood in favor of earning that much-needed paycheck and living up to all of your adult responsibilities?

When you get home at the end of a long day, do you switch on the television or reach for the refrigerator door without thinking? After all, you deserve some reward for all the work you do! You need some consolation...

But sitting in front of the news or a string of sitcoms with ice cream or chips or soda isn’t truly satisfying, is it?

Perhaps you dream of locating your soul mate, someone you would feel totally in sync with, someone who would celebrate your many attractive qualities!

Perhaps you dream of learning Italian and traveling to Rome to delight in the romance of the ancient attractions...and a plate of pasta that is simply Italian Perhaps you dream of pursuing a creative passion, such as playing a musical instrument or writing a novel or painting a landscape, yet never dared because you were afraid of not doing it perfectly!

Maybe you just want “more”-as in more money, more friends, more choices and more time!

There I said it. You deserve more, plain and simple. I find myself constantly telling all

those around me “you deserve more.” So often we tend to settle for less than we deserve because it’s easy to get comfortable. And then there’s that famous quote from Perks of Being a Wallflower that says “We accept the love we think we deserve.”

Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel inferior.

You deserve more, and sometimes those three words are all you need to get yourself out a situation that doesn’t value or appreciate you. It’s easy to just settle and stay in a situation because it’s comfortable. It’s the fear of the unknown and letting go to the stability that make us stay in these situations. But there are far better things ahead than those we leave behind.

You will find new friends who support you, you will find a better job that values your talents, you will find a person who loves you, but that’s only possible when you let go of the things holding you back. You need to say goodbye to those things that don’t

deserve YOU. You are special, you are important, and you deserve more.

Figure out why you feel like you deserve nothing. It could be that you have made a mistake or you can’t let go of something wrong you did in the past. Perhaps it might even be that you wish you were someone else or you think you make too many wrong choices! Whatever it is, it’s what makes you and this means you need to accept yourself Concentrate on what makes you, including mistakes. Remember that no oneis perfect and that counts you as well. Each and every person has his/her own flaws even though he/she might seem perfect on the outside.

Even you might appear perfect to others - whether you realize it or not.

List the negative points about yourself and what you need to improve on, then continue onto the positive points, making sure to include each and every quality

Clearing the wood to see the trees

The Genn Crossword

of yourself that you can think of.

Linger on the positive points for a little while.

Know that you are wonderful the way you are, Get rid of all the negative energy in your life. There can be many different sources that this energy comes from: bullies, websites, bad friends, and maybe even yourself.

There also can be many different ways to stop these sources from letting this negative energy flow into you, such as saying one positive thing about yourself every morning Tell yourself that your life has value, and you deserve the very best. Start the morning by paying yourself a compliment and make it your goal to brighten someone’s day - anyone, even a stranger - by paying him/her a genuine compliment as well.

Write down on a piece of paper your goals and what you want. Hang it up somewhere where you will see it every day (ex: bathroom mirror). Read over it every morning and night, and look over it every time you need some encouragement and/or a reminder of what you want.

Every time you think to yourself that you don’t deserve anything, stop yourself in the middle of the thought. Immediately remind yourself five times that you do deserve something. Once this has been completed, quickly divert your thoughts to another channel that will lead you to pleasant, happy thoughts and a happy you.

CHECK FOR ANSWERS ON PAGE 24

Across

1. Venus de Milo versus some Valentine couples (6) 4. Find refuge in easy lumber (6) 9. Plunder with arms (5) 10. Palindrome instrument (5) 11. Decorate a garment (5) 12. Short publication catches attractions (7) 13. Replace pieces of land beginning of February with crops end of July (6) 15. For each child is individual (6) 19. Fidgets with musical instruments (7) 21. Complete range found in mega mutation (5) 23. Some warning given in ideal army (5) 24. More ironic machine (5) 25. Endlessly shake a woody plant, to a greater extent (6) 26. Disoriented hikers shout (6)

Down

1. Sounds like clean cut grass, not wet (7) 2. Serve a jumble of poetry (5) 3. Short umpire employed and turned down (7) 5. Some foolish rugged gesture (5) 6. Used with snakes for a game (7) 7. Replace an apple core in public places with a meal starter that makes the grade (5) 8. Supports rays (5) 14. Final stage could lead to checkmate (7) 16. Confused his glen with a language (7) 17. Communicate to catch employment (7) 18. A facet of speaking (5) 19. Find cafe astir, so wine and dine (5) 20. Dance, slim body essential (5) 22. Sounds like clemency in France, thanks (5)

GENN

Your News

27

editor@thegenn.co.uk

ACTOR VISITS QUARRYBRAE

QUARRYBRAE primary have been celebrating Scottish Book week. Activities included a special guest reading of the Scottish author Julia Donaldsons book “The Gruffallo” in Scots from actor Tam Dean Burn. Tam donated the £50 paid for the reading to Yorkhill Children’s Hospital.

Pupils have been reading a variety of Scottish books and poems throughout the week and took part in a “Strictly Scottish” competition with each class performing a Scottish poem, dance or song.

Primary one read, “The wee

rid motor” a poem by Sandy Thomas Ross while primary seven gave a fantastic performance singing about the battle of Killiecrankie. Pupils also got sporty by learning a variety of Scottish country dances and attempting a golfing assault course to recognise Scotland as the home of golf.

Pupils from Quarrybrae will also be taking part in the prestigious Bridgeton Burns Competition on Friday 4th of December where up to 700 children and young adults from 5 to 17 years old participate.

Guid luck tae Quarrybrae!

Send in your news story and pics to share to editor@thegenn.co.uk

28

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29

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Dr Don’s View

The column which cuts though the garnish WE appear to have had a week of political uncertainty among our elected leaders.

The Lords put the brakes on the Scottish Bill but let it through in the end whilst stating that they are neither convinced on the mathematics, nor how it is going to be implemented.

Nicola is now having her own hesitations on the impact and the responsibility of the new devolved income tax.

If she gets it wrong, Scotland will be far from ’stronger’, and it could turn out to be a poisoned chalice. How she will counterbalance the reduction in the £30b block grant Scotland will receive from Westminster will no doubt be revealed in her manifesto. That is if she doesn’t implement a veto on the whole devolution package as she is now threatening to do. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Meanwhile down in Westminster last week, we had another failure of the omnipotent 56 who were unable to prevent the renewal of Trident. Their only success, as I suspected, was one of causing discomfort to Jeremy Corbyn by providing an opportunity for Labour MPs to defy his instructions to abstain.

A small insignificant victory for the SNP, and of scant value.

Maybe they should pay a little more attention to the private affairs of their members now that they have two SNP MPs under police investigation for financial irregularities.

Down in the corridors of power there is consternation.

David is worried that he may be voted down again on the subject of airstrikes on Syria, and Mr Osborne has had to abandon his ill fated tax benefit cuts. Still, all is not lost,

Osborne has found £2b in his piggy bank for the SAS and security services, but at least he has had to recognise the need not to cut the Police budget.

What was he thinking about with that proposal? Our first line of defence against terrorism is the police. Not a good reflection on his planning when he had to announce two major U turns in one day. In fact, listening to the Chancellor presenting his autumn spending review, I thought I was listening to Santa Claus.

A red hat and a white beard was all that was missing as he lashed out funding left, right and centre. The way he led up to his U-turns was pitiful. He spent 15 minutes expounding incomprehensible figures and statistic s before announcing his ‘volte- face’. This wasn’t planned policy, this was described as policy ‘on the hoof’ by the ‘Times’ and designed to outmanoeuvre his critics and opponents, but is has backfired. He has been depicted in the media as a magician with a magic hat, but as with all politicians, judge them not by their words, or this case tricks, but by their deeds, and remember, this is the Chancellor who promised to have the deficit cleared by this year.

However, whatever we think of Mr Osborne, we cannot accuse him of not being far-sighted. He has also just placed an order for 138 stealth jet fighter planes. These will be the aircraft which will fly from our two new aircraft carriers presumably to contain the likes of Vladimir Putin, Kim Jung –un and the hotchpotch of ISIL terrorists who are daft enough to listen to the blathers of their Imams, who, I notice, never appear to blow themselves up. How-

ever, don’t hold your breath or start cheering, the first 24 planes won’t arrive till 2023. In total, the new defence budget will cost over £12b, but no stealth fighter jets or aircraft carriers are going to protect us from the home grown jihadists, radicalised in some local mosque by some hate filled Imam, and instructed to take a backpack filled with explosives onto a train or a bus. That’s the area our security people should be concentrating on, not some futuristic war equipment.

Of course, the £12b will have to come from somewhere, and the first casualty will be a reduction of the Frigate order on the Clyde which was declared sacrosanct by Cameron as part of his referendum vow. Yet another of his promises has gone by the board. I hope you are keeping tally on the election pledges list I advised you to keep on your fridge door. Keep your eye on Osborne as he claws back his apparent largesse with a collection of stealth taxes.

This austerity, which is just about to be more severe, has to be seen in the light it is. What we have is a frantic race against a time frame set by the Tories so that they can beat their chests and crow that that reduced the deficit by 2017. So what? Would it affect the lives of the public if we had to wait beyond 2017 to get into surplus? What we are being subjected to is simply a cost cutting exercise to gain political integrity for a single political party. So, let’s say Mr Osborne gets us back into surplus by 2017, big deal, but at what cost? Not a single Member of Parliament will feel the effects of the austerity

to get us there. They won’t be inconvenienced by the reductions in public services. They won’t be affected by the lack of housing; they can have two and have one paid for. They won’t be affected by tax rises, their salaries, benefits and pensions are index linked, and they won’t have to face losing their job for the next 5 years either. In the meanwhile, there are few benefits in this spending review for Mr and Mrs Joe Voter.

Mr Osborne also tells us that, at last, he is going to look closely at where our foreign aid is going. In my vanity, I’d like to think this change of heart has come about from someone sending him my piece from last week.

He now states that “change is needed to reassure the public that foreign aid is in the national interest”. Not before time!

Meanwhile, it has been decided to equip David Cameron with his own version of ‘Air Force One’. Yes, The Prime Minister is to get his own private jet. Tony Blair will be mad. He wanted one. It was to be called ‘Blair Force One’ but his misery-guts of a Chancellor at the time wouldn’t give him the money. The number crunchers tell us that this new private jet for David Cameron will cost less than it costs to charter one for him.

Well, that’s all right then. 138 new fighters and a private jet for David is not a bad shopping list for a country practically on the rocks who can’t afford to pay our junior doctors for overtime.

In the meantime, we wait to see if David Cameron gets his way to bomb Syria.

Watch this space Dr Don

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31

GENN

SCOTTISH WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS WIN SPORTS COUNCIL AWARD RECORD-break Glasgow City F.C. have been rewarded after another great season by picking up awards from the Sports Council for Glasgow.

The nine-times SWF Premier Division champions,

who also recorded a fourth successive domestic treble, were named in the Club of the Year Performance (Highly Commended) category.

Caitlin O’Hara was voted Junior Coach of the Year, and also Sportscotland Coach of

the Year.

Laura Williamson was judged Performance Development Coach of the Year for Sportscotland in their Glasgow Local Coach, Official and Volunteer Annual Awards.

All smiles! ... Award Winners Caitlin O’Hara and Laura Williamson.

City Chairperson, Carol Anne Stewart (right), receiving the Award from Lord Provost of Glasgow, Sadie Docherty.

LOCALS ENJOY SPORTING SUCCESS GLASGOW East and Northbased sporting clubs and representatives have enjoyed 12 months of outstanding success.

Over 220 guests and friends acknowledged the achievements of athletes, teams, coaches, officials and volunteers at the City Chambers’ Banqueting Hall.

A wide range of categories formed the glittering Sports Council for Glasgow Annual Awards.

Thanks to SCFG Development Officer, Mr Michael Mather, GENN Sport can exclusively reveal the following list of winners plus those Commended.

CLUB OF THE YEAR DEVELOPMENT - Garscube Harriers. Commended - Argo Boxing Club and North Kelvin United (Football).

CLUB OF THE YEAR PERFORMANCE - XS Taekwondo.

Commended - Glasgow City (Football) and Eastbank Karate.

ACCREDITED CLUB OF THE YEAR - Springburn Harriers. Commended - Glasgow Riderz and Glasgow City Basketball Club.

COACH OF THE YEAR (SENIOR) - Angela Turner (City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club). Commended - Gerry Fleming (Eastbank

Karate Club), and Alex Richardson, from The Gladiator Programme.

COACH OF THE YEAR (JUNIOR) - Caitlin O’Hara, Glasgow City (Football). Commended – Mairi McDonald and Rory Harte (Hillhead Jordanhill RFC).

DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (SENIOR) - Martin Perry (Drumchapel Table Tennis Club). Commended - David Jackson (Special Olympics West).

DISABILITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (JUNIOR) - Ruarridh Brown (Special Olympics West). Commended Georgia Carslaw (City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club).

SENIOR VOLUNTEER Gillian Allan (Glasgow and North Strathclyde Badminton).

Commended - Mary Martin (Glasgow Disability Sport) and Keith Fowler (Hillhead Tennis Club).

JUNIOR VOLUNTEER Ian Atkinson (City of Glasgow Seals). Commended - Katie Thomson (Whitehill Swimming Club). Commended Darren McGowan (Garscube Harriers).

TECHNICAL OFFICIAL - Lesley Whitehead (Glasgow Disability Sport). Commended - Karen Thomson (Glasgow Netball Association) and Ian

Marshall (Badminton Scotland).

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE - Aimee Pollard (Shitokai Karate). Commended - Del Young (Garscube Harriers).

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE (Junior International) - James Coulter (Eastbank Karate).

Commended – Matthew Grimley (Glasgow and North Strathclyde Badminton), and Dylan Rush (Shitokai Karate).

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE (Senior International) - Laura Muir (Glasgow University Sports Association). Commended - Debbi Martin Consani (Garscube Harriers) and Lisa Tobias (Glasgow City Barbell Club).

SERVICE TO SPORT Terry Connell (British Karate Federation). Commended – Mary Martin (Special Olympics West), and Irene Lochran (Temple Swimming Club). * Sports Council for Glasgow would also like to thank sponsors of the various categories.

Decathlon, Anne’s Wax Centres, The Quirky Florist, Rotary, Phoenix Dental Clinic, Glasgow Trophy and Medal Centre, Fitness Rewards, and SALSC.

Caitlin O’Hara receives her Sports Council for Glasgow Coach of the Year (Junior) Award at the presentation evening

WEEKEND FOOTBALL ROUND-UP SHETTLESTON stunned McBookie.com Super Premier Division leaders Pollok Juniors at Newlandsfield Park.

Scott Anson claimed the second half deflected winner (1-0) as Townmade critics eat their words following a run of recent defeats, and players being transfer-listed.

St Roch made their exit from the ETHX Scottish Junior Cup - leaving Petershill to go it alone when the Fourth Round takes place on January 16, 2016 - when they were beaten on penalties by Third Round hosts Kennoway Star Hearts.

The Fife club made an 18th minute breakthrough, but by half-time Candy Rock had turned the game through Danny Irvine, Chris McFadyen and Brian Henderson for a 3-2

lead.

Henderson picked up a second yellow card after the interval, and when Kennoway equalised 19 minutes from time, both teams faced the prospect of penalty kicks. Star held their nerve and won 4-3.

Of 25 domestic fixtures due to go head, no fewer than 18 were postponed - including the eagerly awaited Kirkintilloch Rob Roy v Petershill Juniors clash at Guys Meadow, and Maryhill v Johnstone Burgh on a sodden Lochburn Park.

Early Saturday morning pitch inspections saved Glasgow Perthshire and Vale of Clyde travelling to Forth Wanderers and Lesmahagow respectively.

Amateur clubs were also left kicking their heels - at least those scheduled to play

on grass – and all-weather surfaces won again!

Blochairn Star came from 2-0 down and beat Maryhill Blue Star at Springburn Park.

East Dunbartonshire came flying out of the traps with four first half goals and finally beat AS Airdrie 5-2 at Glasgow Club Petershill. Injury-hit Tynecastle A.F.C. continued their disappointing run of results in a 6-4 defeat against Windlaw at Stepford Road.

In the Scottish Amateur League Premier Division, Finnart lost 2-0 at Oban Saints, while Drumchapel Amateurs Colts beat Premier 1 visitors Easthall Star 4-2.

SUNDAY RESULT: Inter League Cup, Quarter-Final Central Scottish A.F.L. 1, Stax Trade Centres Strathclyde Saturday Morning A.F.L. 1 ( 0-3 on pens).

32

GENN

SWF YOUTH SCOTTISH CUP

WINNERS 2015... Glasgow City put the SWF Youth Under-17 Scottish Cup alongside the League championship.

Photographic credits to Glasgow City Club Manager Laura Montgomery.

TREBLE WINNERS... Glasgow City Blacks Under-13.

Photographic credits to Glasgow City Club Manager Laura Montgomery.

THREE Glasgow City teams won their way through to the SWF Youth Scottish Cup Finals (indoors) at Toryglen Regional Football Cenntre.

Between 11am and the middle of Saturday afternoon, supporters turned out in large numbers and were rewarded with highly-competitive football and a feast of goals.

Central Girls F.A. (Under-15) set the ball rolling and took a half-time lead against Glasgow City, when ‘keeper Sophie Allison was beaten by a powerful dipping shot from Ellie Kane.

Kirstie McIntosh added Central’s second goal after 50 minutes, and five minutes later Player of the Match Kim McAlpine curled home a superb effort.

Chelsea McEachran produced a great individual goal (59 mins), and when McAlpine sent over another pinpoint delivery in the 80th minute, Morgan Cross completed their comprehensive 5-0 victory.

Glasgow City Blacks Under-13s, chasing a treble, had shown their goalscoring prowess

with a 7-1 Semi-Final win over Celtic F.C. Girls – five of them coming in the second half!

Opponents Aberdeen 12s were younger and could not match the Blacks in terms of physical strength.

Lucy Sinclair had the ball in the net after 60 seconds, added a second goal on 24 minutes, and three minutes later midfield playmaker Heather Scott left Dons with a huge mountain to climb.

Despite conceding another nine goals, young Aberdeen goalkeeper Nicole Miller had a superb game. Statistics show Blacks had almost 50 shots on goal, and Miller was immense making stops and numerous double saves.

Young Nicole couldn’t stop them all, however, as more goals flowed in via Sinclair (3), Player of the Match Megan Whiteford (3), Kersey McGlinchey, Laura McCartney and Carla Henderson.

Aberdeen, to their immense credit, never stopped trying, and Erin Henderson shot past Ra-

chael Campbell after 41 minutes.

The Cup Final result proved a fitting farewell for Glasgow City Blacks Under-13 Coach Craig Joyce, who said: “We played some fantastic football.

“It has been a great way to end my time as a coach after a fantastic season. I can’t praise the players highly enough.

“I am absolutely delighted.”

Glasgow City Under-17s are used to handling the Scottish Cup, and they placed the national trophy alongside the League championship with a 3-1 victory over Celtic.

Olivia Crawford opened the scoring in 29 minutes, but from a lovely Nicole Cairney cross, Kael McDonald looped a second half equaliser past ‘keeper Erin Clachers.

City regained their advantage on 57 minutes. Katie Rice won a free kick and delivered the ball which Annie Earley headed home.

Three minutes later, Celtic’s Nicole Cameron deflected a close-range shot from Arlene Carr into the net.

SPORTS COUNCIL AWARDS GLASGOW City were again recognised for their outstanding coaching and team achievements at the Sports Council for Glasgow Awards Evening.

City, fresh from a fourth consecutive treble and nine Scot-

tish Women’s Football Premier Division titles, were revealed as Highly Commendedin the Performance Club of the Year category.

Laura Williamson was named Sportscotland Perfor-

mance Development Coach of the Year.

Caitlin O’Hara took the Sports Council for Glasgow Coach of the Year (Junior), and is also Sportscotland Coach of the Year 2015.

GLASGOW TIGERS SPEEDWAY GLASGOW Tigers Speedway have secured the return of their No 1, Richard Lawson, for his second season in the red and white.

The 29-year-old Cumbrian has revealed it was an easy decision to sign up again at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium after having joined the Tigers on a full transfer 12 months ago.

Lawson put nearly a point on his average last term, and just missed out on debut season silverware after making it into two finals with the club.

He said: “I had a pretty successful year and really enjoyed it. I felt at home straight away, and I’m looking to carry that on.

I wasn’t really looking to go anywhere else to be honest.

“At the moment there’s a really great atmosphere at Glasgow within the promotion, the guys in the pits, the track staff, and most importantly the fans. They are 100% behind me and the team.

“I’ve been at some clubs in the past where you have one bad race and they write you off, so it’s refreshing to be accepted so well.

“Looking back, we didn’t win anything but I think we can safely say it was a successful season.

We were so close and just missed out – and that keeps the fire in all our bellies.

“We all know what to do and what to expect. I’m really confident and looking forward to it.”

Lawson saw his average rise from 8.22 to 9.12 in 2015, and he feels there is still more to come on a personal level.

He addd: “I struggled a little bit with inconsistency in parts last season, although I did get over that nine-point average. I think any No 1 out there should be aiming to get over a nine-point average and I did that.

“I want to continue that and try to build on it. I’m investing

in new engines and some better equipment for next year, and I want to get myself fitter again.

“I’ve got all the bikes stripped down at the moment, a few new parts to try out and some testing to do. I’ve got a new engine on order and will completely change another engine that I already have.

“I’ve gone down a different route with my training,so I’m looking to be a bit stronger and fitter. I’m doing a bit of work in between as well to keep me going.

Tigers co-promoter Alan Dick

said: “He’s a natural leader on the track.

“He’s an out-and-out No 1 in the Premier League and somebody who younger riders look up to and take notice of.

“You always hope that others will be keen to emulate what he’s done in terms of getting to No 1.

I know that Ben Barker is very keen to get there, and Aaron is hopeful that he could get to No 1 as well.

“It’s good for the team to have several riders competing for the No 1 jacket. Richard starts the season with it and rightly so.”

SPEEDWAY TICKETS GO ON SALE

GLASGOW Tigers Speedway bosses have confirmed 2016 season ticket prices.

As expected, costs have increased, but still represent excellent value for money when compared to other sports.

The club is working hard to provide fully modernised facilities and a range of match-day entertainment for all ages at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium.

Season tickets, priced at £225 ( adults) are valid for 15

British Premier League, and First Round Cup matches.

Reduced-priced season tickets are available for people over 65 years old and retired, registered as disabled, together with students and children.

For the first time, fans can enjoy “Premier Season Tickets.” This offers Tigers’ regulars a unique package which includes great views from a padded seat in the centre stand, parking at the stadi-

um, and a match programme.

There is also an bonus with one match during the 15 meeting involving a V.I.P. pre-match pits tour, and the opportunity to view one heat from centre green.

A limited number of season-long stadium parking passes have also been released. * Keep up-to-date on all the happenings at Glasgow Tigers Speedway via their website.

STAX TRADE CENTRES STRATHCLYDE SATURDAY MORNING AMATEUR FOOTBALL LEAGUE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12.

Premier Division - AFC Ravenscraig v Maryhill Black Star; AS Airdrie v Motherwell C.T.; Windlaw v Dennistoun Vale.

First Division - Bengal Lancers v Firhill United; Calderglen v Quayside; Cambusnethan Talbot v Southside; Semsa v

Glenwood; Westwood Rovers v Tantallon.

Second Division - AFC Manhattan v Westercommon Star; Bargeddie A.F.C. v UB United; Carluke v East Kilbride Thistle; East Kilbride Accies v Kelvinbridge; Hardgate v Barshaw; Plains v DTI; Southside Whitecart v Chaplains.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19.

H Jarvis Ltd President’s

Cup, Quarter-Finals (Second Leg) - Southside v Petershall Villa; Westwood Rovers v Bengal Lancers.

Premier Division - Dennistoun Vale v Renfrew. First Division - Tantallon v Quayside.

Second Division - Plains v Westercommon Star. * All games may be subject to change from any previous lists, or weather-related postponements.

AMATEUR FOOTBALL FIXTURES

GENN

33

CENTRAL SELECT CONFIRM DOUBLE SPONSOR BOOST

LIAM CUSACK... outstanding in a 4-1 friendly win against Bellshill Athletic at Glasgow Green.

CENTRAL Scottish Amateur Football League have confIrmed a double sponsorship boost for their Select Team.

PSL Teamsports will be the Official Teamwear supplier, and the deal includes supplying the Management team with a full set of Adidas Management Jackets, tracksuits, and polo shirts.

PSL will also help out with a new bespoke playing kit, which officials hope to have available early in 2016.

The League Executive and the Member Clubs would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at PSL Teamsports for their sponsorship and look forward to a long and healthy partnership.

Meanwhile, VIP Salon (Glas-

gow) have generously agreed a sponsorship deal to supply warmup t-shirts for the squad.

Team Manager John Hughes said : “We would like to thank Frank (PSL) and Natalie (VIP Salon) for their individual backing.”

The Central Scottish League Select team notched up another victory against junior football opposition, when Bellshill Athletic went down 4-1 at Glasgow Green.

This Tuesday evening clash was a perfect test prior to the Quarter-Final of the Inter-League competition.

Despite having most of the first half possession, CSLS lacked a cutting edge and missed at least three good opportunities to score.

Bellshill had taken the lead early on via an own goal during a first half which was evenly contested.

Nine substitutes came on at halftime, and Manager John Hughes admitted: “We were excellent, and could have scored more than the four goals we did net.

“There were strong performances from every player – pick of the bunch being Liam Cusack (Colville Park).”

After the interval, the Select team took the upper hand, and scored four times thanks to doubles from Haldane United pair Allan MacPherson and Lee Dickson.

CENTRAL Scottish League Select Management in kit sponsored by PSL Teamwear

ALLAN MacPHERSON ... scoring first goal against Bellshill.

GOALS FLOW IN HEALTH SUNDAY LEA RIG A.F.C. led with the way with 12 goals in the First Round of the new Health Rewards Cup. Four-goal Gary McDougal and hat-trickster Gareth May were superb alongside counters from Steven Hannah, James Simpson, Tony Snodgrass, Calvin Scolin and David Graham as the East End team crushed Rosehill Thorns

12-1.

Close behind in the scoring stakes were Red Stars Belgrade and Windlaw, who each netted 11 goals!

RESULTS: Broadwood Clyde 9, St Mirrenoff 2; Calderside 5, Haldane 1; Cleddans 0, Castlemilk Dynamo 5; Eastend Rovers 2, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 8; Govan United 7, Central Football Academy 0; Hillview 8, Ruth-

erglen Rovers 1; Lanarkshire Forrest 1, Castlemilk United 6; Overlee 2, Cranhill United 3; Provanmill 5, Strathclyde Amateurs 7; Red Staars Belgrade 11, Stirling Athletic 1; Rosehill Thistle 1, Fernhill 4; Springhall Spartans 5, Eastfield Star 4; Strathclyde West 0, AFC Polonia 8; The Hub 2, Kings Park 2; Windlaw 11, Glasgow Rovers 0.

DALY ENDS ‘BURGH CUP BID PETERSHILL striker Michael Daly ended the hopes of Musselburgh Athletic in this season’s ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup at Springburn.

The former Clyde and Queen’s Park front man was the Peasy hero, when he headed home a 60th minute winner from a Chris Craig corner

in their Third Round clash.

Musselburgh, who were last season’s beaten Finalists, almost took the game to a replay in time added on. Steven Thomson lashed a left foot free-kick off goalkeper Stevie McNeil’s right-hand post.

The result ended Athletic’s unbeaten eight-game run.

Over at James McGrory Park, Garngad, ST ROCH left it late against visitors Kennoway Star Hearts.

Kyle Wilson gave Star a second half lead, and just when it looked as though the Fifers would hold out, Candy Rock top scorer Jordan Logan netted a late equaliser.

email: sport@thegenn.co.uk

JUNIOR FOOTBALL GAMES

Saturday, December 5. McBookie.Com Super League Premier Petershill v Troon Juniors; Shettleston v Hurlford United.

McBookie.Com Central District First Division Thorniewood United v Maryhill Juniors; St Roch v Neilston Juniors.

McBookie.Com Central District Second Division Benburb v Ashfield; Glasgow

Perthshire v East Kilbride Thistle.

New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup, First Round - Annbank United v Vale of Clyde. Kick-offs 1.45pm.

Saturday, December 12. McBookie.Com Super League Premier Division Arthurlie v Shettleston; Hurlford United v Petershill.

McBookie. Com Central District First Division –

Maryhill Juniors v Larkhall Thistle; Renfrew Juniors v St Roch; Vale of Clyde v Wishaw Juniors.

McBookie. Com Central District Second Division – Ashfield v Vale of Leven; Newmains United v Glasgow Perthshire. Kick-offs 1.45pm.

Note: Fixtures may be subject to change. Check with your local junior football club.

NATIONAL LADY DARLING CUP

WEST of Scotland Under-21 League are well represented in the Second Round of the National Lady Darling Cup. The Second Round draw last 32 - features a West team in every single pairing.

Former Scottish Cup holders Harmony Row are among the pack aiming for a result when they visit Antonine.

Rossvale gained a bye into the Third Round.

DRAW: Castlemilk v Campsie F.C.; Hamilton Accies Inverclyde v Holytown Colts; Erskine v Kirkintilloch Rob Roy; Lumph-

innans v Dunbeth; Renfrewshire Thistle v Ashfield F.C.; Newtongrange Star v Albion Rovers; Claremont v St Andrews; Antonine v Harmony Row; Vale of Leven v Grahamston; Rosyth Recreation v Maryhill Juniors; Rossvale Bye; Drumchapel Amateurs v Glenrothes Strollers; Broomhill Sports Club v St Mungo; Glentyan Thistle v Tranent; Barrhead Arthurlie v Wishaw W Wanderers; Victoria F.C. v Johnstone Burgh Youth.

Meanwhile, West looks best again as eight clubs prepare for the Quarter-Finals of the In-

spiresport Scottish Under-21 Youth Cup. The impressive list features two former winners - Tower Hearts and Leith Athletic, who are the sole East of Scotland-based representative.

Also aiming for a Semi-Final berth are West Park United, Johnstone Burgh Boys’ Club, Rutherglen Glencairn, Steins Thistle, St Peters Giffnock North, and Bonnyton Thistle.

St Peters lost against Harmony Row in last season’s final at Airdrie, while Glencairn won the National Lady Darling Cup.

TOWER SET FOR COLTS TEST

TOWER HEARTS are set for a big-hitting goals test against Holytown Colts in the sponsored Birdston Kennels League Cup Quarter-Finals.

The East End Under-21 club recently recorded an 8-1 victory against Premier Division rivals, East Kilbride Rolls Royce Youth, following a First Round bye.

Now Tower will entertain a Holytown Colts outfit who have already bagged 22 goals in the tournament!

Colts kicked-off the First Round with a 6-4 home win against Maryhill Juniors, and proved too strong for hosts Giffnock Soccer Centre as they recorded a stunning 16-6 victory.

There is another top pairing in prospect when the winner of St Peters Giffnock North or Claremontentertain former Scottish Cup holders Harmony Row. Rutherglen Glencairn will be delighted with their home draw

against Barrhead Arthurlie or Bishopton Juniors. Glens won the National Lady Darling Cup last season, and a large majority of their squad will bow out of Under-21 football next year, which gives them an extra advantage against teams from the lower divisions.

There should be no lack of drama or excitement when Bonnyton Thistle await the winner of a Second Round clash involving West Park United and Johnstone Burgh.

VALE TARGET NATIONAL PROGRESS DENNISTOUN Vale are one of several local clubs ready to target progression in the Scottish Amateur Cup. Vale line-up against Fourth Round visitors Kinross.

Five other pairings will involve teams from the Stax Trade Centres Strathclyde Saturday Morning League East Dunbartonshire v South-

side Whitecart, Holytown v Maryhill Black Star, Leven United v Carluke, Newtonhill v Semsa, and Pennies A.F.C. V AFC Manhattan.

Elsewhere, there should be no shortage of top-class action involving Broomhouse F.C. v Larkhall Thistle, Irvine Town v Possil YM, Maryhill Thistle v Cambusnethan

Talbot, and Postal United v Oban Saints. * Three Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Cup Fourth Round games are set for Saturday, December 12.

The trio are Auchinairn Star v Renfrew, Eaglesham v Shawbridge and East Kilbride F.C. v Tynecastle A.F.C.

CLUB NEWS...FEATURES...MATCH ACTION REPORTS SPECIAL...email: sport@thegenn.co.uk

34

GENN

WEATHER HITS SUNDAY INTER-LEAGUE FIXTURE AT DALZIEL

OVERNIGHT rain put paid to the Inter-League Cup competition fixture between the Central Scottish A.F.L. and Stax Trade Centres Strathclyde Saturday Morning Select at Motherwell’s Dalziel Park - just two days after our last issue.

Respective Managers John Hughes and Chris Ward were left disappointed by the correct “Match Off” decision in their first attempt to play the Quarter- Final fixture.

Aberdeenshire A.F.A., who

received a bye, were subsequently paired against the winner in the Semi-Final ballot.

Strathclyde had confirmed their following squad for the 1.15pm kick-off.

John Paul Cassidy (Dennistoun Vale), Craig Brown (Blochairn Star), PJ O’Donnell (Windlaw), Captain Grant Fleming (Southside), Gary Carmichael (Blochairn Star); Scott Faulds (Tynecastle A.F.C.), Dylan Knox (Bargeddie A.F.C.), Mark Gourlay

CENTRAL Scottish Amateur Football League Select Squad were left frustrated after their Inter-League Cup fixture against Stax Trade Centres Strathclyde Saturday Morning A.F.L. was postponed due to ground conditions at the first time of asking.

(Dennistoun Vale), Steven Waddell (Southside), Alex Docherty (Maryhill Black Star), Matthew Burns (Southside), Ross Thomson (Renfrew), Allan Allison (Maryhill Black Star), Darren O’Donnell (Dennistoun Vale), William Reid (Blochairn Star), and Ross Miller (Motherwell).

Meanwhile, two other games went ahead at the same venue.

The Caledonian Amateur Football League beat Lothian and Edinburgh A.F.A. 3-0 with goals from Niall McClure, Alan Inglis and Kevin McCarron.

Caley will now face a Semi-Final against Ayrshire, who had Stewart Auld (2), Lewis Gardiner and Michael Howie on target in their 4-2 victory over the Scottish Amateur F.A. Stephen McAuley and David Edward netted for their defeated opponents.

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS BOSS BEMOANS HUGE INJURY LIST BERNIE VALLELY has revealed Tynecastle A.F.C. have never experienced an injury list as they are currently suffering – with no fewer than 11 players sidelined.

Nine had already been counted out before the East End club lost 3-2 against Windlaw A.F.C. in the Tuesday evening Stax Trade Centres Challenge Cup Semi-Final at Glasgow Green.

Scorers were Andy Cunningham and Garry O’Hanlon.

Last season’s Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Premier Division champions are already playing catch-up to Dennistoun Vale and Blochairn

Star in the domestic campaign although they have played less fixtures.

Said Bernie: “Ten minutes into the cup game, we had Tony Cahill and Jamie Cochrane carried off.

“That added onto our injury list for the Saturday league clash against Blochairn Star at Glenconner. We led 1-0 through an Andy Dearie penalty-kick, but finished up losing 2-1.

“It’s a new injury every few days at the moment, and in all my years in football I have never known anything like it.

“You name it and we have had it! It has affected training as well as it’s prohibitive in

terms of working on things.

“We have no option but to get the head down and get on with it.”

Meanwhile,Tynecastle have confirmed their goalscorers from a 14-1 West of Scotland Cup (Third Round) win against Cadzow Welfare, who play in the Greater Glasgow Premier.

Jamie Cochrane (6), Steven McGlinchey(3), Garry O’Hanlon (3), Chris Hughes (pen), and Andy Dearie. * As the GENN went to press this week, the other Stax Trade Centres Challenge Cup Semi-Final was due to take place between Shawbridge and Maryhill Black Star.

SUNDAY CENTRAL ROUND-UP Glasgow West 2; Phoenix United 5, Albion 2.

Division 2B- Bishopbriggs 5, Broadwood Clyde 5; Castlemilk United 5, Sauchie 1; Red Staars 4, Crownpoint 2; Sauchie 3, Bishopbriggs 2.

Division 2C - Burnside 4, South Lanarkshire Ravens 2; Central Football Academy 4, Glasgow Rangers 2; Eastend

Rovers 3, Cambuslang Football Academy 4; PFD Amateurs 2, Strathclyde 3; Rosehill Thorns 1, Rutherglen Rovers 4; Strathclyde West 0, Provanmill Thistle 13; South Lanarkshire Ravens 2, Cambuslang Football Academy 5.

Arrow Cars Cup,First Round - Lea Rig v Brunswick Amateurs (off); Gartferry 4, Lanarkshire Forrest 1.

BENGAL LEAD

SIX-HIT SEMSA

NEW CLUBS

BENGAL Lancers A.F.C. have taken a 2-1 lead over Westwood Rovers in the H Jarvis President’s Cup Second Round ( First Leg).

SEMSA A.F.C. crushed hosts Kelvinbridge 6-2 in the H Jarvis President’s Cup Quarter-Final (First Leg).

SCOTTISH Amateur Football League are accepting applications from new clubs for season 20162017.

Premier Division - Cleddans 2, The Hub 5; Cranhill United 5, Springhall Spartans 2.

Division 1 - Eastfield Star 1, Calderside 5; Fernhill 3, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1; Glasgow Rovers 0, AFC Polonia 5; L&N Academy 8, Gartferry 2.

Division 2A - Phoenix United 6, Govan United 4; Rosehill Thistle 2, Albion 3; Gorbals 6,

CLUB NEWS...FEATURES...

MATCH ACTION REPORTS... email: sport@thegenn.co.uk

FOCUS: GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL

WELCOME to another look at the grassroots game in East and North Glasgow. Every fortnight we will focus on the players, teams, and coaches making the headlines. Where possible, we would like to feature a photograph in our round-up.

BUDHILL Football Academy Chairman Billy McNaught has undertaken the task of providing GENN Sport with games via his team coaches, who have been encouraged to provide match details.

2003. Played better than the previous week. Defeated Calderbraes 5-1 and it could have been more. Dylan Hamilton (3), Logan Walsh, Kieron Morrison.

2007 Orange. Three wins and a draw. Great passing and teamwork. Liam Duncan helped out the opposition when they were a player short.

2007 White. Three wins and one defeat. Big improvement and although it was a difficult decision to nominate a clearcut Star Player as the effort all the boys put in was brilliant, the vote went to Brendon Bratus for his consistency.

2007 Yellow. Three wins and a draw despite being without a goalkeeper. Defeated Motherwell 2-0 after losing 1-0 against the same team a week earlier.

2005 White. Great win.

Great passing and finishing. Team coming together well.

FINNART B.C. Match Reports Correspondent Jamie McGowan has been extra busy for GENN Sport, and contacted us with extensive and detailed round-up from the Bridgeton-based set-up.

Thanks again, Jamie.

PROGRAMME ONE: 2004 Team A. Finnart 6, Shettleston 0. Jamie Riordan

GENN SPORT YOUR FEEDBACK Hi Tommy, Got a copy of the GENN (Issue 168),and some members put it on the board in the club.

Thank you for putting Whitevale (Bowling Club) in the GENN these last few weeks, and the publicity for Stobhill Kidney Patients Association is very much appreciated.

Kind Regards, Dougie Brennan, Whitevale Bowling Club.

(4), Gary Watson (2). Finnart 2, Giffnock United 2. Thomas Reid, Lee Miller.

2007. Played six. Five wins and one defeat.

Team A. Game 1. Won 5-2.

Jack Marr (2), Star Player Calum Blair, Aiden Coll, Zach Fenwick. Game 2. Won 5-4.

Calum Blair (2), Zach Fenwick, Jack Marr, Star Player Shaun Fredrickson. At times the football on display was great to see.

Team B. Game 1. Won 5-1.

Star Player Mason McCausland (3), Aiden Sinclair, Dylan Haining.

Game 2. Won 4-1. Star Player Dylan Haining (2), Riley Milliken, Mason McCausland.

After a blip in recent performances, the boys showed better form to go with their fighting spirit.

Team C. Game 1. Lost 3-2.

Kyle Ahern and Aiden Coll.

Star Player Mikey Allan.

Game 2. Won 5-2. Star Player Morton McCaig (2), Mark Weldon (2), Kyle Ahern.

Against two tough opponents, the youngsters showed great courage and determination. Weather conditions were on the wild side, but Finnart adapted well. Defending was good, players tried to pass the ball, and took their chances.

2008. Game 1. 0-0. Game 2.

3-1. Leon Paton (2) and Ashton Quinn. Game 3. 1-0. Taylor Gibson. Game 4. 3-0. An own goal, Taylor Gibson and Ashton Quinn.

Coaches Viewpoint: “Very impressive as a team. Everyone worked their socks off and battled hard. Conceded only one goal in four games.”

PROGRAMME TWO: 2004. Finnart A 3, Pollok United 2. Ryan Smith (2), Jay Gordon. Finnart A 2, Celtic A

6. Thomas Reid, Gary Watson.

2005. Finnart 1, Hampden 5. Cameron Clark. Finnart 9,Cambuslang 5. Lack of fullname goalscorers supplied.

Those who were submitted: Cameron Clark (2), Scott Wilson (2), Raiden Wilson, Matthew Brannigan, Cruz Wilson.

2006. Finnart 3, Stonelaw B.C. 5. A goal behind, Finnart hit back immediately through Cole Jackson with a closerange finish. Robbie McArthur put them ahead, but the team workrate dropped and Stonelaw took a 4-2 lead. Preston Power replied prior to a fifth goal being scored.

Finnart 0, Weir Thistle D 1. One lapse of concentration in the middle of the park proved costly - although Finnart played well, but could not take their chances. Finnart 1, Mearns United 5. United are one of the best teams at this age level, and they enjoyed success via long-range shots.

Robbie McArthur scored the Finnart consolation. Overall, Mearns took their chances when it mattered.

2007. Played six. Three wins, two defeats and one draw.

Team A.Game 1. Lost 4-2.

Jack Marr and Shaun Fredrickson. Star Player Zach Fenwick.

Game 2. Won 9-3. Star Player Jack Marr (3), Calum Blair (2), Zach Fenwick (2), Shaun Fredrickson, Aiden Coll.

Team B. Game 1. Lost 3-1.

Dylan Haining. Star Player Jayden Docherty. Game 2. Won 3-2. Star Player Aiden Sinclair (2), Mason McCausland.

Team C.Game 1. Won 8-4.

Jack Marr (3), Zach Fenwick (2), Mark Weldon (2), and Star Player Mikey Allan.

Overall, a good morning’s work.

CITY SIGN ROSS

MANCHESTER City Ladies have signed former Glasgow City striker Jane Ross from Swedish football.

Ross (26) scored 51 goals in 82 during a three-season spell with Vittajo.

The Scotland internationalist, who has netted 38 goals from 88 games for her country, will link-up with Jennifer Beattie at last season’s Super League runners-up.

HOME DRAW

FRIENDLY

GARROWHILL Thistle have landed a home draw against Haldane United in the First Round of the Robert Whyte Trophy.

POSTAL United lost 4-0 against Shawlands F.P. in a friendly at Crownpoint.

SATURDAY MORNING AMATEURS

STRATHCLYDE SATURDAY MORNING AMATEUR FOOTBALL LEAGUE - SPONSORED BY STAX TRADE CENTRES. Stax Trade Centres Challenge Cup, Semi- Final - Tynecastle A.F.C. 2, Windlaw 3.

H Jarvis Presidents Cup, Second Round, First Leg - Bengal Lancers 2, Westwood Rovers 1.

Stax Trade Centres Premier Division - AS Airdrie 2, Dennistoun Vale 8; Blochairn Star 2, Tynecastle A.F.C. 1; Dennis-

toun Vale 1, Maryhill Black Star 1; Windlaw 1, Renfrew 0.

Stax Trade Centres First Division - Bengal Lancers 3, Tantallon 3; Victoria Croftfoot 2, Calderglen 2; Bengal Lancers 1, Quayside 1; Cambusnethan 5, Westwood 3, Tantallon 1, Semsa 3; Victoria Croftfoot 3, Petershall Villa 1.

Stax Trade Centres Second Division - Carluke 2, Westercommon Star 7; Bargeddie 4, Carluke 2; Barshaw 4, Chaplains 1; E.K.Accies 0 DTI 1;

Kelvinbridge 10, Hardgate 2; Westercommon 7, UB United 1.

Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Cup, Third RoundApex 3, Maryhill Black Star 2; Dalziel HSFP 4, AFC Manhattan 3; Kelvinbridge 0, Glasgow Island 4; Moorpark 0, Renfrew 5; St Mungo 2, Shawbridge 2 (4-5 on pens); Tynecastle AFC 14, Cadzow Welfare 1; West Stone 9, Petershall Villa 1; Windlaw 1, Eaglesham 2.

35

GENN CLUB NEWS...FEATURES...MATCH ACTION REPORTS SPECIAL... email: sport@thegenn.co.uk

WINTER CARPET BOWLS MATCH ACTION REPORTS

GARROWHILL and NORTH BRITISH have taken advantage of defeats suffered by champions SHETTLESTON to set the pace in the Eastern Carpet Bowls League, writes JACK HIGH. MOUNT VERNON are also in the mix after their victory against Garrowhill on Week Six. RESULTS: WEEK THREE:Mount Vernon 2 points, Shettleston 4 points (19-28 shots). Garrowhill 6 points, Springboig 0 points (30-11 shots); North British 6 points, Foxley 0 points (32-7 shots). Free - Sandyhills.

WEEK FOUR:Shettleston 0 points, North British 6 points (14-25 shots); Mount Vernon 6 points, Sandyhills 0 points (309 shots); Garrowhill 6 points, Foxley 0 points (45-10 shots).

Free - Springboig.

WEEK FIVE: Foxley 4 points, Mount Vernon 2 points (20-16 shots; North British 5 points, Springboig 1 point (33-13 shots); Sandyhills 2 points, Garrowhill 4 points (8-22 shots). Free - Shettleston.

WEEK SIX: Mount Vernon 4 points, Garrowhill 2 points (18-15 shots); Foxley v Sandyhills was postponed, and will be re-listed on another night.

Springboig 6 points, Shettleston 0 points (18-12 shots). Free North British.

Sandyhills. Rinks - Sandyhills v Shettleston.

VENUE 2: Singles - Shettleston v Garrowhill. Pairs - Garrowhill v Foxley. Triples - Springboig v Shettleston. Pairs - Foxley v Garrowhill.

VENUE 3: Singles - North British v Mount Vernon. Pairs - North British v Sandyhills.

Triples - Foxley v Garrowhill.

Rinks - North British v Mount Vernon. Byes. Singles - Sandyhills. Pairs - Triples - North British. Rinks - Springboig.

Holders Garrowhill have been drawn against North British in what should be a superb game in the First Round of the Top 10 Competition DRAW: North British v Garrowhill; Mount Vernon v Sandyhills; Shettleston v Springboig.

Bye - Foxley.

WEEK SEVEN: Sandyhills v North British; Foxley v Shettleston; Springboig v Mount Vernon. Free - Garrowhill.

WEEK EIGHT: North British v Garrowhill; Shettleston v Sandyhills; Springboig v Foxley.

Free - Mount Vernon.

WEEK NINE: Mount Vernon v North British; Garrowhill v Shettleston; Sandyhills v Springboig. Free - Foxley.

WEEK TEN: Shettleston v Mount Vernon; Springboig v Garrowhill; Foxley v North British. Free - Sandyhills.

Garrowhill, North British and Springboig are three venues hosting First Round pairings in the Individual Competitions.

VENUE 1, in order as listed above: Singles - Foxley v Springboig.

Pairs -Mount Vernon v Springboig. Triples -Mount Vernon v

Premier Division - Claremont 1, Wishaw W Wands 4; Rossvale 2, St Peters Giffnock North 4; Johnstone Burgh 3, Pollok Juveniles 2; East Kilbride Rolls Royce 0, Tower Hearts 2; Bonnyton 1, Rossvale 1.

First Division - Bishopton Juniors 2, Victoria F.C. 1; Barrhead Arthurlie 7, Broomhill 0; Albion Rovers 3, Maryhill Juniors 6; Glasgow University 2, Giffnock 1; Holytown Colts 2, Steins Thistle 5; Victoria F.C. 4, Broomhill 4.

Second Division - Hamilton Accies 11, Campsie F.C. 1; Ashfield 3, Grahamston 1; Glentyan Thistle 0, Hamilton Accies 6; Castlemilk 3, Baljaffrary 0; Erskine 7, St Andrews 0.

National Lady Darling Cup, First Round - Vale of Leven 6, Giffnock Soccer Centre 2; Dunbeth 3, Murieston 1; St Mungo 1, Jeanfield Swifts 0; Drumchapel Ams 4, Milngavie 1; LSK Supplies West of Scotland Cup, Second Round- Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 3, Albion Rovers 3 (4-1 on pens); Vale of Leven v Rossvale; Tower Hearts v East Kilbride Rolls Royce Youth; Wishaw W Wanderers v Bishopton Juniors; Steins v St Mungo.

Inspiresport Scottish Under-21 Cup, Third Round - East Kilbride

Rolls Royce 3, Steins Thistle 2; Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 1, West Park United 3; Dundonald Bluebell 0, Tower Hearts 3; Musselburgh Windsor 1, Johnstone Burgh B.C. 2; Bishopton Juniors 0, Rutherglen Glencairn 9; Pollok Juveniles 1, St Peters Giffnock North 2; Bonnyrigg Rose F.C. 1, Bonnyton Thistle 4; Penicuik 2, Leith Athletic 6.

Only Sport Golden Goals Cup, First Round - Rutherglen Glencairn 5, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 4; Rossvale 2, East Kilbride Rolls Royce Youth 0.

Birdston Kennels League Cup, First Round- Pollok Juveniles 1, Barrhead Arthurlie 2; Bonnyton Thistle 9, Milngavie 0; Holytown Colts 6, Maryhill Juniors 4.

Second Round - Tower Hearts 8, East Kilbride Rolls Royce Youth 1; Steins 1, Rutherglen Glencairn 2; Harmony Row 0, Antonine 0 (3-1 on pens); Albion Rovers 2, Bonnyton Thistle 5; Giffnock 6, Holytown Colts 16.

Birdston Kennels Glasgow Cup, First Round- Grahamston 4, Hamilton Accies 1; Glentyan Thistle 6, St Andrews 2.

LSK Supplies West of Scotland Cup, First Round - Renfrewshire Thistle 4, Erskine 2; Victoria F.C. 0, Tower Hearts 2; Drumchapel

Amateurs 0, Bishopton 5; Rutherglen Glencairn 2, Glentyan Thistle 0; Antonine 2, Johnstone Burgh 0; Ashfield F.C. 1, Harmony Row 0; Broomhill 4, Giffnock Soccer Centre 2; Wishaw W Wands 3, Dunbeth 1; St Peters Giffnock North 8, Grahamston 2; Glasgow University 1, Steins Thistle 6; Johnstone Burgh Youth 0, Maryhill Juniors 6.

Second Round - Wishaw W Wands 5, Bishopton Juniors 3.

Only Sport Golden Goals Cup, First Round- Goldenhill 0, Wishaw W Wands 2; Baljaffray 1, Rossvale 8,Hamilton Accies Inverclyde 7, Castlemilk 1; Barrhead Arthurlie 2, St Mungo’s 2 (2-4 on pens); Pollok Juveniles 3, Barrhead Arthurlie 1; West Park United 5, Harmony Row 4.

Only Sport League Cup, First Round - St Andrews 2, Johnstone Burgh Youth 6; Hamilton Accies Inverclyde 5, Grahamston 1; St Mungo 5, Renfrewshire Thistle 3; Drumchapel Ams 3, Erskine 3 (2-4 on pens); Baljaffray 2, Campsie F.C. 1; Glentyan Thistle 2, Ashfield F.C. 2 (4-5 on pens).

Second Round draw: Ashfield v Erskine; Hamilton Accies v Baljaffray; Dunbeth v Johnstone Burgh Youth; Castlemilk v St Mungo.

TYNECASTLE A.F.C. 7, SHAWBRIDGE 5.

MEETING of the two oldest SSMFL Premier Premier Division clubsand my goodness they did not disappoint the neutral as the pair produced a 12-goal thriller! League champions Tynecastle had taken a 3-2 interval lead, but then procededto lose three goals in a crazy spell which saw them trail 5-4 some ten minutes from time.

Garry O’Hanlon scored onhis debut followed by a James McKay strike inside another three incredible minutes set-up a grandstand finish, which was completed by Jamie Cochrane converting a penalty-kick .... whew!

CENTRAL B.C. 0, FINNART B.C. 20 (TWENTY).

FIRST Round of the Regional Cup, and a top-class display all over from the 2000 age-group. Every one of the 16 players showed fantastic desire in the shocking Grangemouth weather conditions. There was also a wee bonus from work carried out on the training ground. Five of the goals came from set-pieces. Scorers:Adam Hamilton (3), Ross McCallum (3), Connor McKenzie (3), Jakub Dmowski (3), Kalvin Rooney (2), Danny Gordon (2), Jamie McGowan Jnr, Jack McIlveen, Martin Scanlan, and Ryan Madden.Man of the Match Danny Gordon, who ran the show from central midfield.

MARYHILL BLACK STAR 6, EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE 1.

FLOODLIGHT Premier Division clash at Springburn.Goals from Alex Docherty (2), Scott Gibson, Sean Magee, Danny Hazlett and Johan Cornell.

Man of the Chris Barr.

APEX A.F.C. 3, MARYHILL BLACK STAR 2.

WEST of Scotland Cup, Third Round. Star not at their best despite goals from Alex Docherty and Danny Hazlett. Man of the Match Chris Barr.

POSTAL UNITED A.F.C. also crashed out of the West Cup in a superb match at Gartcosh United, where the scoreline was 3-3 after extra-time.

United won 4-3 on penalties.

FINNART B.C. 3, THE CELTIC B.C. 0.

GOOD 2003 game which thankfully was not spoiled by the winter weather. Jamie Avery gave Finnart a deserved interval advantage from a Liam Hagan’s pass. After the interval, Liam Hagan looped a header over the ‘keeper for their second goal. Having gone down to 10 men, goalkeeper Jay Patterson denied Celtic twice. Finnart produced a great counter-attack and rounded off the scoring.

VALE OF LEVEN 1, ASHFIELD JUNIORS 0.

LATE winner from Under-21 debutant Ben Mills at Alexandria. Michael Dukes (ex-East Kilbride and Kilsyth Rangers) appeared in the starting line-up for Ashfield goalkeeper Anton Nugent. Man of the Match vote: Michael Giblin/Mark Huggins.

STEINS 2, FINNART B.C. 3.

GAME abandoned (1999) due to the weather conditions at half-time.

Correct decision from the referee. Kieran Boubekri (2) and Mark Taylor.

SEAFAR VILLA BLUE 1, FINNART B.C. 2.

UNDER-17 Kevin Horner Cup

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PLACINGS P

W

D

L

Shots For

Shots Against

Pts

Garrowhill

18

11

1

6

159

100

23

North British

15

10

1

4

131

90

21

Mount Vernon

15

9

0

6

102

96

18

Springboig

15

7

1

7

85

102

15

Shettleston

15

6

1

8

112

85

13

Sandyhills

12

3

0

9

42

96

6

Foxley

12

3

0

9

52

114

6

LSK SUPPLIES WEST YOUTHS

game atRavenswood, Cumbernauld.

Villa took a 1-0 half-time lead following a long throw-in. Finnart changed their formation upon the resumption, and pinned back the homesters.

Shaun McCourt’s pace and trickery was deadly, and paid off when he beat three defenders only to be upended for a penalty-kick. Man of the Match Cal Taggart made no mistake from 12 yards. Finnart’s winner came from a mistake by the Seafar goalkeeper, who fumbled the ball over the line following a 25 yarder by Mark Taylor. Finnart also missed a second penalty.

PETERSHILL JUNIORS 1, POLLOK JUNIORS 5.

MEN in Black from Newlandsfield - wearing a smart change strip -routed their Springburn hosts. John Sweeney’s inswinging corner kick from the left was deflected beyond ‘keeper McNeil in 10 minutes, and 19 minutes later Davie Winters pounced on a header from a free kick and netted. Scott Davidson reduced the deficit within a minute, but it would be the only crumb of comfort for Peasy on a miserable afternoon. Sweeney lashed a half volley past McNeil prior to half-time, and seven minute after the break Winters made it 4-1 as the Petershill rearguard all appealed for offside. Pollok went nap on 66 minutes.

Ironically, Petershill had been awarded a free kick down the other end of the park, which was cleared, and the ‘Lok turned defence into attack with a quick break down the right. McKenzie squared the ball across the pitch and Winters (who else?) didn’t hesitate in completing his hat-trick. Team-mate Sweeney should have followed suit from the penalty spot, but his effortwas saved by McNeil, who also denied Winters a fourth goal.

BENBURB JUNIORS 6, SHETTLESTON JUNIORS 4 BENS hadn’t won in their previous four games, but the District Second Division team produced a great result to knock Town out of the New Coin West of Scotland Cup. Man of the Match Jamie Boyle (3), Ryan Livingston (2), and Darren McNeil.

ST ROCH JUNIORS 0, LESMAHAGOW 3.

NEW Gow manager Billy McDonald celebrated his first game in charge with three points. Jack Currie was their hat-trick trio.

ASHFIELD JUNIORS 0, GLASGOW PERTHSHIRE 2.

THIRD defeat on the bounce for ‘Field in the Possilpark derby.

‘Shire, badly needing a result after their 6-1 mauling at Cambuslang Rangers the previous Saturday, fielded trialist centre- back Paul McLernon (ex-Maryhill Juniors). Significantly, his display helped the visitors’ record their first clean-sheet this season.

J.P. Craig headed Glasgow Perthshire into a first half lead. Ashfield were twice denied by Stephen Mather before Darren McLean shot past Anton Nugent. Davie Kirkwood should have netted a third goal, but sent a penalty-kick past the post.

EAST KILBRIDE Y.M. 5, BAILLIESTON JUNIORS 0.

CALEDONIAN League, and ‘Ton are still looking for a first domestic victory in their first season at this level.

trading or moving when that is not the case and false claims (or creating the impression) the trader is not acting in the course of a business are also prohibited.

Connor McCann netted after 17 and 34 minutes.Zander McMillan added a third after 55 minutes. Craig Tocher helped himself to a brace on 57 and 80 minutes.

FINNART B.C. 6, WOLVES 2.

REGIONAL Cup for 2003 team.

Three goals in the opening 15 minutes provided a great platform for this result. Scorers were Ryan McKay, Liam Hagan and Man of the Match Maxwell Peasah. Two more counters followed before half time from Tommy Wilson and Ryan Malloy. Wolves resumed on the attack and netted two excellent goals from distance. Finnart missed a spot-kick, Ryan Malloy superbly chipped home No 6. Great standard of football overall.

BELLSHILL ATHLETIC 1, CENTRAL SCOTTISH LEAGUE SELECT 4.

TUESDAY evening friendly at Glasgow Green. High quality 90 minutes played in a great spirit by both teams. Bellshill led 1-0 at the break.

The Select used 20 players from 11 member clubs. Second half, CSLS took control with doubles from Haldane United pair Allan MacPherson and Lee Dickson.

KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY 4, MARYHILL JUNIORS 0.

FLOODLIGHT friendly, and Maryhill manager Jim Delaney admitted: “I can’t be too critical of the players. The weather conditions were appalling. Good work-out for us though.”Rabs led 1-0 at half-time.

Scorers:Steven Aitken, Reece Pearson, Gavin McKie and Kevin Watt.

SHETTLESTON JUNIORS 0, GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2.

FIRST half lead through Jamie Hay (pen). Bryn Halliwell also save a penalty kick taken by Andrews. ‘Afton clinched the points with a second from John Paul Boyle as Town finished with nine men.

GLASGOW PERTHSHIRE 1, PORT GLASGOW 1.

KEPPOCH Park survivedovernight frost, and J.P. Craig fired them ahead. Port levelled before the break through Steven McAfee.

DENNISTOUN VALE 1, MARYHILL BLACK STAR 1.

SHARE of the Stax Trade Centres Premier Division points. Allan Allison on target.

ALBION A.F.C. 3, GLASGOW MEDICS 1.

GOALS from Murphy, Man of the Match Shaw and McCluskey.

BENGAL LANCERS 1, QUAYSIDE 1.

MAN of the Match Finlay McCuish after 38 minutes.

LOKOMOTIV GLASGOW 4, GLASGOW ANSAR 1.

DOUBLE from Kerr, alongside Delaney and Craig.

EAST KILBRIDE Y.M. 5, BROOMHOUSE F.C. 1.

TABLE-toppers Broomhouse trailed 3-1 at half-time in this Caledonian League Division match. E.K. were right up for the clash. Ross McDonagh (5 mins), Craig Tocher (9, 60), Connor McCann (28, 81).

DTI 1, BARGEDDIE A.F.C. 3.

DOUBLE from Chris Dunne and Stefan McKechnie. Billy McKee was Man of the Match.

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TIGERS SIGN-UP WORLD CUP STAR

GLASGOW Tigers are set to ramp up the entertainment at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium – after securing the signature of Great Britain international Ben Barker.

And the 27-year-old says he wants to reclaim his place as the Premier League’s top rider next season.

The spectacular Cornishman joins the Tigers on a “bargain” average of 7.56.

Barker arrives with strong pedigree – he scored 16 points in three meetings for Team GB in the World Cup, and has sat atop the Premier League averages before.

He revealed it’s his aim to return to those heights in 2016 after becoming the latest Tiger to sign up for next season.

He said: “I contacted Glasgow about joining. It’s nice to be at a club where they are not setting up to finish in the play-offs – they’re looking to win the league.

“It’s also nice to know you are part of a team that is going to do whatever it takes to be there at the end.

“I have seen the great work that is happened there. I commented when I came up during the season on how good it looked, and what a great job they have done.

“To be honest, it wasn’t a place that

I used to look forward going to – but there just seems to be a whole different feel about the club, and what’s going on there.”

Barker started 2015 with Berwick, but broke his back in a horror crash in the British Final in June. He was expect-

PLAYERS WANTED

GOALKEEPERS at Boys Club level/ Pro-Youth. The second phase of a Monday Night Programme will be launched during January at Glasgow Club Petershill. Saturday morning sessions at the same venue.

Contact the Head Group Coach at 07403452960.

PETERSHILL F.C. 2004 are seeking a goalkeeper for their Saturday Morning Central League team. Call Kenny Robertson on 07808712469.

ST ROCH Juniors Football Club have girls and ladies football, and want to hear from the local community. Contact Head Coach Paul McManus on 07775592031/ email: strochsfcladies@gmail.com.

BUDHILL Football Academy have a number of talented grassroots teams playing a variety of small-sided, non-competitive games, leading up to full 11-a-side football. Saturday morning. Call 07765538006 for more details.

ARSENAL Juniors B.C., based in Maryhill, are looking for players born 2005. The team trains twice a week

at Firhill Sports Complex. Phone 07889550238.

BARGEDDIE COLTS want players born on or before 2010. Call Chris Wright at 07450847292.

LENZIE Y.C. 2001 are looking for players. Games played on a Saturday morning. Training takes place two nights a week. Contact Billy on 07818096752.

LENZIE Youth Club Mini Kickers, ages 3, 4 and 5 years, are going strong in the area. To register your son/daughter, text all details to Billy on 07818096752 or email: lyc1980@ hotmail.co.uk.

BARGEDDIE Amateurs, in their first season of Saturday Morning football (SSMAFL), seek players for all position. Kick-offs are 10am, and they play home games at Lochend, Easterhouse. Call 07854032058.

GLASGOW THISTLE A.F.C., Division One of the SundayCentral A.F.L., are currently looking for players. Their present training base/ night might change. Contact them at 07767143603 or email:

ed to sit out the rest of the season but surprised the sport by making his comeback in August, when he signed for Peterborough, and recaptured some of his previous form.

He added: “Since I came back from that, I have had a very good year. I came

back better.

“It was unfortunate to break my back, but it’s part of what we do, I understand that, and you have just got to get on with it. I put that to the back of my mind, went out and finished the season as well as I could.

SPEAKERS NIGHT

TICKETS, priced £30, will be on sale for the Broomhouse F.C. Speakers Night at the Shettleston Juniors Social Club on January 30.

Guest speakers are Frank

McAvennie and Andy Goram. The previous Speakers Night was superb,and club officials are hoping for another good turn-out and allround support.

FINNART B.C. have formalised plans to run a 2009 agegroup team in the Glasgow and District Fun Fours from February.

The club are currently seek-

ing a coach who has the patience, commitment and time to nurture good, young talent.

Anyone interested should approach the Bridgeton club as soon as possible.

FUN FOURS GROUP PEASY SIGNING

PETERSHILL Juniors have completed the signing of 26 year-old defender Chris Malone from Glenafton Athletic.

Malone has also played with Kilbirnie Ladeside, Airdrie and Livingston.

CANDY CONTRACTS

ST ROCH manager Andy Cameron has agreed contact extensions with three players

at James McGrory Park.

The trio are John Stark, Robert Maguire and Kenny Jarvis.

“I’ve set a big target for next year and it’s an achievable one because I have done it before. I want to go back to No 1 in the Premier League. I want to top the averages by the end of the year.”

Team Manager Stewart Dickson said: “I think he can be really good for us and he’ll certainly put the entertainment level up a notch at Ashfield - that’s for sure.

“I believe he is on a bargain average of 7.56. He started the season just a tad under nine at Berwick and he started on 9.44 the year before, when he was with Plymouth.

“You’re always looking to target riders who can put something on their average, and he certainly falls into that category.

“Every time we’ve raced against him, he’s been tough. He’s a former track record holder at Ashfield.

“I remember last year, he was guesting for Scunthorpe and he had an amazing pass round Aaron Summers on the first and second bend, so we know he can ride our place.

“We’re going to try to have more racers next season and we want to be tougher on the track as well.

Barker joins captain Aaron Summers, Richard Lawson, and new three point reserve Danny Ayres on the 2016 team sheet.

GAMBIA FRIENDS

GLASGOW Girls F.C. have made thousands of new friends from their week-long tour of Gambia ( West Africa) - including a match against the national women’s team.

The trip was led by Adventure Kids (Football Development) and tourism organisation, and hosted in partnership with the Gambian Football Federation.

GGFC were also in action

against local teams, and engaged in community coaching programmes.

Opposition was provided by the Red Scorpions F.C., Jeshwang United, Interior F.C. and Gambian National Team.

Matches took place at Serekunda East, Brufut and Brikama, and despite 4:30 pm kick-offs, temperatures soared to 38 degrees.

FRIENDLIES WANTED

BARRA Under-16 team are looking to play friendlies against any Glasgow clubs on Saturday, December 12.

Give them a call on 01871810443 or email katie@clearwaterpadding. com

HOLYWOOD BOWL

BUDHILL Football Academy are preparing to give their kids a pre-Christmas Night Out at the Holywood Bowl.

Around 200 youngsters

will be bowling and receive a meal – plus gifts - at the Showcase, Bargeddie,on Wednesday, December 16 (6pm-9pm).

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