Editor’s Opinion

Everyone faces challenges. Right now the credit crunch, recession, downturn in markets, loss of confidence in banks or whatever you call it, is hitting sorely. But the answer can be found locally – use the credit union to keep a better balance. On Glasgow’s poor health record – post code lottery for length of life, greater incidence of diabetes in the ethnic communities – neighbourhood solutions can be found as people learn to work together through the arts, through picking up litter or even going to tea dances for a bit of the old  one…two….three.

Taking into consideration how hard it is to confront the problem never mind find the right solution in your friendly backyard, it can only be imagined how much more difficult it must be for someone who is in prison to sustain a quality of life and make life changes.

Yet that is what’s happened for a lot of men incarcerated in Barlinnie and other jails. Through Theatre Nemo – a life giving organisation that uses art to unlock complex personal issues – they have found hope and ways to face down their demons – and they don’t even need to open the door at Bar L.

Nithsdale and Newark Nurseries on the March

Parents across the city are up in arms at the proposals by Glasgow City Council to close and amalgamate 13 primary schools and 12 nurseries at a saving of £3.5m a year to address sub-standard buildings and under-occupancy. Around 2000 children would be moved to new locations. A six week consultation is in process with the City Executive’s final decision expected on Good Friday – 17 April. The full Council would ratify it on Thursday 23 April. Agreed mergers would take effect from August 2009. Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: ‘This is not financially driven. It makes no sense to manage half-empty buildings. Every penny saved by this exercise will be reinvested in the establishments the pupils transfer to.’

Protestors brave the rain to demonstrate that 1.5km is too far to push a buggy to nursery

Braving the rain, more than 300 parents, children and supporters pushed buggies from Nithsdale Road nursery in Dumbreck and Newark Drive Nursery to Pollokshields Primary Annexe in Melville Street on the Southside to protest against the proposed closure of Nithsdale Road and Newark Drive Nursery Schools.
The protestors say the 1.5 miles they’d have to walk to the new nursery school location in Melville Street, is too far to push a baby buggy and is outwith the walking range promised by the Council.

They were accompanied the entire 1.5miles by local MSP Nicola Sturgeon who also attended a protest meeting earlier in the week and called the Glasgow City Council’s consultation procedures a ‘sham’ and a ‘shambles.’
None of the City’s Labour Councillors who voted for the changes were on the march but opponents of the changes, Councillor David Meikle (Conservative) and Councillor Khalil Malik (SNP) were.
Marchers kept their spirits up by singing songs and nursery rhymes and were greeted with supportive horn blasts by passing drivers.
At Melville Street, the united thong sang more songs and chanted ‘Save Our Nursery.’

Asked by the LOCAL NEWS if the Scottish Government would call in any decision made by the Council, Nicola Sturgeon said: ‘I hope it doesn’t come to that. The consultation has been a sham and the Council has not demonstrated the educational benefits of the proposed closures.’

Proposed Scottish Government legislation – the Schools (Consultation) Bill – sets out a rigorous process for a local authority to follow when it wants to close a school. It includes six weeks of term time consultation, a report from her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education and an extended list of mandatory consultees, including staff and pupils. If passed, the proposals could be in place by next year.
A few days before the ‘buggy march’ a consultation meeting was held in Bellahouston Academy by Glasgow City Council officials for the three nursery schools scheduled to merge in Melville Street. Children currently attending Newark Drive, Nithsdale Road and Pollokshields Nurseries should transfer to a new, early years centre at Pollokshields Primary Annexe in Melville Street.

Ajaz Ahmad speaks out at the consultation meeting in Bellahouston Academy

Parents were adamant that the distance from the Nithsdale Road Nursery to the intended site at Melville Street was too far to walk. Many said they had no car and pointed out that the 59 bus was not reliable enough to provide guaranteed transport. In any case, the buses are restricted to carrying only two baby buggies at a time.
Council officials apologised for errors in the consultation document – the condition of the Nithsdale Road Nursery building was listed as ‘C’ (poor) when it is ‘B’ (satisfactory). Parents were encouraged by the officials to submit response forms but did not get direct answers to most of their questions on the night.
Local MSP Nicola Sturgeon was present as was Councillor Stephen Curran from Newlands and Councillors David Meikle, Irfan Rabbani and Khalil Malik.

Nicola Sturgeon said that Glasgow City Council had allocated a small proportion of their capital budget to school and nursery buildings compared to other local authorities such as South Lanarkshire. Councillor Stephen Curran responded by saying that it was not the time to score political points. Several people in the audience called for him to ‘be quiet’ since Nithsdale Road Nursery is not in his ward.

At a consultation meeting at Victoria Primary in Govanhill, Bailie James Scanlon was shouted down when he addressed the angry parents of Victoria Primary School. He was told in no uncertain terms to ‘shut up!’ amid claims that he had refused to help them keep their school open. Campaigner Cathy Wotherspoon told the LOCAL NEWS: ‘We approached Bailie Scanlon and he told us Govanhill was not in his area. He also didn’t show up at other meetings.’
Of 22 schools slated for closure by Glasgow City Council, Victoria Primary and Nursery is the only one where the pupils would be sent to two separate schools – Annette Street and Cuthbertson Primary.

Council officials at the meeting promised £70,000 in funding for the receiving primary schools if Victoria Primary and Nursery closed. A further £25,000 was promised for Govanhill Nursery where the 67 nursery pupils are destined to go if the school closes. Parents were promised free transport for any child travelling more than one mile to school. Parents speaking out in support of their school – sometimes through interpreters – were vociferous in their opposition to closure.
Victoria Primary has a roll of 83 pupils and a capacity of 463 giving an occupancy rate of only 18%. The 83 pupils are spread across four composite classes.
Pupils Sophie Mackinnon (11) and Kayleigh Wotherspoon (11) read out a poem of their feelings on the planned closure.
‘Friends of Victoria’
I’ve played I’ve sang, we have fell out
Sometimes we even shout
We will moan we will groan, but we will stay good friends
At Victoria today
Split us up and we won’t see our friends from Victoria any day
Different schools we’ll have to go across the street we’ll say ‘cheerio’
Hi and bye we’ve known since primary
We’ll have to go we’ll have no choice
The children’s charter says we have a voice
We’ll have to go we’ll have no choice
I keeping with the charter we’ll make lots of noise
Friends of the Victoria we’ll have a say
Someone will listen to us today
Keep our school so friends can play
Friends of Victoria say ‘good day’

Schools Protest Ends in Tears

Children were left bruised and in tears as they tried to deliver a petition to Glasgow city councillors to save their school from closure. Around 40 parents and kids from Victoria School in Govanhill had arranged to deliver their petition to Councillor Jonathan Findlay, but when they arrived at the City Chambers they were told he was not available. Council officials then refused to allow the delegation inside the building so around 15 parents and children entered via a door for disabled entry. 

Kerry O'Neill, Joanne Smith and Georgia Burns inside the City Chambers

According to parents, an official then slammed that door shut, injuring and frightening some of the children in the process. Joanne Smith’s son Steven, 4, got a black eye in the fracas. Joanne said: ‘This is no way to treat children.’ Joanne added later: ‘They were too heavy handed, they treated a group of children as if they were aggressive adults. The door hit my son in the face and bruised his eye. When I complained to the council official he just said ‘You should look after your children’, which I found very offensive.’ Georgia Burns, 9, was extremely shaken by the incident, and was comforted by big sister Gemma, 16.

Steven Smith, 4, shows the black eye he received

Margaret Doran meets pupils from Victoria Primary and Nursery

Georgia Burns, 8, is comforted by big sister Gemma

Bench Clothing Open Day, 14th March

Bench Clothing on Buchanan Street will be hosting an open day on 14th March to celebrate their 1 year anniversary. Lots will be going on between 11am – 4pm such as DJ Fox Macleod live in store. Live models will be on show displaying brand new outfits for Spring/Summer 09 collections and anyone spending over £50 will also receive a free Bench goody bag. Download and print the attached flyer to find out more and get your free goody bag.  Don’t forget to enter the competition in our competition section to win £60 vouchers for Bench.