Hetherington Post Grad club closes

The Hetherington Research Club, part of the University of Glasgow, has closed amid a cash crisis. The club offered drinks, food and study facilities to the University’s post graduate students.

Staff at the club were called to an emergency meeting on Friday 18 February with managers, representatives from the University and lawyers acting as liquidators. They were told to close the club immediately and ask all patrons to leave. Drinks were taken from people and refunds issued.

The closure has resulted in the loss of 4 full time and 24 part time jobs. Eileen Boyle has worked at the club for the past six years and represents staff interests to the management. Eileen said: ‘This is down to systemic mis-management, both by the University and the club itself. Accounts were not filed when they should have been. The University is supposed to have representation on the management committee, but this never happened. A new management committee was elected in November 2009. They took one look at the books and refused to take on responsibility for them. They went to the University court and asked them to investigate. The University appointed Deloitte to do a systems audit, and they found that there were important accounting documents missing. They declared that the club was operating illegally and would have to close.’

Former staff are said to be very unhappy about the way they have been treated. They are meeting on a daily basis to discuss the situation and to support each other. Eileen said: ‘We have submitted a proposal to run the business as a co-operative. We have submitted a business plan to David Newall, (the University’s Secretary of Court and Director of Administration) and we are holding a public meeting to announce our plans. We are certain we can run it as a viable business. The university has 5000 post graduate students and having the club is a great resource for them. We have set up a Facebook site and have around 1500 members already with messages of support from around the world. People have such fond memories of the club.’

The open meeting will be held on Monday 1 March at 5.30pm in the Boyd Orr building at the University of Glasgow.

First Minister hails new Stobhill’s part in healthcare revolution

First Minister Alex Salmond has officially opened the £100m New Stobhill Hospital, describing the occasion as a ‘fantastic day’ and hailing a ‘revolution in the treatment of people, not just in Glasgow but across the West of Scotland’.
Less than a year after it opened to patients, New Stobhill has won three prestigious design awards and boasts many state-of-the-art facilities. Thousands of surgical patients, who would ordinarily have required an overnight stay, are having their operations as day procedures, allowing them to recuperate in the comfort of their own homes.
Mr Salmond, who recently attended the opening of the new Victoria Hospital at Langside on the South Side of the city, told his audience: ‘What is common about both hospitals is the huge appreciation that the patients I spoke to have for not just the new building and the new facilities, crucially important though these are, but for the staff and the care and attention they’re getting.
‘As far as the treatment and facilities are concerned, there is a ringing endorsement for this revolution in the health service.’
The bright and airy new building is certainly far removed from its 440-bed red brick neighbour. There are 12 short-stay beds, traditional outpatient facilities and new ‘one-stop’ clinics. NHS Great Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGG&C) said that New Stobhill is expected to treat more than 400,000 patients annually.
‘This is a hospital that has a tremendous throughput of patients and staff and yet, it’s designed in such a way that it doesn’t look crowded. That’s a simple design in many ways and an act of genius,’ said Mr Salmond.
Andrew Robertson, NHSGG&C Chairman, said: ‘This building represents a number of important milestones. Firstly, it’s a key milestone on the delivery of our acute services strategy.
‘Secondly, we’re transferring the balance of care away from overnight procedures to a much greater emphasis on day procedures.
‘In all that, we believe we are truly improving the patient experience. There’s quicker treatment and fewer hospital visits are required.
‘We are also ensuring much better use of staff resources,’ Mr Robertson added, explaining this would be a critical factor in achieving the aims of NHSGG&C’s review of its acute services and the means of affording and delivering them.

Poetry slams home

Once the preserve of pretentious sixth formers and beardy old men, poetry has been given a shot in the arm and dragged into the new century by contests known as ‘Slams’, and Glasgow is at the forefront of the movement. Instead of stuffy gatherings, performers get up on stage and are judged on their delivery as much their rhyming skills. Poets get a strict time limit to perform their material and the winner gets a cash prize. Robin Cairns has run poetry slams in Glasgow for the past four years. He has seen a huge surge of interest in spoken word events during that time. He said: ‘When I started doing this seven or eight years ago it was a desert, I was having to travel to Edinburgh to see other poets in action and find a stage to stand on. Nobody was running slams in Glasgow until I started about four years ago. I organise it along what I call Glasgow rules, everyone gets two goes of two minutes each. Usually its only three minutes for each performer and they get scored on that. Our way, everyone feels involved and part of the whole night. If you are out first and fluff it because you are nervous, or if the crowd aren’t warmed up, you get a chance to redeem yourself. Its especially important for people who are travelling or for first timers, you don’t want them to do badly and then never come back. The slam format makes it more accessible for young people. Folk are used to this X-Factor thing that has come into vogue in past few years. We are like a TV talent show except its not a lie, our performers actually have talent. Its not just a shabby karaoke contest, they are all doing original work that they’ve written themselves.’

Competitors are gearing up for the Scottish Poetry Slam Championship on Friday 5 March at the Mitchell Theatre in Glasgow, part of the Aye Write festival. This is one of the biggest slam events in the UK, second only to the Cheltenham Literary Festival which claims to be the biggest.

There are other spoken word nights running in Glasgow, each with its own unique atmosphere. Monosyllabic is a regular night at Mono run by playwright and journalist Wendy Miller. Discombobulate runs monthly at the Arches, and has featured readings by James Kelman and musician Aidan Moffat. Seeds of Thought is a poetry group started by Tawona Sithole in 2005. Tawona came to Glasgow from Zimbabwe to study for a BSc in Health Studies at Glasgow Caledonian University. He was inspired by the tradition of storytelling and song which he experienced while growing up. He said: “At family gatherings, everyone would tell a story or play an instrument, everyone took part and was encouraged. Seeds of Thought provides a medium for people to come together and share their culture through spoken word, music and visual arts. People come together and inspire each other and collaborate. Its a great vibe just now, so many people have come along and now feel confident enough to get up and perform, everyone has a story to tell. We break the night up with music and drama, as well as spoken word performances.”

Two wheels good at Glendale Primary

Glendale Primary pupils are celebrating the joys of two-wheeled transport with the installation of a new £10,000 bike shed. The school applied to the Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund to pay for the shelter, which has space for 20 bikes. Pupils, parents and teachers on the school’s eco-committee recognised the health and environmental benefits of cycling to school, and decided to install the shed to encourage bike usage. Nora Benhach, aged 10, won a competition to design a poster to promote cycling, and won a £200 bike from Alpine Bikes. Nora said: “There are too many people double parking near the school. Its better for everyone to cycle, it saves fuel. Its also fun, cycling and swimming are my favourite things. I swim at Woodlands pool, at their ladies sessions on a Sunday. I like to swim in the deep end but older people think I am too young. I designed the poster on the computer.”
Gendale’s crossing guard Hugh Gillan is a veteran cyclist, and bikes to the school every day. He said: “I bought a Dayton Roadmaster bike from a shop called Clydesdale at the Broomielaw when I was 19. It cost me 23 guineas and I had it for years until it was stolen.” Hugh, or Shuggy as the kids call him, was a Marine Engineer with Howden’s in Cardonald before he retired. Hugh helps to maintain pupil’s bikes, fixing punctures and other problems.
Pip Ryan’s daughter Eilidh is in primary two at the school. Pip said: “We want to get 20 people cycling regularly to school, both staff and pupils. This will save 1.67 tonnes of Co2 a year, reducing the schools carbon footprint.”

Nora Benhach, 10, with lollypop man Hugh Gillan.

Cable backs Gordon but McKechin’s not for budging‏

VINCE Cable, The Liberal Democrats shadow chancellor, has backed his party’s Glasgow North candidate Katy Gordon to triumph at this year’s general election.

Cable is a respected politician who was one of the first to call for the nationalisation of Northern Rock at the start of the banking crisis.

He also has strong Glasgow links, as he studied at Glasgow University and was a Labour Councillor in Maryhill in the 1970s.

Speaking exclusively to Local News Glasgow today, he said: “I have seen first-hand how tirelessly Katy works on behalf of local people.

“She has been an effective and inspirational campaigner and would be an excellent parliamentary voice for the people of the constituency.”

44-year-old Katy Gordon, who was born in Cheshire but has lived in Glasgow for nearly 20 years, gets almost starry-eyed talking about her party’s economic spokesman.

Cable joined fight against school closures in Wyndford which inspired Katy, and she believes the local people in the neighbourhoods.

She said: “Following our campaign against the school closures the people in the Wyndford have gone on and set up a community council.

“Getting the public involved in politics through something that affects them is the way forward – my party has always been good at building from the bottom up.”

She is aware that it’s been 23 years since there was a Liberal MP from any Glasgow seat and even then it was the old SDLP, yet remains unhindered.

She said: “Roy Jenkins was the last Liberal MP in Glasgow. He was well liked and is well remembered round these parts.

“There is still a liberal tradition here, a flickering flame that has never gone out.

“The party has had solid campaigns here, developed strong roots and has repaid its faith in me by supporting me as much as it can.”

But Gordon has a massive task ahead of her; the seat is occupied by sitting Labour MP Ann McKechin.

McKechin worked under George Galloway in the old Kelvin seat in the early 1990s before she was elected herself to serve as MP for the old Maryhill seat in 2001.

She expects real challenge from the Liberal Democrats, but says most voters nationally will be making a ‘key decision’ between Tory and Labour.

She said: “This is always a seat that will be tighter than others in Glasgow.

“There are voters in the middle-class areas of the west end as well as the working class areas of Maryhill and Summerston.

“But the overwhelming number of people that I talk to on a regular basis don’t think David Cameron has anything to offer them in this constituency, or in Glasgow.

“We have the strongest policies on jobs such as the young person’s guarantee.

“This is where any young person who has been out of work for more than six months we will guarantee them six months paid work or training experience.”

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright …

Numbers up as GHA shows drug dealers the door

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has announced that it booted 31 drug dealers out of its properties last year.
Another 30 convicted dealers quit their GHA homes after being threatened with legal action by the landlord.
GHA said one tenant was found with a kilo of amphetamines, while another had 70 cannabis plants growing at his home.
A citywide drive by GHA has resulted in eviction order victories at Glasgow Sheriff Court against sellers of crack cocaine, heroin, diazepam and valium.
In 2008, the association kicked out 27 drug dealers, while there were 10 evictions in 2007 and nine the year before.
GHA is the only social landlord in the UK to have a specialist drugs officer liaising with police.
Backing the GHA strategy, Superintendent Iain Findlay, of Strathclyde Police, said: ‘Reducing the harm of illegal substances, and the demand for them within communities, is crucial, and Strathclyde Police is contributing towards this drive.’
Jim Sneddon, GHA Executive Director of Regeneration, added: ‘We will not tolerate any form of antisocial behaviour in and around our properties and we will use whatever means necessary, including eviction, to communities are kept safe and secure.’

Eco volunteers get Sesame streetwise in Darnley Country Park

Volunteers from the South Side of Glasgow who helped dig a pond in the Darnley Mill area might tell you that it’s no fun bein’ green, but it certainly proved to be rewarding.
The 21-strong team from the Dams to Darnley Country Park venture met up to take part in the Living Waters project run by Amphibian & Reptile Conservation.
Their muddy labours and undiminished spirits went towards enhancing one of 14 wetlands across Glasgow, and wildlife such as the common toad might just enjoy a larger environment in which to thrive.
Eddie Phillips, who is Chairman of Go Greener, the environmental group which operates in the south of Glasgow and East Renfrewshire, said: ‘It is brilliant to see so many people contributing to their local country park. This is one of many opportunities open to people to take part in improving our green space.’
Dams to Darnley Country Park has a calendar of events which can be viewed at www.damstodarnley.org. Volunteers can also call 0141 577-4053/4054.

Council budget cuts mean axe falls on Castlemilk Stress Centre

By Erik Geddes

The harsh realities of council cutbacks are hitting one of Glasgow’s poorest areas particularly hard.
Glasgow South East Community Health Care Partnership (CHCP) – which is part-funded by the council – is set to pull the plug on funding for Castlemilk Stress Centre.
The centre, based in Stravanan Road for the past four years, relied on £80,000 core funding from the CHCP along with a further £40,000 from community planning.
The 14 staff and volunteers offer complimentary therapies such as aromatherapy massage and reflexology to more than 100 people a week for free or at vastly reduced prices.
Karen Guthrie, assistant manager of the centre, told of the impact that the proposed closure at the end of March will have.
She said: ‘The people who come here will be devastated if this service is withdrawn.
‘A lot of the clients are very vulnerable; many are long-term unemployed and many more are suffering from other conditions including mental health issues.
‘Our staff has taken this very hard as they are now facing unemployment and threat of not meeting mortgage payments and rent.
‘We understand that there has to be cuts in frontline services but we’re doing everything we can for people to contact their MPs and councillors to reverse this decision.
‘There is petition circulating and we’re doing all we can. We’re not giving up; it would seem that the money is simply not there, we need a miracle.’
In addition, there is a dedicated youth centre that visits all the schools and nurseries dealing with anger management, emotional intelligence and works very closely with young people through periods of transition.
While the youth stress centre is funded via The Big Lottery until the end of 2011, it will now be without a permanent home when the Stress Centre closes.
Karen said: ‘The knock-on effect will be that it will be likely to close unless new accommodation is made available to them.’
Amanda Brown, local resident and board member of Castlemilk Youth Complex, has both worked alongside and used the services of the stress centre.
She suffered whiplash after being in a car crash in 2005 and was able to access the youth stress centre, which was offering free therapy sessions.
She cited the same reasons of deprivation and care needs as Karen Guthrie as those which made the centre so important to the area.
She added: ‘It may even cost the CHCP more in the long term as people’s health needs will increase and their ability to work will reduce if they pull this service.’
Amanda continued: ‘It’s been great to have the stress centre; it helps build a sense of community.
‘One time I was there I forgot my purse but the staff were great with me, dropping in the cash later in the week.
‘I can’t believe that they have just pulled it.’
MP for Glasgow South, Tom Harris, has written to CHCP and Baillie James Scanlon expressing concern over the closure.

Timeless themes resonate as Lentfest opens

Ash Wednesday at St Charles Borromeo in North Kelvinside was the venue for the launch of Lentfest 2010, an annual celebration of faith through art which is organised by the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Project (AGAP).
Festival patron Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow, visited St Charles – home to 14 world-famous sculptures by Benno Schotz depicting the Stations of the Cross – to meet some of the performers, composers and writers whose music and words will be heard across Greater Glasgow over the six weeks of Lent.
They include composer James MacMillan, who has written new work for a Laetare Sunday concert in St Columba’s Church, Woodside, on March 14.
Festival director Stephen Callaghan has written a play on the life of St Jean Marie Vanney, the patron saint of priests, which will be performed by AGAP Theatre at 10 venues.
With service a theme of Lentfest, Stephen’s play is a quirky telling of the saint’s life set in Glasgow and narrated by the Devil, using humour and contemporary music to examine the issues faced by those serving in the priesthood today.
Archbishop Conti said: ‘My interest in art goes back to my family and I also had a great privilege of being in Rome as a student. There was so much artistically to inspire me and it always seemed in the best tradition of the church that art was engaged. Much of Western art had its origin in the church and the liturgy of the church, so it’s not us getting onto a bandwagon, it’s us being faithful to our past.
‘It seems to me this (Lentfest) is very pastoral because those who are in the arts are expressing their feelings, their faith. I’m very comfortable with the way this is developing – it’s in its third year now – and there’s a lot of interest from within the Catholic community, where we’ve got a lot of talented people, but also from outside the community, which is what we want to happen.’
Amid the festival’s more conventional musical and choral events, poetry and readings, Lentfest will also stage the UK premier of Dr Steve Davismoon’s sound installation, Towards The Water’s Edge.
Created with thousands of sound samples of water and played to an audience seated inside a pyramid of 16 loudspeakers situated in St Charles, the composer traces the ‘life’ of the River Arno in Tuscany as it passed from its mountain source through Florence and Pisa until it reaches the Mediterranean Sea.
Londoner Steve, a reader in the Ian Tomlin Academy of Music at Edinburgh Napier University, told LOCAL NEWS: ‘I had wanted to chart the life of a river for a variety of reasons. There are so many poetic examples, so many in music of drawing similarities between one’s life journeys and a river.’
Steve’s choice of the Arno was inspired by Guido d’Arezzo, the medieval Benedictine scholar.
‘He pretty much invented music notation for us and he worked on the banks of the Arno … the Arno flows through Florence, which is the birthplace of opera. So, for me it was not just the chance to chart the life of a river but to chart music history.’
Lentfest events run until Sunday, March 28. www.lentfest.co.uk

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