Don’t dally to see Dilys

Writer Dilys Rose will read from her own poetry ‘Bodywork’ and discussing it at a free event in Ramshorn Theatre in 98 Ingram Street, on Thursday 3 February at 5.15pm

Brought up in Glasgow, Dilys has made a great name for herself since emigrating to Edinburgh. She has published ten books of fiction and her poetry including Red Tides, War Dolls, The Pest Maiden, Lure and Bodywork.

Her most recent award was a Leverhulme Fellowship to research and write a novel based on notions of blasphemy.

Dilys has collaborated with visual artists and composers, most recently with Rory Boyle on the opera Kaspar Hauser, which won the stage category in the 2010 British Composer Awards. She has been teaching on the Masters in Creative Writing course at Edinburgh University since 2002.

At the Ramshorn event, Dilys will be reading from and discussing her poetry collection Bodywork, as well as reading some short fiction linked by similar themes to her poetry work.

Another Pope in Glasgow

Exclusive by Joshua Modaberi

One Pope has already visited Glasgow. And another Pope is on his way here.

This Pope, however, does not hail from the Vatican City but will instead be representing Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling and plans to tear the house down at the Glasgow Braehead Arena for the Maximum Impact tour on Thursday 27 January.

The Pope D’angelo Dinero is looking forward to returning to Glasgow for the third successive year. “I assure my fans and congregation in Glasgow, Manchester and London, they will have an experience like no other! When The Pope and TNA arrive in the United Kingdom there will be a lot of good times – fans should come out and enjoy the live action that TNA provides.

“The fan interaction aspect at a TNA live event is something fans won’t experience with any other company in the business. We are a very fan friendly organisation.

“As much as they value our entertainment, we value their support and we show that when we perform each night.”

TNA have visited the UK for the Maximum Impact tours twice before and have had sell out crowds at all their venues. The Pope doesn’t see this time being any different – and doesn’t think it will be long before we see an episode of Impact! filmed on these shores and even a UK Pay Per View (PPV)

“I can definitely see a pay per view going down in the UK – I can see Dixie Carter (owner of TNA) and TNA management getting something together and think that a UK PPV is very likely,’ he told me.

“As for an episode of Impact being filmed in the UK, I think there is a big possibility – but I think first we will have to film episodes of Impact across America first.”

This is set to be the most star studded Maximum Impact tour to date with grappling legends Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair now part of the company as well as Mr. Anderson, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy and The Pope D’angelo Dinero who is enjoying working with these wrestling greats.

“I grew up watching the likes of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. So to be working with two of the legends in the wrestling world is a great pleasure.

“Hulk Hogan and Eric Bishoff have great wrestling minds – what they bring to the business is unquestionable, you can not deny their knowledge of the business.”

The stars of TNA are coming to the UK for the Maximum iMPACT! 2011 Tour in Glasgow (Thursday 27 January), Manchester (28 January) and London (29 January).

For more information go to tnawrestling.com

Nice brew at community cafe

‘Govanhill Trinity Cafe is going great,’ Lily McKinnon, minister in charge of the community enhancing venture told the LOCAL NEWS this week. ‘We are providing a placement for a student from Stowe College as well as work experience for pupils from Hollybrook Special Needs Secondary School. We also have two unemployed people who are gaining self confidence and honing their skills, in the hope of getting back into the work force. But we don’t have a Burns Supper, this year!’

A children’s Samba Band meets one day a week with a class from Govanhill Nursery School and two classes from Holy Cross Primary School. ‘There are 68 children involved for the next six weeks and by the summer more than 200 children will have had the opportunity to share this experience,’ said Lily. ‘We have a tutor from Big Groove Productions and volunteers from the church, all with Enhanced Disclosures. It is noisy and lots of fun!

A cafe for Dementia sufferers and their carers runs on the third Monday of every month from 10 till 1pm. From April, they will be having a sing song of old favourite tunes which many people with Dementia remember.

Raising the roof in Maryhill

A hand crafted replica of the original cupola tower which crowned Maryhill Burgh Halls for more than 100 years, was put in place this week. This is one of the finishing touches for the £9.2 million project which should see the restored Halls opening at the end of this summer.

The tower – complete with new wind vane – was lifted into place by a giant crane on Thursday 27 January. The original was removed in the early 1980s as dangerous.

Hailed as a major milestone in the restoration project, the cupola was designed by JM Architects and built by hand by specialist joinery contractors Hutton and Read of Edinburgh. It will rest 60 feet above the street and is an impressive 5 feet in diameter and 12 feet high. It is made from Douglas Fir and is covered in hand-worked lead. The wind vane is also hand made, designed and manufactured specially by P. Johnston & Co. Blacksmiths at Ratho Byres Forge.

Irene Scott, Chair of the Trust said: ‘Once fixed back on the crest of the roof, the stunning cupola will restore the exterior of this historic listed building to how it looked when it first opened in 1878. It helps show the grand scale and ambition of the original, as well as helping to make clear how much progress has been made in the lead up to the re-opening later this year.’

Hunter Reid, Project Co-ordinator and Company Secretary of the Trust added: ‘The tower isn’t just decorative – it is a key part of the ventilation system of the building, which uses natural ventilation to draw fresh air into the building. It’s great to see it back, and we’re delighted by the attention to detail and high-quality workmanship involved.’

The restoration work began in November 2009 and the Trustees have all the funding secured. Last year the project won the title ‘Best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds.’

The seat of municipal government in the days before Maryhill was a part of Glasgow, the Burgh Halls were built in 1878 and designed by renowned architect Duncan McNaughtan. They lay derelict for years and were on the Buildings at Risk register till the Trust came along.

Once restored, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and courtyard garden. They will showcase a unique series of stained glass panels depicting the trades and industries of Maryhill in the late 19th century. In addition, ten newly commissioned “Windows of Today” will depict current life in Maryhill.

Six years of hard work has been put into achieving full restoration with a building fit for the 21^st century. The Board of the Trust, which comprises local people and representatives from partners Maryhill Housing Association, Cube Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, has worked tirelessly to deliver the restoration.

For further information see website: www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk

Mosque pulls in the pints of blood

Around 125 people saved several lives at Glasgow Central Mosque recently when they donated blood.
The initiative broke the previous record of 67 people attending for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS).
Instigated and organised by Rizy Mohammed, of Soul Therapy Scotland, and his band of volunteers, it is the third time the Mosque has invited the SNBTS to set up in their community hall.
Local residents in Gorbals, workers in the Procurator Fiscal’s office across the road, staff from the nearby Sheriff Court and worshippers from the Mosque and local churches all waited patiently to give their 470 mililitre of blood in their life-saving mission – nearly a pint.
Said Rizy: ‘Blood banks are always very low in January, that’s why we chose this date.’  His concern first arose when his son, now aged six, had to have transfusions at birth. ‘I paced the floor of the Southern General and Yorkhill Sick Kids hospitals, ‘ he said.
Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Health Minister for Scotland dropped in to lend encouragement to those waiting for the 40 minute procedure: ‘This truly gives someone a new lease of life,’ she said. ‘This also brings people together to do some good for the community.’
Mosque General Secretary, Dr Mohammad Shafi Kausar said: ‘As a practicing G.P, I am very aware of the need for blood. It is heartening to see Glasgow Central Mosque facilities being utilised in this way. This is what Islam advocates and encourages – preserving and saving lives.’
Moira Eadie, of the Blood Transfusion Services, said: ‘This is an excellent community and interfaith event to acquire blood from donors. This will preserve and save lives.’
Westminster MP, Tom Harris, who was both a volunteer and a donor on the day, said: ‘It was good to see so many of the community willing to participate in the life saving event.’
Dr Nadeem Bhattie G.P, added: ‘All records were broken in respect of last year’s amount of blood collected and of new donors who came forward – including the ladies.’ A separate screened area with female assistants had been arranged for them. Other Mosques are now interested in carrying out similar events.
A donor can be from 17 years old. The number of active blood donors in Scotland declined by 14% in the last decade, with a further fall predicted this year.
More than 400 premature babies are born every month in Scotland. Each may require up to 50 transfusions while only three teaspoons of blood is also capable of saving a child’s life.
SNBTS provides blood transfusions for 100,000 patients each year

For more information: call 0845 90 90 999, text blood to 61611 or visit www.scotblood.co.uk to register

Boxing show

Bellahouston Amateur Boxing Club.

Boxing Show

Thursday 27 January 2011.

Fairfield Working Men’s Club

Govan

Tickets £15

You can sponsor a boxing bout at this event.

The Club is working with the community and needs the backing of the community to continue to do so, therefore welcomes sponsorship from local businesses.

Please contact Douglas Pinkett, Club Secretary on : 07861792336 or email:tickets@bellahoustonABC.com.

Bellahouston Amateur Boxing Club trains at the Palace of Art in Glasgow on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

Please feel free to drop in for a chat with Douglas, George or any of the coaches.

We are friendly club and proud to be supporting young people in our community.

Benefit gig for a good cause

What better way to bring the first month of the year to a close than turn up for a musical delight at Nice n’ Sleazy’s in Sauchiehall Street?

In aid of Govan Destitution Fund which provides practical support for destitute asylum seekers, the gig on Sunday 30 January has a terrific line-up: Swedish/Scottish(ish) indie circus popsters, The Social Services; island-fired, melodious folk ensemble, Bear Bones and the lovely Timbrel.

Entry £6. Asylum seekers free

www.bearbonesmusic.com/

www.thesocialservices.net

www.myspace.com/graceandcara

Burns and the Baths have a ceilidh

Govanhill Baths Community Trust

BURNS NICHT SUPPER n CEILIDH

Saturday 29 January 2011

Langside Public Halls

tickets: £10, £8 concession, £4 child(5-15), under-5s FREE

Buy from Trust at 126 Calder Street, Govanhill G42 7QR

call: 0141 433 2999 or email: info@govanhillbaths.com

The Trust’s new charity shop has opened in Victoria Road and the Trust is well ahead with plans to start Phase 1 of the Wellbeing Centre by moving  administration offices into part of the Calder Street Baths building.

Actors wanted for touring drama

There is still time to audition for an exciting play which will tour Glasgow during March and April as part of Lenfest 2011.

Titled ‘The Turnaround’ the play follows the life of Adam, a Glasgow ned with a big chip on his shoulder. He jumps off a bridge to finish things but is rescued by a volunteer from a church  soup kitchen  which feeds homeless people.  However, the  rescuer, himself, dies in his efforts to save Adam. What effect this has on Adam is what the play is about.

Anyone aged 16 or over and who can attend rehearsals on Monday and Thursday evenings and tour with the production from 25 March till 16 April this year is invited to attend an audition on Monday 24 January at 7.30pm in St Michael’s church hall, 1350 Gallowgate, Glasgow G31 4DJ (at Parkhead Cross, opposite Cineworld and behind the Forge Shopping Centre)

Otherwise call 0141 554 1333 or email: info:agap.org.uk for more details or another time for an audition.  Male and female actors are needed and backstage helpers too! For a full list of characters and other information see website: www.agap.org.uk

The play has been written by Stephen Callaghan especially for the Lentfest 2011 programme and is being produced by AGAP Theatre

Ladies’ Pamper Night

Friday 28 January

Cleveden Secondary School

7pm – 10.30pm

Cleveden Ladies Pamper Night

tix £5

BYOB

Chocolates, fruit, massage, nail treatments, glass of fizz, crafts staflls, beauty, cakes

SWISHING CLOTHES SWAP STALL – 3 items swopped for 3@ £5 a go.

For all the ladies out there who worked so hard over the
holidays and now could do with a special treat!

Tickets/info: mercedes23@btinternet.com

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