EDITORIAL

Well that’s the Royal Wedding over – barring the memories for a lifetime for those who chose to enjoy it. It has to be said that the British Monarchy knows how to put on a good show. What a spectacle! While there are those who will say that one penny of public money was too much to have spent on the event, there are those on the other side who consider it is a seriously good investment in publicity which will reap rich rewards for the tourist business for years to come. Already hotels around St Andrews are saying they’ve had a 25% increase in bookings for this summer alone. So let’s enjoy the celebration of two young people who genuinely appear to be in committed to each other.  And the next event….the ELECTION! Now, political marriages are a different thing!

Elected!

An election has just taken place – for the Scottish YOUTH Parliament. Around 1500 votes were cast in Glasgow by young people aged between 14 and 25. Results are on:

http://www.syp.org.uk/get-involved/elections/glasgow.htm

Across Scotland nearly 30,000 young Scots determined who they wanted to represent them and  elected 300 of their peers. ‘We want more people to think about elections and what they mean. Then when they do get the vote they can use it responsibly,’ said Kyle Thornton the 16-year-old Bellahouston Academy pupil, newly elected to the Glasgow Southside Youth Constituency as a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP)

Part of the Youth Parliament’s campaign between their election and the upcoming election for the Scottish Parliament is to encourage more young people with the vote to use it on 5 May. ‘I vote. Does that make me a Geek?’ Is the fun campaign with a serious intention. Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) are now walking about wearing dark framed specs to emphasise the ‘geek’ look and to make their point. The young people’s parliament, designed by young people, led by young people is for the benefit of young people. The Youth Parliament developed its own manifesto after consulting around 50,000 folk.

 

River Clyde commuter service starts

A commuter waterbus service brings back a boat to the River Clyde in Glasgow on a regular daily basis.
In time for Easter, the Motor Vessel Silver Swan, will ply the River from Yoker to Braehead to the Science Centre to the Broomielaw pontoon behind the casino. Purpose built for Clydelink, the little launch and the sister ship MV Island Trader which serves the Yoker crossing exclusively, are part of a quarter million pound investment in the future of the River by Silvers Marine of Roseneath.
Said Managing Director Mark Aikman: ‘I have a passion for boats on the River and believe where there is more traffic, more people will use the river and that makes good business sense.’
Clydelink was formed last year with only three days notice to fill the gap left by SPTon the closure of the Renfrew ferry link. ‘We’ve carried 100.000 passengers and made a small profit there,’ declared Mark. ‘We have two more vessels in the pipeline and they will be ready soon.’
The new service to the heart of Glasgow has enabled the company to take on two apprentices. Said Scott Cairns (22) who is one of them: ‘I’ve always wanted to do this. It’s brilliant I’m getting this chance.’ His skipper Paul Malone (22) added: ‘Now people can see what they’ve been missing.’

Holy Week in the West End

In Holy Week which leads up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his resurrection at Easter, churches in  Glasgow’s West End have a series of services to mark the momentous  events.

All united services, they start on Monday 18 April in Hyndland Church. Next day the service will be in Lansdowne,  followed by Kelvinside Hillhead church on Wednesday.  Maundy Thursday when the Last Supper was held, will be in Wellington Church crypt and will be a communion service. Good Friday will have a vigil in Kelvinside Hillhead Church from 12 noon till 3pm with a service in St John’s Renfield Church at 7pm- the time all the services will be held.

On Easter morning – Sunday 24 April – a communion service will be held in Kelvingrove Park near Lord Roberts’ statue at 8am. This will be followed by a breakfast in Wellington Church crypt (enter off University avenue) At 11am that day an all-age communion service will be held in Wellington Church with an evening service at 7pm when Stations of the Resurrection will be discussed.

 

 

Singing signers to hold choirs’ festival

A festival of Scottish Deaf choirs will be held in Paisley Abbey on Sunday 8 May at 3pm. The choirs are of profoundly deaf church members who speak and sing in sign language. They do not hear the words or music, but sign them. Hearing people can hear the words and music of course, but to watch so many Deaf people signing at one time is a unique and amazing experience. Everyone will be made welcome at this wonderful festival of worship.

 

Glorious invite

Singers who want to be part of the West End Festival’s musical extravaganza, Gloria IX, are invited to join the rehearsals starting on Thursday 5 May – voting day!

In its ninth year, Gloria will be performed in Glasgow Cathedral on Thursday 16 June and in Wellington Church, University Avenue, on Thursday 23 June.

‘We welcome as many choir singers as possible,’ said Alan Kitchen who will accompany the choir on the organ and who has provided three brand new hymn arrangements for choir, organ and percussion. ‘They can take part in either or both concerts and should be able to attend at least MOST of the rehearsals.’

Organ solos will be provided by local organists Malcolm Sim and Jonathan Salmond.

Directed by Ian Anderson, the choir will explore five centuries of choral music. The programme will range from 16^th century masters such as Byrd and Tallis, through Bach, Handel, Mozart and Haydn and via 19^th century masters Mendelssohn and Stanford into 20^th century music by John Rutter and Bob Chilcott.

Rehearsals will be held in Wellington Church starting at 7.45pm on Thursdays 5, 12,19 and 26 May and 2 and 9 June as well as final rehearsals in both venue.

Interested audiences are invited to rehearsals as well as the concerts where ‘audience participation’ is promised on the night. Contact:Alan Kitchen via Wellington Church email:wellingtonchurch@btinternet.com or Tel: 0141 339 0454. ‘Or simply turn up at the first rehearsal on Thursday 5 May,’ said Alan.

Survey OK from Salmond

SNP leader, Alex Salmond, has assured Glasgow Home Owners’ Association that after the election, he will call for an independent survey of work done on their properties which they claim is a ‘health time-bomb’
The 200-strong Association has photographic records of faults in re-cladding and re-roofing work done by their factor – Glasgow Housing Association’s (GHA’s) appointed contractors.
Before the Scottish Parliament was dissolved, the then Minister for Housing and Communities, Alex Neil, met with the Association’s elected members. He later said he would not have an independent survey done.
‘We are very pleased Alex Salmond has agreed to have this done after the election, through the housing regulator or the Building Research Establishment in East Kilbride,’ said a jubilant Sean Clerkin, Association chairman.
After the knock-back from Minister Alex Neil last month, some of the Association members held a sit-in at the GHA headquarters in Trongate to show the extent of the shoddy work they consider has been done. Said leader Sean at the time: ‘We are sending a strong message to all the political parties during this election run-up, that there is a time bomb of ill-health and deteroriating properties because of the sub-standard work carried out.’ Added Vice Chair, Anne Booth: ‘We elect people to look after us. They are not doing this. When there is a problem they don’t help.’ They claim sub standard work has been done on thousands of home across Glasgow.
The campaigning group was part of a small lobby which confronted Scottish Labour Party leader Iain Gray in Central Station on the issue of public service cuts. ‘He ran away,’ said Sean referring to the well-screened flight of the leader out of the station and into a sandwich shop. The campaigners also confronted Annabel Goldie, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party leader who discussed some of the issues with them, on the spot. ‘We would have done the same with the SNP, but Alex Salmond spent an hour listening to our concerns on the shoddy overcladding, the closure of the Accord Centre in Dalmarnock and other issues,’ commented Sean. The campaigners plan to continue their public protests with a lobby outside STV on Tuesday 3 May before the final televised  leaders’ debate.
A spokesman for GHA commented: ‘To date, we have overclad more than 36,000 homes across the city, making them warmer, drier and more energy-efficient. There have been issues with the work done on only a very small number of these houses. An independent survey carried out by the Building Research Establishment concluded that dampness found in a very small number of homes was caused by heating and ventilation issues and NOT as a result of the overcladding work.’

Battleground Govan

Govan Road marks the dividing line between Glasgow Southside and Glasgow Pollok for the Scottish Parliament constituencies. And on Saturday 16 April it saw the SNP on one side of the road and the Labour Party on the other.
While the Labour Party had a stall and leaflets and loads of red ballons on the new Govan Cross Public Square, the SNP had star of screen and stage, Elaine C. Smith marching shoulder to shoulder with Nicola Sturgeon who aims to retain her seat in Glasgow Southside.
Said Elaine, who switched from Labour some years ago: ‘The question is – who will represent Scotland best? Who will fight Scotland’s corner? I believe it is the SNP and I’ve supported Alex Salmond for several years. He gave me advice on how to approach people when out canvassing. Believe it or not, speaking face to face with strangers is quite nerve-wracking for me because I’m used to facing an audience who are sitting in the dark and at a distance! So Alex’ advice was – talk about anything other than politics. Let that person raise the subject that is on their mind and then address it.’
Nicola, who was fresh from launching the Party’s manifesto, glossed over the fact that the spot for the photo opportunity included a Subway sandwich shop in the background. It was into another branch of that franchise that the Labour leader Iain Gray rushed when he tried to avoid a group of Citizens United Against the Cuts campaigners who wanted to speak to him.
But in Govan the sandwich shop was shutter and across the road the Labour Party team, led by Johann Lamont who is fighting to retain her Glasgow Pollok seat, was out in force. Councillors Alistair Watson and Jahangir Hanif were there and Councillor Stephen Curran who is standing against Nicola Sturgeon, had already been to Govan and gone on to Pollokshaws in his campaign trail.
Carefully ignoring each other, the two party teams lobbied passersby, especially those heading for the busy Saturday market at the Water Row side of Govan Cross. The votes cast on Thursday 5 May will finally show how many people have crossed the road, politically.

Hustings prayers for a living wage

The politicians wrestled with words while their hosts – the Vincentians in Partnership (VIP) – wrestled with poverty at a hustings in St Mungo’s Church hall in Townhead on Wednesday 13 April.
In an atmosphere of restraint and respect, candidates from five parties presented their case for a living wage. Sandra White (SNP) said they had implemented a living wage. Frank McAveety (Labour) said his party made a living wage a reality with the support of the trade unions. Andrew Morrison (Conservative) pointed out that while all sub-contractors in London – where his Party rules – have to pay £7.85 at least per hour, one in five of all low-paid workers in Scotland are in the public sector. Natalie McKee (Lib Dem) countered that a living wage was only one strand in their plans to promote a fair society for waged and unwaged alike. Martha Wardrop (Greens) supported a ‘decent wage,’ and the Party’s plan was to promote this ‘much more rigorously.’

Earlier, the 50 or so people who made up the audience and who included several members of the St Vincent Deaf Community with their signer, had studied a Biblical text referring to the poor and needy. This was to identify who the ‘poor’ are in today’s society.
Each organisation which makes up VIP, explained how it worked to support those in poverty in the spirit of Vincent de Paul, the founder, who was born in 1660. Then, roundtable discussion took place to decide ‘Who are the Poor?’ using a text from Deuteronomy exhorting employers to ‘pay wages daily before sunset because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them.’
The evening was ably chaired by Hugh Foy, Project Manager of Programme Development for the Conforti Institute which provides training for the Vincentian groups and campaigns to reduce poverty. He will be one of the participants at the final session of the Scottish Poverty Truth Commission on Saturday 16 April in Glasgow City Chambers.

Plaudits for unique youth scheme

A youth programme which helps reduce anti-social behaviour in the North and West of Glasgow has been hailed as a success by former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson.
The former Scotland International captain was among special guests at the annual awards and dance shows run by A&M Training – a programme which is part funded by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA).
Run by ex-Dundee United winger Andy McLaren, the A&M Training scheme tackles youth disorder, racism and gang violence. Founded on his own hard experiences, the scheme encourages youngsters to keep fit through football and dance classes.
Around 2000 youngsters have already signed up for Operation Reclaim in the North of the city and also the West End Diversionary Project.
Birmingham City star Barry Ferguson presented trophies at the Operation Reclaim awards night at the Mitchell Theatre recently.
Barry said: “I’m delighted to support A&M Training which delivers top-quality diversionary coaching activities across Glasgow. Each week around 2000 young people benefit from these services – and they are free.
“I attended the dance and awards show and was blown away by the numbers involved, the talent on show and the quality of the coaching.”
GHA and the Scottish Government fund the West End Diversionary Project, which covers areas including Drumchapel, Yoker, Scotstoun and Anderston. Operation Reclaim is funded by GHA and North Glasgow Community Planning Partnership and runs in areas including Sighthill, Springburn, Milton and Royston.
GHA’s Executive Director of Development and Regeneration, Alex McGuire, said: “Projects such as Operation Reclaim and the West End Diversionary Project are making a real difference to young people in the North and West of the city.
Former Scotland footballers Robbie Winters, Charlie Miller and Gary McSwegan are also lending their support to programme.
Andy McLaren, founder of A&M Training, said: “We’re the only sports coaching charity in Scotland providing free coaching services delivered by professional footballers and dancers.
“The programme has had a tremendous benefit in reducing youth crime and disorder and improving the health and well-being of large numbers of young people.”

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