City team members walk with Botham

Glasgow City football players Emma Fernon, Lauren McMurchie and Christie Murray along with team head coach Eddie Wolecki Black, completed the last Glasgow leg of Sir Ian Botham’s – Beefy’s Great British Walk in Glasgow.

The walk is in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and has seen Sir Ian Botham raise vast sums for the charity. Now nine in ten children with the most common forms of leukaemia beat the disease.

City team sponsor, Douglas McCrea of McCrea Financial Services who’s company is the official Glasgow partner of the walk, also turned out as did Celtic Manager Neil Lennon who put on his walking boots too for the Glasgow section of Beefy’s Walk. For more information see: http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/get-involved/beefys-great-british-walk-2012-0

To sponsor Douglas McCrea, please click on his Just Giving page:

http://www.justgiving.com/Douglas-McCrea

Refugee Council chief lambasts Government over asylum seekers

John Wilkes, Chief Executive, Scottish Refugee Council has issued a strongly worded statement at the end of a dramatic week for asylum seekers.

He said:  ’News this week that that up to100 refused asylum seekers are to be evicted from their accommodation in Glasgow brings into sharp focus the shocking reality and inhumanity of how the UK Government treats people who have sought sanctuary in our country.

They are being forced into abject destitution because our asylum system has failed them.

These are men and women who have come from countries with appalling human rights records and well documented conflicts or oppressive regimes such as Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea. But their claim for sanctuary has been refused.

The public has been led to believe that asylum seekers whose claims are refused have somehow ‘abused’ the system. Yet, many refused asylum seekers would have qualified for some form of protection had they applied in another country or had they applied for asylum in the UK in the past.

Now they are existing in limbo. They cannot go home – either because it is not safe or because it cannot be logistical arranged, due to lack of co-operation from the governments of their countries of origin.

But yet as refused asylum seekers in the UK, they are entitled to nothing – they receive no financial support, no accommodation and of course, are not allowed to work. That means they have to rely on friends, family or charity just so that they can eat and find somewhere to sleep.

The reality is that there are already well over 100 destitute asylum seekers living on the extreme margins of society in Glasgow. They face a daily struggle to simply survive.

Charities have had to step into support them; they shouldn’t have to.

Grass roots organisations and faith groups are already stretched beyond their means whether they are providing food packs, accommodation in night shelters, tracking down volunteer hosts to put people up for the night or hosting drop-ins where people rely on the free lunch as much as the emotional support on offer.

The Scottish Refugee Council has teamed up with British Red Cross to offer emergency advice surgeries for people affected by the current situation. The British Red Cross is also funding Refugee Survival Trust so that they are to provide small grants, given out by the Scottish Refugee Council, to offer financial aid when it is most needed.

The UK Government urgently needs to face up to this unacceptable, appalling and inhumane policy.

We are calling once again on the UK Government to restore integrity, pride and humanity in our asylum system by returning to a more inclusive approach to its assessment of who is in need of protection.

People seeking asylum should also be allowed the dignity and right to work to support themselves and contribute economically to Scotland while they wait for a decision on their claim. If they can’t work, they should receive support from the point at which they make their claim to the time that they either recognised as refugees or are returned to their home country.

Only then can we all have faith and pride in our asylum system.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dawn raids start again

Unbelievably, in the very week when protests are growing at asylum seekers being made destitute, the UK Borders Agency (UKBA) has dawn raided a family from Azerbaijan. The family is currently in the Cedars family detention centre in Sussex and scheduled to be removed on a flight leaving at 8am on Saturday 14 April.

The 29 year old woman Endalina is five months pregnant and suffers from high blood pressure.

Immigration officials broke into the family’s home on Duke Street in the East End of Glasgow at 7.30am on Wednesday morning while the family were still in their beds. Their two year old son woke up to see his mother crying and shouting and immigration officials wearing stab-proof vests On the phone to Unity, the Glasgow support group for asylum seekers, Endalina’s husband Emil said she was so distressed about being forcibly removed to Azerbaijan where their lives will be in danger that she suffered a thirty minute long panic attack when she was restrained by four immigration officials and could not breathe. She now has badly bruised arms.

Said a Unity spokesman: ‘Endalina is now experiencing severe pain in her stomach, showing a discharge and has been advised by the nurse in Cedars to lie down and not to walk about. We are extremely concerned about her and her baby’s well-being.’  He said Unity was calling on the UKBA to immediately suspend the removal flight and to release the family.

He added: ‘Endalina is only one or two weeks away from being too heavily pregnant to travel as most airlines will not take women who are more than 28 weeks into their pregnancy and the UKBA’s own guidelines state that a medical certificate must be issued showing the mother is fit to fly.’  He urged concerned Glasgow citizens  immediately to contact Theresa May, the Home Secretary to urge her to stop the family’s removal from the UK. The Home Office reference number is M1389212 and the email addresses are:

mayt@parliament.uk

pscorrespondence@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Fax: 020 7035 4745

 

 

Rwanda gets help from Oatlands

The Ladies of Oatlands who meet on a Wednesday for tea, conversation and a game of bingo, have raised more than £80 for destitute children in Rwanda.

Organiser Marie Reilly was crocheting a blanket when she first heard of volunteer Mary Millar going out to Rwanda to work with local projects. ‘I said then, I’d raffle the blanket when I finished it and give the proceeds to her for that work,’ said Marie.

And that’s what she did on Wednesday 11 April 2012. ‘We sold raffle tickets around in the community but mainly it was the pensioners who come on Wednesday afternoons to the OCRC (Oatlands Community Resource Centre who bought the tickets,’ ‘ she added.

The group heard how Mary works from dawn till dusk managing the projects which centre on street children and people with disabilities.

Marie is now gathering in more wool, knitting needles and crochet hooks and other craft supplies so that the Wednesday Ladies can run their own craft or art classes.  ’All donations would be gratefully received,’ said Ann Marie.

 

Resistance to destitution grows

Resistance is growing to the fact that as many as 140 asylum seekers will be made destitute in Glasgow in the next few weeks.

This follows a change of provider of accommodation from Ypeople, a British based Christian charity, to Serco an international conglomerate providing essential services in more than 30 countries. In the UK it runs electronic tagging, video surveillance, nuclear weapons maintenance, several prisons and two immigration removal centres.

At a rally of around 200 people on Thursday 12 April 2012, at the foot of the Red Road flats which are home to many asylum seekers, speaker after speaker spoke out against the inhumanity of putting vulnerable people onto the streets.

Chair of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Glasgow, John Matthews, told the crowd: ‘In Europe in living memory Jews were first of all refused the right to work, then removed from their homes. I see Glasgow going that way more and more with the asylum seekers. Asylum is a right under the United Nations Convention so don’t be put off by this struggle.’ The NUJ is the first trades union to count journalists who are seeking asylum, as full members of the union and it is encouraging other trades unions to do the same.

Jim Main of UNISON said that Ypeople’s proposal to throw out asylum seekers from their accommodation was ‘outrageous.’ He went on: ‘We will fight this through every trades unions branch. This is a civil emergency and we must demonstrate to prevent this happening. We must show we are a Glasgow that cares. Everyone must ask questions of people in power.’

Speaking as a Justice and Peace campaigner for the Catholic church, Carol Clarke stated: ‘People must be given human dignity and that means a roof over their head.’

College lecturer, Barrie Levine, praised the Scottish Government for its ‘excellent support.’ Both First Minister Alex Salmond and his Deputy Nicola Sturgeon had sent apologies and messages of support to the rally organisers. Said Barrie: ‘That is excellent, but I want to see Alex Salmond make representation to the UK Government which controls UK Borders Agency (UKBA) and I want to see him fully support our protests and make sure civilised values are brought into play. The Big Society should be called the Sick Society. It is a scandal that people are being made destitute and put onto the street. Make no mistake, Serco has this £175 million contract. But the Ypeople’s Board should hang their heads in shame. There is no need to evict anyone right now.’

In her address to the crowd, SNP MSP, Sandra White, said: ‘we have proposed practical ways forward. The Ypeople have a window of opportunity as they do not need to evict anyone till November. We have asked the Scottish Parliament Secretary for External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, to make our views known at Westminster. We are asking for the people who cannot be returned to places like Iran, Iraq and Somali because of wars, to be granted refugee status.’

Afro-Caribbean centre organiser Graham Campbell said: ‘The Ypeople Board should not be allowed to do this. It is disgusting. We should all tell them that in writing. The Afro-Caribbean Centre charity is refusing to work with Ypeople till it withdraws the threat of making destitute asylum seekers, homeless. It is a UK government issue and we must demand it be stopped.’

In a passionate speech, Angela McCormick of the Stop the War Coalition, declared: ‘We are here today to show Serco, Ypeople, Glasgow City Council, and everyone else that we will stand with those who have fled oppression – usually war. The link between this Coalition and the asylum seekers is that many of them have fled from war zones, bombs, missiles and weapons of destruction. They have come here seeking sanctuary. But how do we treat them? They are made destitute, kept in poverty and now being forced out of their homes.’ She added: ‘I believe we are the sensible majority. We do not want this to happen. Remember the people who fuelled the wars which caused the asylum seekers to flee in the first instance are the very people who make money from selling the missles and weapons of war.’

Organised by the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, master of ceremonies, Jock Morris commented: ‘We want to send a statement to the UK Government and the Scottish Government saying lound and clear – refugees and asylum seekers are WELCOME HERE.’ On a show of hands practically everyone in the crowd agreed with the statement.

‘We are now organising another, bigger rally at the STUC in Woodlands Road, on Tuesday 17 April 2012 to decide on the best way forward, together,’  said Margaret Wood of the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees. Everyone  concerned about this issue is invited.’

Currently around half a dozen destitute asylum seekers are given overnight accommodation each night in a safe, warm place, with an evening meal, a full breakfast and a takeaway lunch pack. But that number is expected to increase dramatically as soon as Ypeople start evicting asylum seekers.

 

Music for good mental health

Theatre Nemo

Using the arts to promote good mental health and wellbeing.

STAR STRUCK CABARET

lots of music n fun

7.30pm

Tuesday 10 April and Wednesday 11 April 2012

EAST KILBRIDE ARTS CENTRE

Tickets from £5

Call EK Arts Centre 01355 261 000

See what taking part in the arts can do for people’s confidence.

Breaking down isolation and feelings of stigma.

Great for making good friends.

Good for mental and physical health.

THERE’S NO HEALTH WITHOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Double Silver for Shettleston

All attention was on Livingston on Saturday March 31,  at the last major championship of the Scottish Cross Country and Road Season, the National Road 6 Stage Relay.

Shettleston Harriers went into the race as defending champions but Central Athletic Club proved to be too strong on the day for our team. The team of Paul Sorrie, Michael Deason, Adam Peters, Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab, Matthew Turner and Thomas Fay only finished 43 seconds behind Central but Thomas Fay had to work hard to hold off a fast finishing Stuart Gibson of Cambuslang Ron Hill to win the silver.

In the Veteran Men Race Cambuslang turned the table on the Shettleston team of Bill Breckenridge, Kenny Richmond, Billy Coyle, Andy Little, John J Duffy and Denis Williams to win the gold with Shettleston picking up our second silver of the day.

Our B team of Gary McBride, Adam Lee, Kevin Brydon, Marc McColl, Gary Turner and Kenny McCoy finished 12th

Carole Setchell was our only lady competing but she finished an excellent 6th on stage 1 in 19.20.

The Club’s attention now turns to the English 12 Stage Road Race Championship at Sutton Park Birmingham on 14th April, last year the club finished 11th and was the first Scottish Club.

Croftfoot United F.C. growing

Croftfoot United Football Club is going from strength to strength.

Founded in 2006 by Robert Fox when he was 15  because there was nothing in the area for kids, it now costs almost £15,000 a year to run all the teams for four different age groups.

At the Club’s first ever ‘big event’ – on Saturday 31 March 2012 -when trophies were presented, sponsors, local Councillors, families and friends all agreed: ‘This is like one big family.’

Now a qualified

joiner,  Robert gave a clear, concise and informative power point presentation to the Club guests at Toryglen Football Centre while the boys played their games outside.  He said: ‘We are giving these kids a secure platform for life.  The Club provides good role models and is a family Club with a safe, secure environment. We encourage the kids to make progress and teach them core values and they find new friends here.’

Following a question asked by Councillor Archie Graham, Robert said there were no girls, as yet, playing in the teams. ‘We’re open to having them but so far, have not had any demand.’

Cups presented on the day included: Steven McKenna Cup for the 1999s; Kenny Walker Cup for the 2002/3s; Councillor Sadie Docherty Cup for the 2000 Blue’s; Ross carmichael Memorial Cup for the 2000 yellows and the Wullie Fox Memorial Cup.

 

TASK’S new premises officially opened

New childcare Services in Gorbals were described as ‘brilliant’ by Linda de Caestacker, Director of Public Health NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on Saturday (31 March 2012) when she formally opened them.

Operated by TASK Childcare Services, the Family Support and Learning Centre is at 347 Caledonia Road and was in past times, the Gaelic nursery.

Established in 1993, TASK provides high quality, flexible, affordable and accessible services and amenities. The organisation takes a holistic view of what they offer so that the broad needs of the families and individuals who come to their door, can be addresses.

Thanks to a cocktail of funding from  Big Lottery- Growing Community Assets –  European Regional Development Funding, Glasgow City Council’s Development and Regeneration Services, New Gorbals Housing Association and other sources; the £1.7 million required to re-develop the former nursery school building was secured.

More than 60 people heard Linda de Caestacker say the facility was ‘brilliant for Gorbals community and beyond.’

Said Margaret Gunning, the TASK Centre manager: ‘We aim to enable parents and carers to sustain employment or training and we offer support networks to disadvantaged groups. This will improve, significantly, the social and economic welfare of their families.’

In the new premises TASK can extend other services to children and young people and increase community and family services by extending respite care, offering community meeting space and programmes and building family capacity and parenting skills.  The new centre has created six new jobs.

Jane’s hope lives on

The story of a forgotten Scottish heroine who was murdered in Auschwitz was told in powerful performances by Tram Direct at Theatre at Queens on Glasgow’s Southside this week.

The harrowing details of Jane Haining’s final days as matron of a Church of Scotland orphanage for Jewish girls in Budapest, were dramatically retold by professional and community actors in ‘To Serve is to Resist.’

Because she refused to leave ‘her girls’ she was arrested and died with them in the gas chambers of the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp.

The performances were even more poignant because Jane had worshipped in the very building where Tram Direct now has its headquarters and theatre space. The congregation of what is now called Queen’s Park Church of Scotland, installed two stained glass windows to remember Jane’s sacrifice and some of the current congregation took part in scenes in the play.

One of the cast was from Budapest and had known of Jane’s bravery.  Aniko Szilagyi  is currently working for her PhD at the University of Glasgow. She first visited Glasgow in 1999 as a winner of an English speaking competition run in Budapest as a living memorial to Jane Haining. Said Aniko: ‘It is strange taking part in this play. It is part of my history.’

The play was commissioned by Isobel Barret founder of Tram Direct who runs it and Theatre Ecole from their base within Queen’s. ‘When I heard the story of Jane Haining I commissioned Ian Morland to write this play. It was a story that just had to be told and it was right here on our doorstep.’

The first act tells of Jane’s determination to work abroad as a Christian missionary and how she achieves her dream on being appointed matron of the Budapest girls’ home.

The second act illustrates vividly how, despite her suffering throughout interrogations and in the death camp, she never lost her faith in God. Skilful use of original film footage of Hitler speaking, set the context of the time. Nine songs interspersed throughout the play added to the emotional response of the acting.

Those who watched the play were left with a profound sense of awe at Jane’s courage. ‘This deserves to be wider known and seen,’ said one member of the audience.

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »