Caribbean take on St Andrew

ST ANDREW’S NIGHT

AFRICAN CARIBBEAN CENTRE

66 Osborne Street (behind Tron Theatre)

African and Scottish food, drinks and culture

Wednesday 30th November

7pm to 11pm

FREE ENTRY

Families welcome

CONFIRMED ACTS:

Celtic Songstress Carla McLean

Scots Zimbabwean Comedian Sean MacTavish

Jamaican Poet Graham Cee Campbell

More student sit-ins

Today, a handful of students managed to get into the Collins building on Strathclyde University Campus and occupy the ‘posh’ board room used by Senate meetings and the like.

‘This is a peaceful occupation,’ said spokesman Ramy Albanna. ‘We are doing this to claim freedom of access, to highlight the hike in fees for students coming here from England and to express our concern at the closure of Community Education, Sociology, Geography and even Music course.’

We will be marching with the STUC and many other people on Saturday 1 October in the People First march from Glasgow Green to a rally in Kelvingrove Park. Because of that, we told the University we’d be out by Saturday.’

Security personnel at the University shut down the Collins Building in a bid to prevent numbers swelling. Two police officers arrived around 2pm after a number of protesters attempted to gain access to the building via a side entrance.

The neighbouring McCance Building in which Strathclyde senior management is housed, including the Principal’s office, was closed to students following the occupation which started around 11.30am onThursday 29 September.

The move comes two days after Strathclyde University announced plans to charge students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales £9,000 a year from the next academic year, taking the cost of a four-year degree to £27,000 after a cap was imposed.

At 4.30pm the University issued a brief statement saying: ‘A small number of protesters are holding a sit-in in one of the University’s administration buildings. The impact is localised and the University is working to minimise disruption.’

When it was pointed out that police were involved and indeed this website had pictures, the response was a promise to get more information.

University of Strathclyde Students’ Association president Charandeep Singh is understood to be in discussions with Principal Professor Jim McDonald.

The People First march and rally on Saturday will be led by the STUC but incorporates a large number of faith groups as well as campaigners in a large number of equality and anti-poverty organisations.

After speeches and music in Kelvingrove Park, groups will disperse to places of worship, student unions, public buildings and hotel in the vicinity to address specific issues.

The day will also feature fund raising for the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal on the famine in Africa.

The day will challenge poverty levels and campaign for re-distribution of wealth across Scotland and the UK. People will also be campaigning to protect the hardest hit by service and benefit cuts and to build and re-connect communities and movements across the country.

Strathclyde University’s fees are now set at £9000 a year for undergraduates from the rest of the UK outwith Scotland. Glasgow University fees are set at £6750 and capped at £26,000 for a four year degree course. The annual fee for Scottish students studying at Scottish universities – which is effectively paid for by the Scottish Government – is unchanged at £1800.

Charandeep Singh, of the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association said: ‘We oppose all student fees and anything that could lead to the commercialisation of higher education. ‘The University Court had a chance to show leadership by minimising the impact of fees at Strathclyde. Instead they have chosen to charge the highest possible fees, proving that they are motivated purely by profit.’

 

Global garden to celebrate the Games

Glasgow’s first Commonwealth Garden was formally opened this week when Councillor Archie Graham attended the event at North West Women’s Centre in Maryhill and helped plant heather to represent Scotland.

Created by women of the centre following a design by Jane Gibb, the garden was funded by a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Awards For All Fund.

Plants represent the main countries of the Commonwealth and their continents.

On one side Asia blooms with bamboo, rhododendron and irises. India is represented with a herb tea plant section and Europe’s space uses beautiful geraniums, roses and other plants.

Flora from the Americas, Africa and Australasia includes a maple tree for Canada, large spiky bushes for New Zealand and America, grasses from Africa and a plethora of colourful flowers from all three areas.

Over the next two years the Women’s Commonwealth Garden will have a project for local children to help them learn more about Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow in 2014. The children will make gold and silver ‘medals’ on sticks to put into the garden next to the plants or flowers of the countries which win them.

Women create Commonwealth garden

Glasgow’s first Commonwealth Garden was formally opened this week when Councillor Archie Graham attended the event at North West Women’s Centre in Maryhill and helped plant heather to represent Scotland.

Created by women of the centre following a design by Jane Gibb, the garden was funded by a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Awards For All Fund.

Plants represent the main countries of the Commonwealth and their continents.

On one side Asia blooms with bamboo, rhododendron and irises. India is represented with a herb tea plant section and Europe’s space uses beautiful geraniums, roses and other plants.

Flora from the Americas, Africa and Australasia includes a maple tree for Canada, large spiky bushes for New Zealand and America, grasses from Africa and a plethora of colourful flowers from all three areas.

Over the next two years the Women’s Commonwealth Garden will have a project for local children to help them learn more about Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow in 2014. The children will make gold and silver ‘medals’ on sticks to put into the garden next to the plants or flowers of the countries which win them.

Football fans give the shirts off their back

 

Story: Erik Geddes

The football season has only just kicked-off and already Partick Thistle fans are giving away their famous red and yellow jerseys.

However, the long suffering followers of Glasgow’s ‘other’ team are not doing it out of shame or embarrassment, it’s all for a good cause.

The call for old football strips has been made after fans group The Jags Trust teamed up with charity KitAid.

The partnership aims to get hundreds of donated kits and send them to football-mad youngsters in Africa.

The strip amnesty is at Thistle’s first two home league games of the season, starting with Saturday’s Firhill clash with Dundee. Fans will be able to hand in any football kit (strips, shorts, socks, goalie gloves or shin guards) to the Jags Trust booth in the Jackie Husband stand before kick-off.

KitAid has this year alone sent 390 boxes of kits to children in developing countries including Zambia, Uganda, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Kenya.

Jags Trust chair David Stewart is confident that Thistle fans, renowned for their generosity, will make a sizeable donation of their own.

He said: “We know that Thistle fans will respond to this kind of initiative – they are a big-hearted lot.

“We’ll take any football kit at all, so long as it is in reasonable condition and can be used by someone else.”

 

 

 

 

 

Anonymous internet wellwisher gives student fundraisers £1,000 boost

A group of Glasgow University student volunteers, planning to work in Africa this summer,  has been left ‘speechless’ by an anonymous internet donor who gave £1,000 to their cause.
The kind-hearted stranger, known as ‘Muslim Wellwisher’, left the Malawi-bound party from Student Volunteers Abroad the four-figure donation and the message, ‘God bless, and Peace be with you’.
On seeing the gift, co-ordinator Casey Bryce e-mailed the volunteers, telling them: ‘… some angel made an actually unbelievable anonymous donation of £1,000 on our charitygiving page.’
The volunteers have a target of £9,000 to raise to cover their personal costs, with a small amount going to a partner non-governmental organisation to assist with accommodating the team.
‘I was actually speechless when I saw it. It just goes to show that people do genuinely believe in what we were doing and are willing to support us,’ said Casey.
Among the gigs, ceilidhs and quiz night fundraisers, volunteer Sarah MacDonald took the adventurous – and drastic – step of a sponsored head shave. Sarah is likely to have raised £700 for the trip with her brave gesture.
The 14-strong Glasgow University party will spend 10 weeks in the township of Bangwe, teaching and running extra-curricular activities in schools and orphanages.
The volunteers will also be working with youth and women’s groups on issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and gender equality.

Fuad leads by example in search for Trades Hall apprentice of year

By Alan McCrorie

The energy and optimism of a young African man and the tradition of a venerable Scottish institution have combined to launch the search for the city’s leading apprentices.

 

Somalia-born Fuad Warsame, now 20, left his troubled homeland three years ago to come to Scotland.

He was recently named Trades House Modern Apprentice of the Year. The mechanical engineering technician at the University of Strathclyde has mastered English, studied mathematics and computing at Anniesland College, and achieved a National Certificate in engineering.

After he completes his apprenticeship, Fuad intends to join the staff of the university’s Mechanical Engineering Department.

Deacon Convenor of the Trades of Glasgow, Michael Low, described Fuad’s story as ‘inspirational’.

‘We could not think of a better ambassador of the programme to help us launch our awards this year,’ Michael said.

The city’s apprenticeship system predates the foundation in 1605 of Trades House. The award scheme is in its fourth year and is supported by Skills Development Scotland and Glasgow City Council.

Fuad, who beat five other finalists to the prize, feels mechanical engineering skills are needed both nationally and internationally and ‘could allow us to tackle global warming and create renewable and marine energies.

‘It’s a subject that could enable us to do things such as tackle poverty, create crops and grow food. It’s a broad subject and it’s a beautiful subject.’

He added: ‘I appreciate the opportunity I have been given here and it will be useful if, one day, I were to be able to do something to change lives and contribute to a community, whether it be in Glasgow, or in Africa.’

The new Glaswegian says his award was ‘absolutely fantastic’.

‘I never expected to win this. The people, the candidates, were excellent. I imagined each competitor would be the winner and for me to win the Trades House award is hugely prestigious and I appreciate it very much.

‘It has also changed my life. Once I won the award the University of Strathclyde offered me a job and I think that is fantastic.’

The Trades House award is open to people working towards a Scottish Modern Apprenticeship, or those certificated no later than 1 April this year.

The winner is given an inscribed quaich – which remains at Trades House but a replica is provided – a cash prize of £500 for further study and a certificate. Two runners up receive £250 and a certificate, while the three remaining finalists are given a commendation.

Closing date for entries is 10 February 2010 and nomination forms can be downloaded from www.tradeshouse.org.uk. Alternatively, the forms are available from Trades House of Glasgow, Administration Centre, North Gallery, Trades Hall, 85 Glassford Street, Glasgow, G1 1UH.