Kids find fun and magic in the beautiful game

Some of the young footballers with Variety Scotland leaders and volunteers.

It was magic for nearly 150 youngsters from a dozen schools in and around Glasgow who played in the Variety Scotland 5-aside tournament today.

The annual event was held in Toryglen Sports Centre.  Real magician Stevo, who’d just flown in from a big gig in Germany, and his colleague Tickles who was, appropriately, dressed in pink, entertained while the teams in three age groups competed.

Who won in the under 12s, the 12-14 and the over 15s categories may be revealed at a later stage. But the best bit was socialising and playing the game. ‘This was football and it was fun,’ said one 10-year-girl at the end.

Variety Scotland Chairman, Iain Forbes and long serving Variety member Jack Zimmer were delighted with the turnout.  Said Iain: ‘We bring together kids from special schools and schools in less well off areas to compete in a friendly way in sport.’

The Variety Scotland coaches were on duty outside to take everyone home at the end.

The charity, till recently called the Variety Club of Scotland, holds major events to raise funds for their work. Their annual race meeting will be in Hamilton on 23 August and they are already well ahead with plans for their St Andrew’s Night Tartan Ball in November.

‘We spend 90p out of every £1 we raise in Scotland,’ explained Iain. ‘Volunteers do the bulk of the work with only two part time staff in a small office which is about to move to Westerton.’

While the organisers talked, the children played. Said class assistant Evlyn Sim of Kirkrigg School in Castlemilk: ‘This has been a fun day. The children had a great time and it generates a great team spirit.’

Cathkin Braes bike centre funding search launched

Tuesday 26 February 2013

The architects responsible for the Cathkin Brae Mountain Bike and Community Activity Centre plans - Stephen Hoey, Alison Hesketh and Tom Connolly.

The race to find £2.7 million to create a Mountain Bike and Activity Centre at Cathkin Braes was launched today.

‘We already have £50,000 promised,’ said Anne McChlery, Director of Glasgow Building Preservation Trust which is behind the project. ‘It’s a big ask so late in the day, but we are confident this Centre will be ready for the Commonwealth Games next year.’

She praised the ‘synergies’ of an already popular mountain bike track being created at Cathkin Braes by Glasgow City Council and the willingness of Glasgow Archdiocese to allow a redundant, B-listed, church building to be adapted as a centre for the mountain bike activities and for local community use.

Architects responsible for the proposed transformation of St Martin’s Church are award winning Elder and Cannon who are based in Glasgow. Their feasibility study and appraisal plans were commissioned by Ardenglen Housing Association Ltd in Castlemilk.

Said architect Alison Hesketh who with colleagues Stephen Hoey and Tom Connolly has devised the plan: ‘The main challenge is to get this open for the Commonwealth Games and to accommodate a wide range of facilities.  There will be a community cafe, performance space and education activities as well as mountain bike changing facilities and a bike repair workshop all contained in the church building on Cathkin Braes and all easily accessible.’

Lord Provost Sadie Docherty: ‘This is very much a community led project. I’m delighted to see this proposed Commonwealth Legacy project emerging to support the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Track.’ She said the iconic church building had fantastic memories for many Castlemilk people who attended the Sunday discos run by the church. ‘They led to a lot of marriages…’ she added.

Councillor Archie Graham, who has Executive responsibility for the 2014 Commonwealth Games said: ‘This is a fantastic project. It builds on the challenging mountain bike course which is already well used. It promotes cycling, puts a derelict building to good community use and encourages a healthier lifestyle. We should celebrate all of that. And it comes with a panoramic view of Glasgow!’ He added: ‘Once the elite athletes have gone, there will be something tangible for everyone. I forecast that when 2019 comes and the Games are reviewed, the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike and Activity Centre will still be up there among the best legacy projects.’

Local cyclist Colin Hyslop, a member of the very active Mitchelhill Community Group which is one of the key partners driving the idea said: ‘We are getting positive feedback all the time. On Sunday, out on the Track, I could hardly get cycling for people asking me when would the Centre be ready to use? My only concern is that it won’t be big enough!’ The facebook page has already got 687 ‘likes’ and more than 2000 people use it each week to get information on cycling activities at Cathkin Braes.

On behalf of the Archdiocese, surveyor Kenneth Crilley said: ‘The church building is an architectural jewel in Castlemilk. This project will bring it back to life and allow it to be used by the wider Glasgow community. We are all delighted at the prospect.’

Pram fire takes 13 to hospital

Thirteen people were hospitalised after a pram in a close was set on fire. All were later released after being treated for varying degrees of smoke inhalation.

The incident, in Calder Street on the city’s Southside, highlights the dangers of storing anything in common areas.

Polmadie and Castlemilk fire crews wearing breathing apparatus, quickly extinguished the minor blaze. But it generated an extremely large volume of thick smoke which quickly rose to the top of the four storey tenement.

Alarmed residents on opening their doors to check on the commotion in the building, breathed in the potentially dangerous fumes. As fire service personnel brought residents out of the building, ambulance and police ensured everyone was taken to safety, quickly.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue personnel emphasise that especially at this time of year with Christmas decorations and parties, they will come to give a free Home Fire Safety Visit at an agreed time.

Experience fire crew assess the individual home and offer fire safety advice tailored to that property and the people living there. This can include the fitting of smoke alarms.

Election fever in Castlemilk

The election results will be announced on Monday 12 September.
So the candidates at St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Castlemilk will need to spend a nail-biting weekend before they know if they have been elected to the Pupil Council.
While the election is held each year to find two class representatives for the 16 strong Council, this year the campaign was given an extra boost by the Glasgow’s Electoral Registration office. They brought in authentic ballot booths, boxes and signs and provided modern apprentices to be the polling station staff.
Those seeking election had to campaign and drum up support in the three weeks leading up to polling day on Friday 9 September. This included designing and distributing posters and setting out their proposals to take to the Pupil Council at public meetings in the class. In recent times that body – with only one teacher representative involved – has effected many changes. Among them – the seating arrangements at lunchtime have been altered to enable those bringing their own food to sit with those buying from the school cafe and the choosing and purchase of new play equipment for the playground.
Primary 3 had 17 candidates willing to stand and Primary 5a had the least number with seven hopefuls.
Campaigns were inventive and included the provision of cupcakes with the candidate’s name on them. This led to a useful discussion on bribery and corruption! But the simple method of walking around the school all day with a sandwich board to promote one candidate was ‘simple but effective.’
Said depute Head Teacher, Maureen Douglas: ‘This has been great fun with a serious message. The pupils now know if they want things changed they need to make their voice heard and to do that they need to vote.’
Said Wendy Doherty Assistant Principal Administrator for Glasgow’s Electoral Registration Office: ‘We hope the children will remember this when they are old enough to vote themselves.’

Concentration is used to make one's mark

The school has been chosen to be the pilot study for the next phase of Glasgow’s election education programme. So the whole exercise at St Bartholomew’s was ‘not just a silly wee school project,’ said Mrs Douglas. ‘It is an important process. The children understand that if they want a voice in the school, they have to vote.’
Said Katrina Scott one of the modern apprentices seconded to be Presiding Officer for the day at the school’s polling station which doubles as a gym: ‘This is good practice for the real elections. They kids have enjoyed it.’ Added her colleague Lauren Glacking: ‘The kids will know what to do when the grow up. They certainly enjoyed today.’

* Glasgow’s Electoral Registration office can be contacted on 0141 287 4444 or website: www.glasgow.gov.uk
A new Electoral Register for the city will be published by 1 December 2011. Reminders to register will go out around 13 September to those households who have not yet sent back the August return. If a person’s name is not on the Electoral Register, they will not get a vote in May when the Council elections are due.

Voting done, the ballot paper goes into the genuine ballot box.

Lost lives remembered with flowers

The treasured Lost Lives of young people in Castlemilk are being remembered poignantly with flowers on the railings along Castlemilk Drive at Dougrie Road. The little corner Peace Garden space has the Lost Lives gates, designed by local school children, and is a quiet place where bereaved people can sit and reflect.
Flowers have been placed on the railings daily since Saturday 26 June and may be left there till Sunday 10 July. All will be removed on Monday 11 July.
The emotive public demonstrations of grief and love were preceded by a non-religious service led by community activist Janet Baird and attended by between 40 and 70 people. Organised by the Lost Lives

Lost Lives group launch Flowers on the Railings 2011 in Castlemilk: from left: treasurer Cameron Duncan; Glasgow Life rep Jack Devine; Chair Christine Devine, Committee members Maureen Cope and Sheena Cadden.

group which is chaired by retired city Councillor Christine Devine, the service was held in the garden where a marquee had been discreetly erected. Said Christine: ‘It was a lovely service. People seemed happy with having it in the marquee for the first time.’

The Lost Lives group is hoping to extend the garden space which is on the corner at the Sports Centre. Said group treasurer, Cameron Duncan: ‘We are moving the focus more onto the garden itself. The plan will double the garden space and we hope to have a new fence erected around the new area soon.’
He added: ‘It is a tragedy that any child or young person should die whether they are stillborn, or in a car accident or any other way.’
Said Christine: ‘It was summed up for me by one woman who said her son would have been 39 had he lived, but he’d died aged 18 months old and she still felt the loss.’

The Jeelie Piece Club has lost many young members over the years.The Lost Lives special gates open into the Peace Garden.