Glasgow hosts youth music festival

Lourdes Secondary School in Cardonald will host the first regional Music for Youth Festival in Glasgow on Friday, 17 February.

The event has attracted an impressive mix of groups from around the city and the audience will be treated to performances from this year’s winners of Glasgow City Sounds – The Modests, along with St Thomas Aquinas Secondary Steel Pan Band, Hillhead’s Jazz Band, The Riverside Youth Band and the Gaelic School’s Cause and Probability to name but a few.

Music for Youth (MFY) was founded in 1970 and is an educational charity providing free performance and audience opportunities for young people aged 21 and under through a series of regional festivals.

This year, Scotland is having three regional festivals, hosted in Glasgow, Perth and Inverness. These will culminate in a National Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

Debbie MacVicar, Faculty Head of Performing Arts, Lourdes Secondary is absolutely delighted to welcome MFY to Glasgow and especially to Lourdes Secondary’s impressive Concert Hall.

She said: ‘This is a marvellous opportunity for pupils in Glasgow to showcase their talent in front of their peers and MFY mentors. The mentors provide focused and constructive feedback enabling each group to continue its musical journey.

‘One of the most satisfying areas of music is performance and this initiative enables all ages and levels of musicians to come together and enjoy the opportunity to perform in a non-competitive environment.

‘It will inspire, nurture and support all the participants and I am absolutely delighted at the standard and numbers of groups who have entered for this first ever regional festival, here in Glasgow.’

Older jurors accepted

The age limit for jurors in Scotland – set at 60 in 1825  and raised to 65 in 1980 – has been removed.

Reacting to the change which takes effect from 10 January 2011, Age Scotland’s Chief Executive David Manion said: ‘We heartily welcome this move which shows just how Scotland values the life skills and experience of its older citizens. Over the last 21 years, since 65 was set as the upper limit, Scots are increasingly living longer and leading active lives long after retirement.’

Another agency which welcomes the change,  is Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association (GOPWA).  The organisation is, itself about to celebrate 63 years of service to senior citizens with an ecumenical service at Glasgow Cathedral on Wednesday 23 February for which there is always a full house with people of all faiths attending.

Throughout the winter,  staff of GOPWA continue to ensure that all service users are ok and that they have food and hot meals to see them through the bad weather.

Proud Director Sheena Glass, expressed  a massive ‘thank you’  to everyone involved with GOPWA.

She said that three social welfare officers make sure pensioners across  Glasgow are aware of their rights. In most cases the officers  can double a pensioner’s income – as a lot of older people are not aware of what they are entitled to. Office staff are able to help older people over the telephone by just being there and being ready to listen.

In addition, almost 2000 volunteers run clubs which welcome seniors. For some people it is the only social contact they may have in a week. The day centres are loved by all who attend and the care received is praised. Centres  are also the key place for seniors to contact in any emergency- especially if it occurs at a weekend.

Said Sheena: ‘We had donations of Christmas presents from Glasgow Inner Wheel, food parcels from Percy Bilton Charity and boxes of food from the pupils of Hillhead High School. All of those gifts were delivered with a Christmas card. For some this would have been the only card they receive.’ She added: ‘Every client is a friend,  cared for and loved by all the staff and volunteers. Nor do we stop at Glasgow.  We never refuse to help anyone who asks.’

Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association can be contacted on: 0141 221 9924