Talking about death has never been easy. The death cafe initiative aims to challenge that. Melanie Goldberg went along to find out more from those who attend and run the death cafes in the Southside.

Loneliness and social isolation can affect so many people in Govanhill, but sometimes just talking to others can make a big difference. The Chatty Cafe scheme which has been adopted by local cafes is one small initiative aiming to support people.

Community reporter Flora Zajicek spent time in Govanhill Library to understand how the space was used by different people and what impact it has on people’s health and wellbeing. 

If you have experience of the asylum system, you can sign up to take part in a series of video storytelling workshops that we will run through May. The films made will then be screened as part of the Scottish Refugee Festival in June.

Govanhill Voices sing songs in community languages including Yoruba, German, Dutch and Romani. They’re an inclusive group, where everyone is welcome to join and find joy in communal singing.

Earlier this month, one of Govanhill Baths residents artists debuted their new work. DREAMLANDS was an installation of ceramics and a sound piece that was the culmination of several community workshops. We caught up with Mina to find out all about it.

The South East Integration Network shine a spotlight on The Glendale Women’s Café, a safe and welcoming space in Pollokshields in which women can come together to learn, create, enjoy and support each other.

Discursurile lui Sammy și Natalia de la Ziua Internațională a Romilor. Au participat la cursul „Community Catalyst” al lui Romano Lav – un grup de 12 tineri romi care au urmat un curs de 8 săptămâni pentru a afla totul despre drepturile lor și cum să lupte pentru ei.

Projevy Sammyho a Natalie z Mezinárodního dne Romů. Zúčastnili se kurzu v Romano Lav’s   ‘Community Catalyst’ – skupina 12 mladých Romů, kteří absolvovali 8 tydenní kurz, v němž se dozvěděli vše o svých právech a o tom, jak za ně bojovat.

Sober spaces are being championed by more and more events and venues these days, particularly those aimed at marginalised communities. We spoke to organisers to find out what’s behind this move. 

Get to know the owners of Fulton’s, affectionately known as the two Grahams, as they share their favourite spots along Victoria Road

What can be done to prevent littering and fly tipping in our lanes and back courts, when they are privately owned and the council does not take any responsibility? How can we make our neighbourhood cleaner and safer? Share your experiences, and tell us what you think should be done.

The collaborative storytelling project, called It’s Criminal, will work with a group of people with direct experience of the criminal justice system and with people from communities often scapegoated or blamed for crime.

Our cover stars of Issue 8 of the magazine are mother and daughter Shayala and Zanib. In this interview, they explored their feelings about their Scottish-Pakistani heritage and what makes home.

Several initiatives around Govanhill are among the twenty-nine projects funded across the city in a move that has been welcomed by the local cycling community. The fund is designed to engage citizens with the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships taking place from 3-13 August.

On International Roma Day last year, Sammy and Natalia gave speeches to the crowd. Both took part in Romano Lav’s ‘Community Catalysts’ course, in which a  group of 12 Roma young people spent 8 weeks learning about their rights and how to fight for them.

As the nights draw in, the lights get twinklier and we all start to coorie down for the winter months, we wanted to explore the diverse cultures in the area and discover how our neighbours are preparing for the coming festivities. 

December is nearly upon us, and in the Southside there are a whole load of Christmas events already underway where you can support local businesses and find plenty of festive spirit. Find out where are the Christmas markets in Glasgow Southside.

Issue 8 of Greater Govanhill poses the questions — What does integration mean to you? We delve into the slippery term and speak to community organisations to hear their take on the word.

Mind the Health Gap is a year-long project between Greater Govanhill and The Ferret, a Scotland-wide investigations media co-op. In the first of the series, Karin Goodwin met with energy advisors from South Seeds.