The Scottish Refugee Festival Scotland is returning from 16-25 June with the theme of hope – ‘showcasing inspiring stories and sharing hopes and dreams for a better future’

Nola Soul is a brand new authentic Southern-style restaurant that opened its doors on Victoria Road in May. We sampled some of the food from the latest edition to Govanhill’s vibrant food scene. Read on to find out more about the new spot, what’s on offer and what's to come.

Keeping our bodies and minds healthy isn’t always easy or cheap but Tai Chi provides a space for people with various abilities. Daniel shares how the practice is accessible and transformative for our minds and bodies.

What difference does it make to provide free technology and data to those who experience inequality? Community reporter Bonnie Thomson spoke to organisations involved in delivery to find out.

In the midst of Winter last year, Greater Govanhill and The Ferret opened the doors to The Community Newsroom. To celebrate the occasion with the local community they were joined by Annette Street Drummers, a group of talented young kids who put on an energised performance to mark the occasion.

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.

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.