We spoke with members of the Southside’s creative and inclusive communities, who shared how local spaces like Glasgow Zine Library and Glasgow Sunflowers have fostered their sense of belonging.

Marzanna Antoniak shares her journey from feeling isolated as a new migrant in Scotland to finding belonging in Govanhill through volunteering, multilingual initiatives, and community connections, highlighting the power of inclusive spaces, and multilingual initiatives in fostering belonging and community.

Glaswegian poet and novelist, Shane Johnstone reflects on the ties between language and identity in Govanhill, tracing its evolution through Irish diaspora culture to today’s vibrant multilingual community. By exploring how migration shapes belonging while raising questions about preserving and celebrating the area’s rich linguistic diversity.

Sadia Sikander writes about the challenges she faces as a refugee in Scotland, from the emotional toll of societal hostility, systemic barriers, navigating unfamiliar systems and finding employment. Sikander also highlights the need to hold onto hope in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

Tenants often face challenges like unaddressed repairs, damp, and rent increases, compounded by a power imbalance with landlords. This article highlights how Living Rent supports renters through collective action and member defence sessions.

Lottie Brand, from the South East Integration Network (SEIN) picks out a few volunteering opportunities to highlight the range of opportunities available at your organisations at your doorstep from Women on Wheels to Music Broth.

We had a chat wit musician Lizy Stirrat, a Royal Conservatoire alumna and the upper brass teaching musician at Big Noise – a music education and social change programme delivered by Sistema Scotland. Lizy shares how her love for music shaped her life and her passion for helping young people discover their musical talents.

Rohese Devereux Taylor and Kate Mackay explore the journey of co-founding the Glasgow Homebirth Support Group, the benefits of birthing at home, and the invaluable resources and networks available to parents in Glasgow, from sling libraries to breastfeeding support.

Gordon Palmer, spent 19 years as a Minister in the South of Scotland, now, he volunteers at The Well. In the latest issue, we spoke with Palmer and learned about what brought him to the Southside and how supports the visitors at The Well.

Aliana Michalewicz si sadne so svojou mamou Sonia, aby sa dozvedela viac o ich fascinujúcom, slávnom rodinnom príbehu zakorenenom v hudbe a tanci, ako to priviedli z Poľska do Glasgowa a ich nádeja do budúcnosti. 

In this issue of Roma News and Views, Aliana Michalewicz sits down with her mum Sonia to learn more about their fascinating, famous family history rooted in music and dance, how they brought this from Poland to Glasgow, and their hopes for the future.

Once labelled the ‘worst for fly-tipping in Glasgow’, before the end of last year you would have found Kingarth Lane at Bowman Street full of sofas, mattresses, carpets, fridges and bags of household rubbish. Then in November 2023 the Lane Community group was successful in getting gates erected with the hope that they would bring an end to the endemic fly tipping issue. 

In this series of articles, we hear from resident, Aoife Hutton, who was tired of seeing litter on her street and started taking care of it herself. What started as a solo two-hour morning litter pick has evolved into a monthly Govanhill-wide litter picking group with community groups and residents.

In this new series, we’re exploring Govanhill’s heritage, street by street – starting with Butterbiggins Road. Once an 18th-century hamlet for travelling communities, Butterbiggins evolved from a rural outpost to an industrial hub, and later into the residential street we know today.

In this series of articles, we hear from residents who had enough of fly-tipping and decided to take matters into their own hands.  Dana Cherepkova, shares more from her first community meal on the often fly-tipped Kingarth Lane. After a quick spring clean, it was transformed into a wonderful space to meet the neighbours, share a meal, a collaborative project between residents, supported by community food project Kin Kitchen.

Glasgow’s housing shortage, combined with rising rents and Govanhill's growing popularity, has resulted in a highly competitive rental market where it often feels like landlords hold all the power. Having moved flats almost every year for the past five years, here are a few key lessons one renter learned along the way.

At Rags to Riches, the reuse and upcycling branch of Govanhill Baths Community Trust (GBCT), we are excited to introduce the Southside Climate Directory, a new online resource. The directory is designed to help residents of Govanhill and the surrounding area, access sustainable solutions locally.

Residents of Kingarth Lane and Kin Kitchen came together on 15 September to transform the often-neglected lane into a vibrant community hub. The event featured activities for children, a shared meal, and discussions on future improvements, including food planters and outdoor seating.