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Have Your Say: Visitor Levy consultation now open in Glasgow
Introducing the Visitor Levy…What is it? Why is it important? And what does it have to do with you? Find out how you can add your voice to the conversation and have your say on local tax reform.
Plant Grow Share: Don’t let it go to waste
Plant Grow Share delivers donated produce by bike to food banks and community groups, tackling food insecurity and reducing waste across Glasgow's Southside. Now they are reaping the rewards of their efforts and tenacity.
Staying warm in a tenement in winter
We asked the newsroom team – veterans of Glasgow’s big, beautiful, and notoriously hard-to-heat tenement flats – for their top tips on staying warm in winter. We also reached out to our friends at South Seeds, who offer expert energy advice from their hub on Victoria Road.
New research finds Roma are being denied decent housing in Govanhill
In July 2024, people from the Roma community living in Govanhill were surveyed on their experiences with housing conditions and the local environment. The study found that basic human rights are not being supported when it comes to housing with the majority of those surveyed saying the conditions of their homes were poor.
Advice on volunteering opportunities from SEIN
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.
How can tenement flat owners take on retrofitting their homes?
Unlike many European countries, Scotland lacks mandatory owners’ associations, leaving tenants and flat owners to navigate the complexities of retrofitting on their own. With legislative changes years away, the question remains, how can communities take action now to green-proof their homes for the future?
This wild ride we call parenting and what helped us
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.
Making a real difference: How we used the Lane Improvement Fund to transform Kingarth Lane
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.
Making a real difference: How to build a community litter picking group
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.
Govanhill charities back calls for Scottish government to adopt more sustainable multi-year public funding models
Community organisations are doing impactful work to support the neighbourhood, but short-term public funding cycles make it difficult for them to plan ahead, leaving them struggling to survive. We spoke with some local organisations to find out their experiences with the current funding cycles.
Making a real difference: Organising a community gathering in our back lane
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.
How to find a home in a housing crisis
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.
The Southside climate directory: reuse & recycle
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.
Tackling carbon footprint through community composting
The Hidden Gardens and GALLANT’s Compost Co-Lab is engaging with communities and helping Glasgow residents adopt sustainable practices through hands on composting experience helping to manage food waste and contribute to reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
Shawlands GoBike and Bike Bus celebrate Glasgow’s ambitious cycle lane plans with heartfelt ‘Thank You’ card
Shawlands Bike Bus, GoBike, and local parents and their children, came together to show their appreciation for the city’s 270km cycle network plans. With a “jumbo Thank You card” in hand, they shared gratitude, feedback, and hopes for a more bike-friendly future.
How one group of residents turned their fly tipped lane into a community gathering space
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.
What changes would you like to see in Queen’s Park neighbourhoods?
A community consultation took place earlier this month to keep local people informed on the Local Place Plan for Govanhill. The group behind the consultation have now moved the project into it’s second stage and are asking local people to take part in a short online survey. Find out how you can get involved.
Govanhill artists welcome u-turn on Creative Scotland funding, but vow to continue to fight
Govanhill artists joined the unions in their continued fight for arts funding despite a recent government u-turn on cuts announced last month. Though funding has been reinstated, the arts community remains concerned about future uncertainties, especially on the impact cuts would have on working-class communities. Protesters called for a progressive tax system in the broader fight to preserve public funding, not just for the arts and culture sector.
From the margins to the mainstream: How Arkbound is empowering new voices
Arkbound’s innovative workshop series, 'Our Economy', is opening doors for typically marginalised communities to engage in economic discussions through creative writing. This unique approach is not just about learning but about fostering change and amplifying voices that are often unheard.
Creating Crosshill Conservation Area: Discovering Robert Duncan, the Architect of Dixon Avenue
As a resident of one of Robert Duncan's beautifully designed homes on Dixon Avenue, I’ve come to appreciate the lasting impact of this overlooked architect. His 21 distinctive houses, with their unique bay windows and ornate details, have given Crosshill its special character and earned it conservation status. Duncan's work is a hidden gem in Glasgow’s architectural heritage.