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 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.

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.

Big Noise Govanhill’s free summer holiday club provided nearly 1,000 meals and fun, educational activities for local children, supporting families through music education, social projects, and essential care during the longest school break.

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.

In this article, Katherine Mackinnon goes digging in the archive of the Pollok Free State protest movement, to tell the story of a legendary struggle against the expansion of the M77 through Pollok Park, via four of its objects.

Radio Buena Vida, a Govanhill-based online radio station, launched in 2020. Now a radio cafe on Victoria Road, it features diverse community content. The newest show, We Are Many, channels grief, pain, and determination into impactful, anti-racist resistance and the decolonial struggle for liberation in Palestine and beyond.

Five candidates vying for the Glasgow East seat addressed a sparse crowd at a foodbank-hosted hustings, discussing poverty, inequality, and their visions for the future. With the SNP and Labour as leading contenders, the debate highlighted the critical issues facing one of Scotland's most deprived communities.

Elusive local group The Anymen published another Govanhill-themed cryptic crossword in our latest issue on Community Action. Over the past month, some locals have been sending in their completed crosswords while many more are scratching their heads with where to start. Take a look at the answers below along with an explainer of each clue.

Govanhill has long been known as a place of resistance, where solidarity spills over into protest, and where people aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. This article on civil rights activist, Paul Robeson’s visit to Queen’s Park makes up part of our Timeline of Resistance piece. This was featured in our latest issue on community action, showcasing a few inspiring actions that happened locally.

We’re so excited to share with you the latest issue of the magazine on ‘Community Action’ focused on how the community is responding to injustice in our community and beyond. We’ve started delivering the magazine but if you’d like a copy sent to you directly, become a member today from as little as £3 a month. For now, happy hunting, we hope you enjoy this issue.

Three years ago Glasgow united to stop a dawn raid on Kenmure Street. Tabassum Niamat and Pinar Aksu revisit that day and delve into the challenges facing those navigating the immigration system.