Maryhill Integration Network BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
Newsletter Summer 2013
Great News!
Welcome to our Twenty-first Newsletter Welcome to the 22nd edition of Maryhill Integration Network’s Newsletter. There have been many exciting updates over the past few months, and we are happy to share them with you. Highlights include; Holi Indian Festival of Colour in Rouken Glen Park, the opening of the Community Garden for Refugee Week 2013, our Music and Theatre Production Project’s performances at Go Dance ’13 and the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay as part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Celebrations, the national premieres of the extremely popular and influential documentary films made by members of mIN as part of Refugee Survival Trust’s Making it Home Project, all of this as well as three members of MIN receiving major awards and being honoured for their service at mIN, alongside 9 of our service users successfully completing ‘Life in the UK: Citizenship Course’ with Langside College. We hope you enjoy this Newsletter.
Sad Farewells Unfortunately we have recently lost two very
In June 2013 we were also sad to hear
special people at mIN. Ateech Aldosari - a
that a good friend of mIN and member of
member of the mIN Voices Group - passed
Writers with Futures, Lamees Tayyem, also
away in November 2012 following a heart
passed away. She was the coordinator of the
attack. Ateech was a destitute Asylum Seeker
International Women’s Group in the North
from Kuwait, although he had many health
of Glasgow and collaborated with mIN to
problems he was a dedicated member of mIN.
celebrate the cultural richness of Glasgow.
A memorial has been placed in the garden to
Originally from Palestine, Lamees will be
remember him.
greatly missed by all that knew her.
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Awards at mIN Our very own Remzije Sherifi, Development Co-ordinator for mIN, was a joint winner of the 2013 Migrant & Refugee Woman of the Year. On Friday 8 March in London, she was recognised for her ability to establish so many activities and projects in Glasgow and beyond, bringing ethnic minority women, asylum-seekers, refugee, and migrants together with local communities. Samira Ahmed introduced the Keynote Speaker. It was a night of inspiration and celebration that showcased all the progress that can be made by women being active in their local and national communities. Janet Andrews, Member of mIN’s Executive Committee
Evening Times Community Champion Awards 2013 Ahlam Souidi, our Support and Advice Worker, won the Evening Times Individual Community Champion 2013 award for the North of Glasgow. The award, established to recognize the unsung heroes of Glasgow, highlights her fantastic contributions to her community. Also, Dario D’Andrea, Community Police Officer who works with both our
mIN Voices Group and the Men’s Group, won the Uniformed Champion Award. Members of the mIN Voices Group attended the award ceremony to celebrate Dario and Ahlam, making it the liveliest award ceremony the presenters said they had ever attended.
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Summer Events Community Garden Party With the official arrival of summer, we were very excited to have the official opening of the Community Garden. Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Sadie Docherty, cut the ribbon to open the garden and planted the first seed. The garden will be a shared community space that will also serve as a venue for running workshops and promoting environmental awareness, well being, and sustainable living. Both the mIN Men’s Group and Oasis Women’s groups have been pitching in to make the garden truly beautiful. The Garden Party was held on as part of Refugee Week 2013 and included face painting, arts and crafts, international dance and music, and gardening activities.
Writer’s with Futures Project ‘Making It Home’ with Refugee Survival Trust:
awareness for both the women involved and the audiences. The final films, ‘Come Home’, ‘Choice’, ‘The Shortest Sweetest of Songs’ and ‘It Could Happen’ were screened at 8 events as part of Refugee Week, and were completely sold out in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as being presented in Scottish Parliament. The films will also be screened as part of many other documentary film festivals and events in the coming months. You can view the films via the following link: www.makingithome.net
mIN’s Writers with Futures Creative Writing Group has completed an exciting new filmmaking project with Refugee Survival Trust, Glasgow Media Co-op and Edinburgh’s Women Supporting Women Project in Pilton. The project gave both groups the opportunity to build bridges through responding to poetry and creating short films inspired by famous poems on the theme of ‘Home’. The transformation of experience into art has brought personal reflections about hope and
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Spring Events Holi – Celebration of Spring Colours
Charity Spring Fair
In April, mIN hosted a celebration of Holi, Indian Festival of Colour, with a yoga demonstration, dance workshop, live music, and a colour fight. On a rare sunny day in Rouken Glen Park, participants painted each other in the colours of Spring. Holi is a Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil, and was a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of Spring in Glasgow with funding from Forestry Commission Scotland and support from East Renfrewshire Council.
Just as the Welfare Fund was looking low, a good fairy, Michelle Gallagher, volunteered to run a fund-raising event for us! On Saturday 27th April, Ruchill Kelvinside Parish Church hosted local people and mIN members who enjoyed adult and children’s tombola, arts and crafts, jewelry, henna painting, and lots of wonderful home baking. Patricia Ferguson MSP and Martin Rhodes, the Councilor for Maryhill/Kelvin were also in attendance. Thanks to Michelle, her friends and family, who helped so much; the staff and volunteers who worked so hard; and thanks to Ann McKechin MP, Sandra White MP and to all the other kind people who donated raffle prizes. Because of you, the Welfare Fund received an additional £903!
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Oasis Women’s Group and Men’s Group Men’s Group mIN Men’s group meets every Tuesday 5.30-7.30pm in Maryhill Community Centre, and provides a space for members of the community to meet, make friends, and take part in activities. Recently, the group has been involved in bike maintenance workshops, taken part in the Wyndford World Cup Football Tournament, hosted a White Ribbon Campaign Session, and contributed to the Community Garden project by building planters and raised beds with support from Glasgow Wood Recycling and Boomerang. New members are welcome!
Oasis Women’s Group mIN’s International Women’s Group took part in a project looking at medicinal plants for health and well-being from the Scottish countryside with Medical Herbalist Catriona Stewart PhD MSc MNIMH. The project was funded by Forestry Commission Scotland and NHS Health Improvement and involved the women making trips to Chatelherault and Mugdock Park to develop knowledge and skills that they will transfer to mIN’s own Community Garden. In partnership with Glasgow Women’s Library, the Oasis Group also took part in a film screening and discussion as part of GWL’s new project ‘Mixing the Colours: Women speaking about sectarianism’. A lively debate followed the screening of Lebanese film ‘Where Do We Go Now?’ directed by Nadine Nabaki, highly recommended by the Oasis members!
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Photo Gallery Here is a selection of photographs illustrating mIN activities since the last newsletter.
Oasis Women’s Group making lanterns for the Community Garden
African Drumming at the Garden Party
Successfully passing Parenting Course with Parent Network Scotland
Children joining the magician during the Children’s New Year Party
Drumming Workshop at Garden Party with Nordoff-Robbins
mIN and AlbScott at Go Dance ‘13
ACTION Making Films as part of ‘Making it Home’
Queen’s Baton Rely Commonwealth Games
mIN Members visit to Police Station as part of Community Engagement Project
Making It Home Film Screening at Scottish Parliament
Refugee Week Heritage Finale
Photographs by Karen Gordon, Iman Nezamian, Francesca Morrison, Rosanne Davidson and others. You can see more pictures of mIN at our flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/ maryhillandcentralwestintegrationnetworks/
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PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES MONDAY Drop in for asylum seekers, refugees and BME community. Including, one to one ESOL support, advice, support and orientation. 10am – 12pm Findlay Memorial Church, 56 Clarendon Place, St Georges Cross, G20 7PZ ESOL Classes for Men and Women Level 1. 10am – 12pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS African Dance and Drumming Classes All levels welcome. £5 or free for unwaged people. 6 – 8pm Maryhill Community Centre. 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS Writers with Futures – Creative Writing Group Every other week 11.30am - 12.30pm / 6 - 8pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS
TUESDAY Yoga Suitable for all levels 11.30am – 12.30pm Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS
mIN Voices Support and advice group for asylum seekers and refugees. Last Tuesday of every month. (crèche available*). 5.30 – 7.30pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS mIN Men’s Group 1st, 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Volunteer led social group open to all. Every other week 5.30 – 7.30pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS
WEDNESDAY ESOL Classes for Men and women Level 2. 10am – 12pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS Music & Theatre Production Project Classes in Dance, Music and Theatre Performance for children and adults (crèche available*). 6 – 8pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS Mother Theresa Women’s Group Multicultural women’s group with arts and one to one ESOL support. In partnership with AlbScott. (crèche available*). 12 – 2.30pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose Street, G3 6RE
Tiny Songbirds Music Classes for babies and toddlers. In partnership with AlbScott. 12.30pm – 1.15pm / 1.30pm – 2.30pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose Street, G3 6RE
THURSDAY Oasis Women’s Group Multicultural women’s group with a range of activities. (crèche available*). 12.30 - 2.30pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS One to One Advice Surgery Drop In or make an appointment for info and advice on Housing, Benefits, Domestic Violence and other issues. (Women only). 12 – 2pm mIN Office, 1st Floor, Maryhill Community Centre, 35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS Tel: 0141 945 2017 Dance and Performance Community Project Classes in Dance, Music and Theatre Performance for children and adults – with AlbScott and Barrowland Ballet. 6.30 – 8.30pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre 21 Rose Street, G3 6RE * Please note that crèche spaces are limited and on a first come first served basis
For more information on any of the above activities please contact mIN office on: 0141 946 9106 or email admin@maryhillintegration.org.uk How you can get involved...If you feel you would like to help with the work of the Networks by volunteering, or if you would like to use any of our services, please contact us on 0141 946 9106. You can also find out more about mIN from its new website and facebook page www.maryhillintegration.org.uk/www.facebook.com/maryhillintegrationnetwork
Key members of mIN are: Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, SRC, Maryhill CAB, British Red Cross, Maryhill Mobile Crèche, Maryhill Parish Church, Findlay Memorial Church, Strathclyde Police, Glasgow Community Safety Services, NHS Health Improvement Team, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, Barrowland Ballet, Royal Conservatoire Scotland, Amina MWRC, SIMCC, NGARN, North West Violence Against Women Implementation Group, The Arts Tree, Standout Arts - Health Within, AlbScott, Home Start, Parent Network Scotland, Glasgow Community Safety Services, Glasgow Women’s Library, Refugee Survival Trust, Langside College, Lambhill Stables Core Funders: Scottish Government Equalities Unit, Glasgow City Council North West Democratic Services, Lloyds TSB. Project Funders: Robertson Trust, NHS Health Improvement, Forestry Commission Scotland, Radio Clyde Cash for Kids, Big Lottery 2014 Communities, Keep Scotland Beautiful. Editorial Team: Remzije Sherifi, Rose Filippi and Emilea Wright. Maryhill Integration Network is a registered Scottish Charity (SC O37300). Designed and produced by www.red-amber-green.co.uk
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Cover Photograph at Holi - Celebration of Spring Colours Photograph by Karen Gordon