Mill Magazine 18 September/October 2022

Culture and lifestyle for Renfrewshire

Ely Percy’s journey to acclaim Heroes, myths and Paisley’s Halloween Renfrewshire’s Makar Shaun Moore talks poetry

FEATURES

04 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR 06 WHAT’S ON Events for your calendar 14 BAMBINO

The opera for babies visits Renfrew

HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL 2022 Heroes, myths, legends and more! 20 JOHNSTONE DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GROUP A vital service for our community

RAMH RESTORE PANTRY

DATES & MATES Providing companionship for all 30 PAISLEY COLOUR CAMERA CLUB Breathtaking photos from local talent

MICROADVENTURING What and where in Renfrewshire

NURTURING NEIGHBOURHOODS Crucial work of housing associations 56 CASTLE SEMPLE The lowdown on a local institution INTERVIEWS 16 MICHELLE COHEN The Houston-based artist details her artistic practice and new exhibition 24 SHAUN MOORE Renfrewshire’s Makar discusses the power of poetry 64 ELY PERCY An in-depth interview with the Renfrew-born writer LIFESTYLE

HEALTH & BEAUTY All of the autumnal must-haves

INTERIORS Kike’s ode to Scandi style

PROPERTY Corum’s latest top tips

DINNER AT OKOME Paisley’s newest asian eatery

LUNCH AT CAFE FAIRFULL The ever-evolving High Street staple

PAISLEY COLOUR MICROADVENTURING housing associations

WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

When used effectively, words can fire the starting pistol of a revolution, uplift our spirits or reshape previously warped perspectives into something which can beckon you towards brighter days. In the case of this issue of our magazine, the sway that words, whether written, spoken or delivered as wisdom, can have looms large across its pages.

From their capacity to hold a mirror up to our communities, warts and all, in the vein of Ely Percy and our Makar Shaun Moore’s work to their propensity for mythmaking that informs this year’s Halloween festival, the power of words, as well as the actions that they can spawn, is at the very heart of our latest look into the lives, locales and businesses of those who call Renfrewshire home.

As always, our mission is to this vibrant and flourishing area that is all too often overshadowed by its bigger, more boisterous neighbours and as you’ll see, we’ve got no shortage of things to celebrate.

So, without further ado, please dive in.

Robert Blair

This issue is dedicated to the life and memory of Helen Lochrie. Our heart goes out to her family and friends, who have lost a generous individual who lived every day for her family.

Produced on environmentally friendly chlorine-free paper derived from sustained forests. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. All prices are correct at time of going to press but subject to change. The content of all advertisements in this publication is the responsibility of the advertiser and is received in good faith. Mill Magazine cannot be held responsible for any erroneous advertising content. The opinions expressed in Mill Magazine are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers who cannot be held responsible for actions taken as a result of the content of this magazine. © Mill Magazine Ltd 2022.

Paisley Halloween Festival photo by Graeme Hewitson

WHAT'S ON

ON NOW

SCOPE RENFREWSHIRE EXHIBITION

Overseen by local artist Indie McCue, his brainchild, which had its first edition last year, has now taken up residence above Food Forty Six on Paisley’s High Street for its sophomore outing and is attracting plenty of footfall. A crucial and independent showcase for local talent across all visual mediums, this eclectic event is a convenient way to see some of the best and most thought-provoking work that the area has to offer, all in one handy place.

ACCORD ART EXHIBITION

This year’s ACCORD art exhibition is primed to be their biggest yet. Held externally at The Art Department in Paisley for the very first time, this year’s showcase will feature work from over 100+ artists from not only the local area, but from across the nation. In addition to the sheer scale of art on display, this year will also see the inaugural “mystery masterpieces” auction, with every painting purchased set to benefit this vital organisation.

ON NOW UNTIL

THE BIG ART SHOW

Taking place within The Art Department, a former four-floor department store in the Paisley Centre which is over 56,000 square foot, The Big Art Show is set to be the largest of its kind in Renfrewshire. Billed as a “truly open, inclusive, and joyous initiative supporting visual artists and communities to participate in and enjoy the experience of coming together in fruitful purpose”, the show will feature over 1,000 pieces from across the artistic realm and will stand as a large-scale celebration of creativity in the country.

TREE IDENTIFICATION WALK

If you know any budding dendrologists, then it’d behove you to get down to Parkhill Woods in Clyde Muirshiel to get a whistle-stop tour round everything that towers over the park. Led by one of their rangers, the tree identification walk will give attendees an aural guide to all of the arboreal attractions in the area while emphasising the importance of each and every one of them to the ecosystem in the process. Tickets priced at just £5.

We pick out some of the highlights taking place on your doorstep in September and October.

Photo by Gary Chittick

SAT 17 SEP 11am

Community Champion

FASHIONING A BRIGHT FUTURE

After years of tireless work as Morrisons Community Champion for the Johnstone branch, Julie Scott is turning the store into the invaluable resource that she’d hoped it could become.

We recently had our first annual community awards as there are just so many people that I wanted to thank for everything that they’re doing. The acronym of each prize spelled out HOPE as we had our heroes, organisations, people’s choice and eco warriors. Some of the recipients included Alec, who does a lot for the homeless veterans, eco-warrior Andy (pictured), who voluntarily goes out litter picking and has practically cleared all of Johnstone. We also had Jean, who runs a youth centre in Johnstone Castle, Susan from the train station who collects for all of the charities and Mary, a former employee of Morrisons who has a heart of gold and cooks dinner for all of her eldery neighbours. Last but not least, we had Rachel, who is a pupil at Riverbrae with Down’s Syndrome who did a walk from Johnstone to Milliken Park train stations and raised over £2,000 for her school.

Because we’ve got such a big space in the café, we’ve begun to hold support groups here including one for women who are undergoing the menopause and another for those with Alzheimer’s. We’ve really envisioned it becoming a hub for the community going forward and I even had local councillors in doing surgeries recently.

In addition, I’ve also been helping three community leaders who will come and get our food waste to prevent it from going to landfill. To aid them and the local foodbank, I’ll be holding a food drive on the 9th September in our car park and I’d encourage anyone who’d like to donate to these worthy causes to come along.

CRAFT FAIR & CAFÉ

If you’ve got a love of both local artisanal creations and a little bit of confectionery, then head down to the Paisley Salvation Army’s Craft Fair & Café. An enduring favourite among the locals, the event is free to attend and promises “café with refreshments, craft stalls and local artwork”. To book a table at the event, contact Janette Howie on 0141 883 1918.

DOORS OPEN DAYS

A firm favourite among locals, Doors Open Days gives those who take part a chance to get a glimpse into the aspects of familiar places that are usually obscured from public view. For an all-access pass into some of the most intriguing structures that Renfrewshire has to offer, head over to www.paisley.is for the details on every corner of the community that you’ll be able to step inside.

17-18 SEP

SUN 18 SEP 6:45pm

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA BY CANDLELIGHT

If there was ever a fittingly grandiose setting for opera in Renfrewshire, then it’s undoubtedly the gothic splendour of the Paisley Abbey. Rendered in candlelight in order to maximise the romanticism of it all, the show will see London Concertante make a rare trip north of the border to astound the audience with beloved pieces from the likes of Madame Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, Cosi fan Tutti and many more.

Tickets for the show start at £24 and are available via SeeTickets.

Paisley Methodist Central Hall ©Digitalpict.com

SUN 25 SEP 1:30pm

THE MCDOUGALLS IN TOYLAND

Staged by one of the country’s most renowned children’s theatre companies, The McDougalls in Toyland provides solace to any kid who’s perhaps lost their favourite plaything as it turns out that they’re actually just in a distant world where they’re all happy and healthy. Performed alongside a host of musical numbers including Miss Polly Had a Dolly and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, this interactive show is sure to go down a storm with children and adults alike. Tickets from £9 or £34 for a family of four.

ABOUT 90S POP PARTY

SAT 15 OCT 7:30pm

For those who are fond of a singalong, look no further than this hi-jinks filled evening at the Glynhill Hotel. Led by a three-piece vocal group who’ll guide you through some of the biggest anthems of that fruitful era in musical history, this unique tribute night promises “great food, entertainment and dancing into the small hours” and is priced at just £30 per person.

THE WEE SPREE FESTIVAL

15-23 OCT

FRI 30 SEP 8pm

REPUBLICA

Stalwarts of the alt-rock scene of the 90s who obtained massive crossover appeal courtesy of the instantly recognisable call to arms that is Ready To Go and Drop Dead Gorgeous, Republica have lost no hint of their vitality in the intervening years. Still regarded as a formidable live act and led by the inimitable Saffron, the four-piece will immerse all of those in attendance at The Bungalow with their own distinct brand of ‘technopop punk rock’ and conjure up no shortage of hazy memories along the way.

RAMH promotes recovery from mental ill health, and empowers people to build independent, fulfilled lives.

PUPPET PATTER MONSTA’ MADNESS

If your kids have expressed an interest in bringing their own characters to life, this workshop from Erskine Arts may be what they’re after. Overseen by master puppeteer Andrew McFarlane with the aid of Jason Watson and artist Toby Messenger, this immersion in the world of craft, design and creativity will run for five hours per day and provide a crash course in everything from manufacturing their “monsta” to performance techniques and stage design. Intended for kids between the ages of 8-14, the event is available from just £2 per day or £5 for the entire five-day experience with tickets available now via Eventbrite.

SCOTTISH WRESTLING ALLIANCE

FAMILY WRESTLING

The stars of the squared circle take to The Lagoon in Paisley on the 21st October for another night of electrifying action. Alongside local grappling greats who’ll be testing their mettle on the evening, the show will also feature appearance from former WWE wrestler Fandango as well as Love Island star turned wrestler Adam Maxted and Scotland’s own hardcore icon Jack Jester (pictured). Tickets are available from £14 for general admission with meet and greet packages available.

UNICORN DANCE PARTY

Dubbed “the best dance party ever”, this show from Raw Materials will give kids of five and up the chance to embrace their inner unicorn with the aid of easy to follow dance routines and a process of poppy hits from Katy Perry, Queen and more. So, if you think you can help them find the local unicorns they seek, make sure you head along and join their quest. Tickets are available from just £3. Shows at 11am and 2pm.

GOODBYE MR MACKENZIE

A long-standing outfit who’ve performed alongside the cream of the crop in new wave and punk including Blondie, The Ramones, Afghan Whigs and more, this legendary Bathgate-based outfit, which featured a nascent Shirley Manson of Garbage fame, are heading to Paisley for what promises to be an electrifying set. Best known for hits such as The Rattler and the eponymous anthem that became their calling card, these veritable legends of the Scottish indie scene are sure to bring no shortage of energy and an enlivened audience to their headline performance at RocknRolla’s.

RSPB HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN HUNT

These days, pumpkins are as synonymous with Halloween as ghouls, goblins and everything in between. For the hardy adventurers among you, the RSPB’s latest trail may have the perfect marriage of outdoor activities and seasonal festivities in store. To get involved, all you need to do is pop into the visitors’ centre and get a hold of an activity bag and you’re all set for a spooktacular trip to the woods. Priced at just £3 plus entry fees for non-members.

THU 27 OCT 7pm

BUNGALOW INTRODUCING: HALLOWEEN EDITION

An array of exciting burgeoning talent will take to the stage at The Bungalow this October and it’s a line-up which certainly pulls no punches, Set to be headlined by the gloriously uproarious rock and soul sound of Pandas from nearby Glasgow, the show will also feature music from Paisley’s own avant-punk upstarts Scunnurt (pictured) and Shep. With tickets priced at just £5 for full price and £3 for all concessions, this showcase – which encourages revellers to don fancy dress – is certainly not to be overlooked for those with a penchant for the heavier side of music.

SAT 29 OCT 6.30pm

INGLISTON HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE BALL

Celebrate All Hallows Eve into the wee hours within the stunning grounds of Ingliston Hotel & Country Club. Held in their grand indoor marquee, this muchanticipated event on their annual calendar will allow for an air of refined mystery and intrigue over the course of a fun-filled evening that comprises a three course meal, a drinks reception and live entertainment including a disco. Tickets are priced at just £49 per person.

CLASSICS AT CASTLE SEMPLE

A cherished event for all petrolheads in the surrounding areas, the classic car show in Clyde Muirshiel Park is back this year for what will be its tenth anniversary. Predominantly focused on classic and historic cars with room for some classic motorbikes, this year will see organisers give out awards in five categories while the whole event will serve as a benefit for the nearby St Vincent’s hospice in Howwood. To enter your prized car, please email classicsatcastlesemple@gmail.com or call Castle Semple Visitor Centre on Mondays or Tuesdays on 0300 300 0200.

©Brown Bull Photography

BAMBINO

Although we may not have been fully aware of their momentousness at the time that they were occurring, taking your first steps towards some semblance of consciousness of the world around you are among the most crucial in our development as humans.

Through BambinO, an innovative new stage play by Scottish Opera which is intended for infants up to 12 months, this notion is expressed via the story of a young bird leaving its nest for the first time in order to explore their wider environment.

Penned by Scottish composer Lliam Paterson, with original direction by Improbable’s Phelim

McDermott [Philip Glass’ Ahknaten, The Addams Family, The Enchanted Island, more], this show is devised as an ode to the power of childlike wonderment and imagination. Expressed through “a captivating world of bright colours, fluffy clouds, and quirky characters”, the show is intended to be consumed by each infant in their own way. So, rather than its target audience being confined to their seats, BambinO’s attendees are encouraged to crawl around and engage with the performers as well as to respond to its awe-inspiring music.

A show which was initially aired at Manchester International

Festival in 2017, Patterson’s show has since been performed at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and has been resoundingly well received by critics and regularly packs out houses wherever its performed. With The Observer previously proclaiming that “for imagination and enchantment, this enterprise deserves every rosette going”, don’t miss your chance to see BambinO on your doorstep at Renfrew Town Hall on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September.

With tickets for adult and baby available at just £15 in total, head to oneren.org/whats-on to get yours now.

A show which has garnered renown around the world, Liam Patterson’s “opera for babies” is heading to Renfrew in September.

TRUST IN THE VISION

Born in Canada but now residing in Houston, Michelle Cohen talks us through her multidiscipline approach to her craft and the importance of community in art.

In addition to your own practice, you set up a litany of events in your studio including gigs, exhibitions and Art Of Conversation evenings. Do you think there's scope for things of this ilk in Renfrewshire? 100% I think it’s important to bring people together. I really love facilitating face to face gigs and networking events. I feel like every community should have a welcoming, safe place to meet and engage with new people and have interesting conversations.

Where did your interest in art begin? Was it in childhood or something you came to later in life? I have always been interested in drawing and painting since I was a child. My mom said that from the time I could hold a crayon, I was scribbling on anything I could get my hands on.

You paint on glass as well as having an interest in photography. Do you feel this multi-discipline approach allows you to explore what you want to do as an artist? I get a lot of painting inspiration from the photos I take, especially the ones of local architecture. I’m always walking around snapping pics, studying colours and finding interesting compositions.

How did running the Glasgow Market, Art On the Exchange, aid you in setting up Art By The Burn in Houston? Those eight years of experience gave me a lot of confidence and an array of contacts with both the public and traders. Transferring the skills I learned in town made the village market logistics relatively easy. Everyone in Houston was super receptive, the pub owners and their staff made us all feel welcome and the traders were happy with it. Plus, it also helped me integrate into the community as I’ve only been in Houston since the second lockdown.

You've got an exhibition coming up in November at the Fox & Hounds, What can those in attendance expect from it? I’ve really been influenced by the abundance of historical buildings in Houston and the wonderful surrounding landscape. During lockdown, I started exploring the area and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the countryside and history of Renfrewshire. At the show, there will be a lot of photographic prints, original architectural paintings on glass and a calendar of my favourite seasonal shots in the village.

Michelle's exhibition at the Fox & Hounds runs from 3rd to 17th November, follow her on Instagram @CohenArt11

FOLKLORE & FANTASY

Quickly becoming one of the area’s biggest annual attractions, we peel back the curtain to give you a taste of what to expect from this year’s Paisley Halloween Festival.

For the better part of a decade, Renfrewshire has been embracing its lineage with the macabre – which incorporates everything from ghost sightings to witch trials which stretched to the latter days of the hysteria surrounding supposed sorcery – through the medium of its annual Halloween festival.

Held in the centre of Paisley, this three-day event has grown arms and legs at a fittingly near-supernatural pace and has gone from a bright idea to a bonafide tradition. First held in 2014, the festival has become so synonymous with the spooky season that it has attracted revellers from both local areas and further afield, with the 2019 edition witnessed by over 41,000 people.

After the adverse circumstances that afflicted the entire planet derailed 2020’s edition, organisers rebounded with aplomb last year and the buzz around the area proved that it was now a cherished part of our cultural calendar. Following on from last year’s “Out Of This World” festivities, this year’s instalment will focus on “heroes, myths & legends.”

Best seen by nightfall, the festival will run between 6-9pm for each night of its spell in the centre of town and will bear closer resemblance to the events which took place prior to lockdown than the scaled back incarnations.

After being forced to pivot away from the more lively and interactive model that’d been at the core of the event in the past, the alleviation of

restrictions has allowed them to re-emphasise the live performance aspect of this signature celebration.

Creatively led by award-winning specialists in street theatre and spectacle Cirque Bijou, this spellbinding event will also feature talented groups such as Pyroceltica, the ever-popular Spark! LED Drummers and Megahertz who will all be returning to the streets of Paisley to bring that carnivalesque atmosphere back into proceedings.

On top of that, the town will also play host to the visually arresting work of Global Grooves, an artist-led carnival arts organisation which specialise in elaborate and often awe-inspiring puppets, walkabout acts and costumes. Ranking high among their leading attractions is

Main photo by Graeme Hewitson

Efe, a translucent fibreglass face which is controlled by a puppeteer and broadcasts incredible digital art while in motion.

Alongside these star attractions, those who make their way to Paisley Abbey Gardens will have to navigate their way through the treacherous terrain of the ‘Spiders’ Lair.’

While spiders are known to frighten many of us when we encounter them, this all new installation isn’t a matter of happenstance and is actually steeped in our collective national and local history. In fact, it is set to be a stunning homage to Robert The Bruce – who has ties to the very abbey that will loom in the shadows of the habitat – and a legendary fable from his time fighting for liberation. Forced into exile after six thwarted attempts to defeat the English who’d occupied Scotland, Robert was said to have watched a spider attempt to spin a web six times but with no luck. After achieving its goal on the seventh time, the arachnid’s ardent determination inspired the previously defeated Bruce to take up arms once again and finally overthrow their rule.

A story which typifies the old adage of “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”, the Paisley Halloween Festival will deliver an ethereal, large-scale tribute to this famous tale that is sure to

fascinate – and possibly unsettle –all of those who come across it.

As if that wasn’t enough, the festival sees a thrilling return of spectacular aerial performance to the event, with ‘The Flying Force’ – a brand new superhero-inspired production from Scotland’s leading aerial performance company All or Nothing.

For those looking to retreat inside, a drop-in at The Paisley Centre’s The Art Department will give kids the chance to enlist the full might of their creativity by crafting their very own superheroes, complete with powers, outfits and more.

As always, the festival is held with community engagement at its heart and this time around, participating groups such as The Gateway, Kibble and Art Boss as well as a litany of primary and secondary schools including Glennifer, Castlehead, Woodlands, West, Cochrane Castle and more who will all take part in the events.

Teamed with tasty treats available at Dunn Square and an array of dance workshops as well as spoken word from our makar Shaun Moore and revered Glasgow-based wordsmith Imogen Stirling, it’s safe to say that Paisley Halloween Festival 2022 is going to live up to its name and be every bit as legendary as the heroes and icons that it celebrates.

Paisley Halloween Festival will be held between Thursday 27th - Saturday 29th October. For further information, visit www.paisley.is

Spark! LED Drummers return for 2022

Solace & Support

For anyone with lived experience of helping those with dementia, whether it’d be family members or in their working life, you know that it is no easy feat. In the case of Karen McShane, she’s seen both sides of the coin in both her personal life and in her time as a care worker and over time, she “realised that there wasn’t really anything in the area which supported carers for people with dementia as well as those who were living with it. So, I decided to do something.”

After receiving early funding from Renfrewshire Council alongside other organisations, the newly minted Johnstone Dementia Friendly Community Group had begun to pick up traction. In the wake of lockdown scuppering many of their plans, Karen’s organisation is now finally getting close to the model she’d envisioned and putting their funding to good use in order to uplift those in need.

“Recently, we’ve purchased a bluetooth projector, microphones, speakers and a silent disco system with 30 headsets which will allow people with dementiainduced sensory issues to put on headphones as then, all they’d hear is whatever film we might be screening. In addition, the projector gives us scope to do things like virtual fishing or golf which will tap into some of their interests and hobbies.

We’ve got catering equipment which allows us to provide lunches as well as transport for those who need it and we’re now looking into the prospect of getting bingo too,” Karen revealed.

“The one stipulation that we have is that a carer or an appointed individual comes along, mainly because we want to provide a social occasion for them too and give them a chance to compare notes. We’ve seen some terrific friendships being formed and that wasn’t anything we were doing to facilitate it, they were just happening naturally.

“Anything we do, we want to do it with complete courtesy and respect to those concerned. At the moment, I’m looking for volunteers, but I’m also very eager to get local schools involved with creating memory books for people,” she declared. “Not only will it provide the person with dementia to share their life story in a way that could be really helpful if they unfortunately end up in full-time care, but it also would teach the kids a lot about our history too.”

The Johnstone Dementia Friendly Community Group weekly social meetings will be held at the Scout Hall on Canal Road in Johnstone. For anyone who’d like to get involved please visit or call them at 07703 183653.

Founder Karen McShane takes us inside the vital work of The Johnstone Dementia Friendly Community Group.

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Months on from openings its doors, RAMH’s latest initiative is ensuring that every last morsel of food around us is going to good use.

RAMH REstore’s Community Pantry continues to make surplus food available to the local community. Since launching earlier this year, there are now 470 members who have made use of just under £14,000 worth of food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

The Community Pantry makes use of food that’s been donated by supermarkets and greengrocers by making it available to anyone in Renfrewshire who wants it. This reduces waste and makes food available at a more affordable price.

If you’re wondering how it all works, it's just £1 to join and then a £2.50 membership fee every time you shop with us. You'll get £15 worth of food. Open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am–3pm at 24

Causeyside Street, Paisley, a unit which is perhaps best known to locals as the former Mothercare store.

As the food is all surplus, it will change week to week but it currently consists of dairy, chilled products, various tinned goods, vegetables and some fruit. Members pick their own foods when they come to the pantry and there’s a more robust explanation of how this works when you come in store.

In addition to those who’d benefit from the service, you can also donate to the pantry if you’re a local business that has food to spare.

Please contact enquiries@ramh.org if you’d like to discuss this further and find out what you can do to minimise food waste in our communities.

RAMH’s Stephen McLellan and Provost Lorraine Cameron

When it’s done right and without airs, graces or elitism, poetry and spoken word has the capacity to effect and advocate for change, broaden horizons and imbue those who experience it with an innate sense of their own humanity. In the case of Shaun Moore, the renowned spoken word artist who was recently dubbed Renfrewshire’s new makar, these attributes are hard woven into every syllable and intonation of his work and performances.

As opposed to dedicating himself to the craft since his adolescence, the growth of Shaun’s affinity for wordplay from a casual dalliance to a driving force in his life happened in a near-subconscious way.

“I'd always had an appreciation for poetry, but it was as a consumer at first and a case of reading it and enjoying it,” Shaun remarks over a cup of tea in Brew. “I’d dabble and write wee things occasionally, but I always had a feeling of ‘what can I really do with this?’ Then, there was the issue of discovering what I wanted to write about. All the love poems had already been written and I wasn’t a learned expert in a certain field, so I felt like I had nothing to say.

“I don’t know how much of that is kinda West of Scotland self-

deprecatory stuff as it wasn’t so much that I had nothing to say, but that I didn’t realise that I had a way to say it. Plus, when I stopped playing rugby, I had to find some other kind of release.

“Eventually, I would start doing bits and pieces at music gigs. It really surprised me, not just how well it was received but that people were prepared to listen. It was empowering and humbling at the same time, particularly as it was affecting people emotionally. Whether that was them feeling energised by it or near to tears.

“One of the main watersheds was The Clutha disaster,” Shaun reflects of his progression as a poet. “It was close to home, as people had texted asking if I was down there as I was always in, just as a music fan.

“Seeing the way the music world and the music community rallied round was really quite amazing and I wanted to celebrate it. Rather than have it as a dirge, I wanted to show what this community does and point out the power of music. I did it at a few charity gigs and it was amazing that these pissed up folk at rock gigs wanted to hear this poignant story about what just happened.

“After that, people were saying, ‘you need to go to this night’ or ‘you need to check out this show.’

“I always saw the likes of Chuck D [Public Enemy] and Zach [De La Rocha of Rage Against Machine] as poets, but that always seemed inaccessible. So, going to these things was a real turning point, particularly when I saw all the different styles and techniques. Coming to it late in life was good as well, it gave me something fresh. Instead of running about with the old guys that I played rugby with or went to heavy metal gigs with, I was rubbing with literature students from Glasgow, art school students from Edinburgh and all of these folk who’d cut their

Q&A

FAVOURITE PLACE FOR LUNCH? Malatso for chai latte and dog friendliness.

FAVOURITE PLACE FOR DINNER? Their Cullen Skink “swings” it for Pendulum.

BEST PINT? It has to be The Wee Howff or Anchor.

POEM EVERYONE

SHOULD

READ/LISTEN TO? Listen: Rachel Amey, NHS, South of the Border Read: Maya Angelou, Still I Rise.

FAVOURITE NATURE SPOT?

Our bit of Muirsheil! And our only sandy beach with open meadow and woodland walk, Boden Boo.

teeth on all sorts of hip-hop and I was learning off these guys.”

A scene that’s allowed Shaun to be gleefully confronted with other perspectives in a way that no other subculture does, his nascent days learning the ropes in Glasgow’s open mics and events provided the inspiration for his own heralded, Renfrewshire-based event in the annual Sma’ Shot Poetry Slam.

“I still marvel at it, you’d go to these nights and see some ancient crusty writer and then there’d be some young buck doing their political tirade and they all listen and applaud each other. That’s what I try to recreate at the Paisley Sma’ Shot Slam, just that melting pot.

“In the seven years since it started, it’s been great. The council very much just let me get on with it, so that’s perfect.

Photos by Martin Windebank, Insta @mjwindebank

“IT WAS EMPOWERING AND HUMBLING AT THE SAME TIME, PARTICULARLY AS IT WAS AFFECTING PEOPLE EMOTIONALLY”

I just felt like Paisley was big enough that it should have something like that. There was already Kathryn Metcalfe’s night at Bianco Nero which gave people an outlet, so it seemed like there was already a hub.

“Now, as the makar, I’ll be looking to organise more. It’s not necessarily my specialty, but it’s good to push myself out of my comfort zone!

“The previous makar [Brian Whittingham], who did a great job before he unfortunately passed away, was a bit different from me,” he remarks of taking on the moniker. “But obviously, the council appreciates that it’s two sides of the same coin and that what I do is just as legitimate and important. The only reason that I was known about Paisley and further afield wasn’t because of being published in books or anything, but because I’d been to so many fundraisers, charity gigs and things like that. Basically, just working through poetry as much as I could. I thought I’d have more imposter syndrome about it than I do, but I’m alright with it (laughs).

“In a town where you have statues of Robert Tannahill and someone like Alexander Wilson, who was actually jailed for his seditious poetry before immigrating, ensuring that we keep getting people to put our message across and hold onto

that identity is so important. For me, that’s definitely a part of the job of the makar. I’d already written poems to do around that, but this just gives me a licence to do it.”

Similarly keen to reflect on our shared heritage while striving towards a prosperous future, Shaun’s years of performing in pubs, venues, function halls and anywhere else that’d have him has meant that he’s very attuned to Renfrewshire’s flourishing arts scene. And as far as he sees it, this thriving creative community is one of the biggest assets we have at our disposal.

“I was probably quite blinkered before I was involved as although I was a local and a consumer, you see a whole different side to it,” he declares. “Not least of all, the organisational side of it. You realise that a pub doesn’t just phone up a band and they come and play, there’s so much more that goes into it. Not to mention the love and the passion that goes into it. Even for the guys who make a living off of it, whether it’s the guys

at The Bungalow or the council’s events team, they ultimately still do it because they believe in it. That love has to be there, otherwise it wouldn't happen.

“I think there’s a real legacy from the 2021 bid too. It might not be measured in monetary value, but the sense of self-belief that it put into all of these grassroots artists and promoters was amazing. Covid really consolidated that. Obviously, you had the government telling people to retrain and all that. But at the same time, you had all these people who were realising how important it was. It’s amazing when you go to these things now and just see like-minded people throwing their arms around each other,” Shaun muses of the return of live performance. “It’s a network that’s nurturing and isn’t founded on beating another team or anything like that, it’s healthy and supportive.”

Keep up with our new makar’s work at Shaun Moore - Written & Spoken on Instagram.

BUILDING BONDS

Focused on building tangible connections for those with learning disabilities, take a peek inside Dates-n-Mates Renfrewshire.

Alongside the basic requirements to sustain life such as food and water, one thing that we all need is to feel connected to those around us. But, for a variety of reasons, this can be an uphill battle for those with learning disabilities and can lead to profound social isolation.

An agency that was conceived as a means of combating this issue head-on, Dates-n-Mates Scotland is looking to foster fulfilling and long-lasting relationships, whether friendly or romantic, between its ever-growing ranks and according to Mairi McNiven, events coordinator for Renfrewshire and Glasgow, is concerned, those in the organisation’s prevailing goal is to make what those who use the agency want into a reality.

“Wherever possible, we want to try and put on the events that our

members want to do and ensure that we’re doing that,” Mairi reveals. “We’ve got a steady stream of people who are engaging with everything we’re doing, whether that’s talent shows, workshops or karaoke nights.

“On top of our social events, we also do date chaperoning and friendship matching. We’ve had quite a few couples in Renfrewshire, as well as plenty of friendships. Once people express their interest in the service, we identify someone we think would be compatible and set up a meeting over a coffee with a member of staff or volunteer present to keep conversation flowing and ensure they’re both feeling comfortable. Going forward from that, the idea is that they’ll organise their own meet-ups and a friendship, or romantic relationship in the case of date chaperoning, will blossom from there.

“At the moment, we’ve got around 45 members in Renfrewshire and that’s growing steadily,” she declares. “Even still, there’s lots of people who’d benefit from it that maybe haven’t heard about us yet. We’re literally here for anyone who’s over 18 and has a learning disability. Everyone’s welcome and the diversity

is amazing, the age range goes from people in their 20s to their 70s.

“Above all, it’s member-led,” Mairi affirms, “and we even have some of them who’ll volunteer to be a ‘friendly face’ and help to make new people coming into the group feel welcome!

“It’s all about facilitating good fun and making friends,” she says of the rewarding experience that is shared by both Dates-n-Mates’ staff, volunteers and members. “After all, our social connections are one of the most important things we have as humans. For people with learning disabilities, their social and intimate needs often get overlooked, so we believe that it’s really important to focus on that!”

For more info, visit datesnmates.org.uk

FROM ALL ANGLES

After our previous issue charted the functions and yearly schedule of the area’s flourishing photography scene and the clubs which play a pivotal role in maintaining its ecosystem, this month’s deep dive into all things pictorial provides an opportunity to shine a light on the women of Paisley Colour Photographic Club who’ve not only committed themselves to the pursuit of that perfect shot, but have found their own distinct niches and styles along the way.

Hikers by the Cairn, Gleniffer Braes by Carol Gracie. Hikers silhouetted against the low light up at the Gleniffer Braes.

CAROL GRACIE

“I searched photographic clubs when I was looking for a new challenge and came across Paisley Colour, which seemed both friendly and active. I’ve always admired good photography so, armed with my husband’s ten-year-old camera, I decided to give it a try. I found the mix of speakers, teach-ins and help from other members on outings really useful. As my skills developed, I invested in new equipment and some photographic trips, which I thoroughly enjoyed. While I’m always looking to improve my skills in all genres, I have developed a real interest in wildlife photography and during lockdown I photographed both garden visitors and the wildlife close to home.”

MARGARET RAINEY

“I’ve been the ‘family snapper’ as long as I can remember, and got my first ‘proper’ camera – a Minolta OM10 – in the late 1970s. I decided to take it all a bit more seriously during the 1980s and did a City and Guilds in photography. Over the intervening years, I’ve followed that up with the Royal Photographic Society’s programme of distinctions, culminating in the award of the Fellowship in 2017. I’m happiest photographing landscape, cityscapes, abstracts and architecture, all of which I approach with a creative mindset. I joined Paisley Colour when I moved back to Scotland about four years ago, having never been a member of a club previously. While competition is not a priority for me, I am happy to be in the company of like-minded souls, to learn and experiment with new stuff, and to continue to enjoy my primary hobby.”

Barn Owl by Margaret Rainey. A native barn owl caught in flight.

Fox Near Shaw Wood by Carol Gracie. Shaw Wood in Paisley is a regular spot and I was fortunate enough to spot this fox sat in the snow.

FIONA MCFETRIDGE

“I am based in Renfrewshire and many of my images are taken in and around the area, including my own back garden. I bought my first DSLR around five years ago and soon joined Paisley Colour as a way to learn more about photography and post-processing. It proved to be a good decision as over the past five years, I’ve progressed from the beginners section, through intermediate to advanced and even served as club secretary. My progression has been aided by the advice I’ve received from fellow members of the club and the wide range of talks on all genres of photography.”

Four-Spotted Chaser by Fiona McFetridge. A capture of one of the dragonfly species that prosper locally.

River Lights by Fiona McFetridge. Proximity to the River Clyde gives plenty of opportunity to capture the pattern made by neon reflections in the river.

Anchor Mill, Paisley by Margaret Rainey. One of Paisley’s iconic landmarks caught with reflections in monochrome.

Eighty varieties were cultivated by the local weavers in the early 19th century, but now only this one remains as the ‘Paisley

NORMA MCDOWALL

“I joined the club when I retired, although I wish I’d joined much earlier! Having received a camera for my 21st, early images were on slide and mainly geographic landscapes, a subject that dovetailed neatly with my career as a geography teacher. Joining the club certainly helped me develop and provided early successes, including acceptances into the prestigious Paisley International Colour Slide Exhibition. As well as the club providing access to many excellent photographers, the regular talks have given me insight into a whole range of genres. I’m not as prolific these days, seeking quality over quantity, but I would miss club nights and the opportunity to share experiences with like-minded friends.”

Paisley Pink by Norma McDowall.

Pink’.

Mistle Thrush with Berries by Norma McDowall. A neighbour’s rowan tree was guarded by the thrush until he had eaten all the berries!

Gentle Hues by Norma McDowall. Five of the thousands of varied threads produced in Paisley at Anchor Mills.

ALISON SMART

“I have been interested in photography since I was at school (aided by the gift of my grandfather’s ancient, but functioning, Kodak Retinette) but didn’t join a camera club until 2009 when I moved to Stonehaven. The encouragement and mentoring I received gave me an appreciation of the value of camera clubs so, when I moved to work in Glasgow in 2013, it didn’t take much persuasion to join Paisley Colour. I’m naturally drawn to landscape and travel photography and prior to lockdown, I was fortunate enough to travel to places such as Cuba, Myanmar, Iceland and Namibia. In addition, I also enjoy the challenge of capturing the excitement and tension of sport. The restrictions of the last couple of years have meant that I’ve spent more time exploring on a more localised scale, particularly Loch Thom, Inverclyde and the surrounding area.”

The Paisley Colour Photographic Club meets on Thursdays between September to the end of April in Renfrew, with some meetings hosted on Zoom. An organisation that dates back to 1955, They are always on the lookout for new members and will provide a friendly welcome to all, regardless of experience level. For those looking to contact us, we can be reached via email at enquiries.pcpc@gmail.com

Seilebost Squall, Harris by Alison Smart. An iconic image of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides.

Lone Fisherman in the Floating Gardens. Lake Inle, Myanmar by Alsion Smart. A travel image from Myanmar shot pre-pandemic.

Evening Light on the Cloch by Alison Smart. Gourock.

FINDING WONDER

In light of lockdown, everyone’s looking at familiar locales through a new lens and the world of microadventuring is one way to maximise their potential.

Between the physical restrictions that emerged for nigh-on two years as a byproduct of the Covid-19 pandemic and the financial burdens that we’re all facing now due to the cost of living crisis, it’s safe to say that we’re all more liable to take solace in our immediate surroundings than ever before. In fact, one of the few positives to be gleaned from an 18-month span of lockdowns is that suddenly, Renfrewshire’s residents were no longer taking our abundance of green spaces and plentiful scenery for granted.

What was previously overlooked now constituted a full day out and now the legacy of that period lives on in the form of microadventuring. Seen as a way to explore our unsung outdoors in a manageable way which can fit into the hectic schedules we all lead, a microadventure can be anything from a walking or cycling route to connecting park routes, horizon spotting, time limit photography and trig point bagging.

With the concept beginning to gain traction in the local area, Dylan Glynn from Paisey.is who ran a virtual marathon in 2020 in order to raise funds for The Star Project, believes that the concept can be adapted for every lifestyle and experience level.

“It’s a way to do something that goes beyond having a little walk around the loch and to get people really exploring the local area,” he remarked, “whether they’re a resident or maybe come from further out. There’s plenty of places in Scotland that would maybe be seen as more conventionally adventure-friendly as it’s not like we have a mountain range or a coastline. But, I think we’ve got some that are very accessible to people.

“It’s interesting, I was listening to a podcast with Alastair Humphreys, who is kind of the founder of the idea of microadventuring, and he said that they should be ‘small and achievable, for normal people with normal lives’. So, that’s the kind that we’re looking to bring to prominence in Renfrewshire.

“Humphreys’ idea of an itinerary is probably quite different from ours in that his

Boden Boo, Erskine, photo by Lesley Adams

Gleniffer Braes, Paisley, photo by Kirsten Ferguson

itineraries often revolve around leaving your desk at 5pm, camping somewhere, watching the sunrise and coming back the next morning. While we’ve certainly highlighted this as an option, we know this won’t necessarily be feasible for everyone.

“So, we’ve led with the philosophy that it’s all about ‘perspective shifting’. So, rather than Humphreys idea, it’s more about making the most out of these spaces. It’s almost internal work in terms of seeing these familiar places in a different light.”

With everyone looking at the world through a more localised lens in the wake of the pandemic, Dylan believes that microadventuring is in keeping with the overarching mood of the times.

“There’s definitely a big focus on that sort of thinking and really using the places where you live to their full extent,” he detailed. “With microadventuring, we can really say to people that you don’t need to go up to the Highlands for a great day out, there’s actually plenty to do right here.

“Sure, there’s all these bucket list things, but we can provide the steps before that. So, while you’re in training for a munro, you can go for a hike in Clyde Muirshiel. It’s a hard bit of walking and it’s a big place. If you go up to Windy Hill – which stands at 316

metres high – you’re hiking up an extinct volcano. It’s actually among the recognised places in the UK for orienteering training as it seems wild, but it’s actually just a half-hour drive from Paisley. Plus, with its car access and public transport links, you could easily go for a night’s camping there after a 20 minute walk and spend the night under the stars.

“There’s certainly other parts of Renfrewshire that have that same quality to them, particularly the Glennifer Braes. I’m always surprised by how big it really is as there’s so many different areas. If I go to the Braes on my own, then it’s much different than if I take my three-year-old niece as it’s totally accessible for kids too. If you don’t even want to leave the centre of town, you’ve got Jenny’s Well Nature Reserve. On the other side of things, Erskine is actually known as one of the best places in Europe for urban orienteering... they’ve actually held international competitions there before!

“Microadventuring is ultimately open to interpretation and there’s no set itineraries” he maintains. “Obviously we’re happy to provide some ideas, but it’s all about what you can make it yourself. They can be anything purposeful in your day where you’re approaching things differently. Above all, it’s just great to see people owning the fact that Renfrewshire is an amazing place for outdoor activities!”

For more microadventuring inspiration, head to www.paisley.is

Jenny’s Well Nature Reserve, photo by Matthew Smith

LOOK WHO’S BACK

After dropping out of the UK, Fake Bake - the OG of the tanning world - is now back and looking browner than ever. Just in time for the new series of Strictly, you’ll find the range of trusted patented formulas at Feel Unique, Very, Amazon and at fakebaketanning.co.uk. Prices start at just £24.95.

BEAUTY

Truly FAB

FAB Skincare, Scotland’s newest beauty line, won’t just give your face a glow, but will get your heart glowing too as the range will help raise funds for founder and Scottish beauty entrepreneur Laura Porter’s fertility and birth charity, Let’s Talk F.A.B. Cruelty free and vegan, there are five products in the range and they’re available exclusively at fabsalons.uk and letstalkfab.co.uk.

THREE’S COMPANY

The multitasking cult beauty crayons Nudestix are a big beauty blogger favourite, but they can occasionally be a bit on the pricey side. Thankfully, the company is now offering mini kits at a more purse friendly price of £26. The Beachy Nudes set shown here is exclusive to cultbeauty.co.uk and that pop of orange is lush.

IT’S PRADA, DAHLING

Looking to sniff out something a little different this season? Then let us introduce you to Paradoxe, the latest perfume from Prada. Don’t let the playful bottle fool you – this is definitely a fragrance for grown-ups. With fresh notes of bergamot and pear to start, mellowing to neroli, orange blossom and jasmine before settling to a heady mix of amber, bourbon and white musk, the end product is nothing short of a sensual sensation. £59 for 30mls.

For more from Susie, visit sincerelyyourssusie.com or follow her on Instagram at @sincerelyyourssusie

Autumnal essentials from our resident expert Susie Cormack Bruce

HAIR expert

Kenneth Edward Fallon, Director and Main Stylist at Kenneth Edwards Salon, Paisley, talks us through his top tips and tricks.

How did you start? I started off as a Junior in a Paisley hair salon when I was 13 years old. I originally took the role on to replace my paper round, but soon found that I loved it.

How long have you been a hair stylist and how have things changed over the years? I have been in hairdressing now for 41 years and things have changed substantially in that time. Hairdressing back then was very “set” and was all about the haircut. Over the years, innovation and product development allows almost unlimited creativity and it is still as exciting today as it ever was!

What’s your most requested celebrity look? Holly Willoughby has to top that, whether it’s smooth and sharp or softly waved.

What’s your go-to product and why? This changes all the time but at the moment, it is the ‘Big Blast’ blowdry lotion by Schwarzkopf. It’s great for body and movement.

One thing you’d advise all clients to do? I’d always compel them to use a sulphate free shampoo to lock in and extend the life of any colour service they have had.

What’s your favourite beauty treatment? You can’t beat a facial with dermabrasion. It leaves your skin feeling and looking great!

What’s the most popular treatment/service at Kenneth Edwards Salon? Colour and re-style services rank among our biggest. It’s great to be allowed to provide a bespoke service to each individual client.

Lastly, what’s your top tip for relaxing at home? It’s hard to beat putting your feet up in front of the telly and watching a good movie or an afternoon chilling in the garden – weather permitting.

All In One

Situated in Bridge of Weir, Thrive is looking to uplift every aspect of your wellbeing.

Whether you’re a novice in the fitness world or you’re well accustomed to the gym, one thing that’s of pivotal importance when looking to expand your horizons is that you place your trust in the hands of qualified professionals who are in it for the right reasons.

With so much pseudoscience and conjecture out there, you need someone that will guide you out of the weeds and navigate you towards your best self. Leading with a philosophy which views “health as mind, body and soul”, Bridge of Weir’s Thrive and their team are precisely the kind of people that you’d like to inhabit your corner.

Located on Castle Terrace, the studio – its doors were opened in 2020 by personal trainer Jamie Scott (pictured) – spans all facets of wellness in such a way that they could feasibly provide you with the full package of health and fitness all under one roof.

While they may be renowned for their one-to-one personal training, this is only one component of what’s on offer on their premises. Encompassing all the necessary ingredients for healthy minds and bodies, Thrive’s staff have expertise in the realm of pain management and injury rehabilitation via physiotherapist Diane Chalmers – who also runs the yoga and pilates classes.

They also offer counselling courtesy of their inhouse psychologist Dr Emma Darroch and cognative behavioural therapist Lorraine Dillet. Plus, they even offer holistic therapies such as Indian head massage and reflexology from Alison Welsh to help you relax and unwind, and a recipe book to ensure that their exercise is supplemented with clean and tasty food.

Thrive, 7 Castle Terrace, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3EF. For more information or to book a consultation, please email info@thrivebow.co.uk or visit thrivebow.co.uk

The Paisley Community Website

Before I visited this summer, my interpretation of Scandinavian interior design was very much associated with the ubiquitousness of Ikea and their do-it-yourself endeavours that seemed affordable for everyone. While Ikea remains popular amongst locals in Sweden, true Swedish décor, though effortless and minimalist, is quite sturdy and not necessarily cheap. Scandinavian design is defined by a simple and clean approach that combines functionality with beauty. Its focus is on simple lines and seeks to evade clutter. The Scandinavian style and philosophy centres on establishing harmony and balance around your home while favouring things which are made to last. It seeks to complement the art of living well by promoting a simple home environment that is filled with quality not quantity.

Scandinavian design is modest, so the few pieces in the room have got to count and this is why an emphasis is put on items like that eye-catching chair, vintage wardrobe or leather sofa. Scandinavian design is followed by craftsmanship and timeless, unpretentious style that is put into every item. This clean but warm theme understands its connection to nature. So, after walking through Swedish forest you will step into a calming interior where you will be welcomed by natural and unpolished timber floors and a big wooden dining table. Warm wood tones and sepia hues make a room feel sunny and bright without resorting to overwhelmingly bright colours.

Although Swedish interior style is characterised by minimalism and

Dining table, £689, cuckooland.com

LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE

Inspired by her recent trip to the beautiful nation of Sweden, our interiors wiz Kike Pawlik details the finer points of scandi style. Floor lamp, £180, cuckooland.com

monochromatic palettes, this is an area that also has space for a more playful approach that is encouraged by colourful and traditional patterns that you can find on cushion covers, table cloths, lampshades or tapestry. There are three visible types of patterned fabrics, the first two of which are navy blue and white vertical stripes and bright fabrics with neutral or pastel coloured leaves and twigs. Meanwhile, the last traditional style is known as ‘Kurbits’ which are multi-coloured bulbous floral folk patterns. Scandinavian design is full of vitality without being chaotic. It is so popular because it speaks to both our

tidy tendencies and our desire to live in inviting and comfortable settings.

Lighting is a huge part of Scandinavian design. Standing lamps, table lamps, hanging lamps, spotlights — Swedes take their light sources seriously. In every room there should be multiple lights, ranging from the warm, low light of a candle to the bright oversized glow of a ceiling light. Scandinavian design seeks to spread light as effectively and naturally as possible. Closer to winter, it’s a symbolic tradition to decorate windows with large illuminated paper star lanterns which evoke a sense of warmth and cosiness once nights get longer and darker during winter.

Coffee is so essential in Sweden that Swedes celebrate a daily social activity called ‘Fika.’ Though the word translates “to drink coffee,” it actually means taking a break from work to socialise over cups of coffee and sweet pastries such as my favourite cinnamon rolls. In traditional Swedish homes, it’s customary to find a bunch of coollooking mugs and cups which are beautifully decorated with folk patterns. So, let’s drink that coffee and enjoy Fika surrounded by candlelight as Autumn descends upon us.

For more from Kike, follow her on Instagram @kike_karolina_pawlik

Selection of lights, from £15.99, Lights4fun

Dining chair, £169, Cult Furniture

Dining chair, £59, Cult Furniture

Sofa, £1,249, cuckooland.com

TV Stand, €499, Michael Murphy

Candle lantern, £42.99, Lights4fun

Mugs, from £12, Oliver Bonas

PROPERTY

With summer holidays quickly receding to a distant memory, the focus is shifting back to normality and property will surely return to the forefront of people’s minds – especially those who have been contemplating a move for a while. The summer market certainly has seen a slight decrease in numbers of homes coming to market, as well as a downturn in viewers per property, however, we expect the usual volume to return in the coming weeks.

BUYING A BRAND

NEW HOME:

What are the benefits of buying a brand new home as opposed to a resale?

Well, depending on the builder, buying new usually allows you the chance to customise some aspects of the home from styles of flooring to kitchen designs. New homes also come with an NHBC certificate which is a 10 year warranty. To make things easier, new build homes are also typically advertised at a set price, so there is no need to compete on closing dates etcetera. However, with these properties in such short supply and high demand, they are usually sold on a first come, first served basis with those who are in the best buying position normally taking priority.

It’s imperative to make your home look its absolute best for the online campaign. After all, the first few days on the open market always prove to be the most important. Simple things like decluttering and removing excess items from rooms can help make the pictures look that bit better and hopefully help to attract that bit of extra interest which can make a home into a hot commodity.

For more information on how Corum can help you, visit corumproperty.co.uk or call 01505 691 400.

Callum Stewart from Corum provides you with some guidance on how to navigate the world of housing.

MARKET REPORT

RENFREWSHIRE

Nurturing the Neighbourhoods

From renovations to gala days, Paisley Housing Association does it all. Now they, and their five collaborating organisations, are giving you a chance to get involved.

For most people, housing associations are like gravity in the sense that you know they’re there, but you don’t necessarily understand the finer details of how they work. For Kathleen McCutcheon, her work at the PHA and that of the other associations that they regularly liaise with can be defined in one sentence – “I didn’t know you did all that”.

“We work as part of six community-based associations,” Kathleen revealed at Paisley Housing Association’s new centrally located offices on Lawn Street. “Five of which are in Renfrewshire and the other is in East Renfrewshire. They are Barrhead, Linstone, Williamsburgh, Bridgewater, Ferguslie and ourselves.

“People would probably be surprised by the things we do,” she continued. “Over the course of lockdown and

afterwards, we’ve done a lot in regards to redistributing cash and other necessities back into the community, whether that’d be bikes, food, phones, furniture, fuel top-ups or anything in between. In addition, we place a real focus on wellness and we’re now starting to take in Ukrainian refugees and establishing the support that we can provide for them as they get settled here.

“We all see ourselves as community anchors in that we’re the base, but we do a lot of satellite projects. We’ll do DIY projects, food preparation classes in Williamsburgh. Basically, if you name it, we do it!”

A local employer and a charity all in one, Paisley and its fellow associations provide affordable rent to between 6-7,000 people and tenants at any one time. Given that everything they do either comes through the medium of funding or from the rents of their tenants, each budget, initiative or gala day that a housing association proceeds with has been vetted by a board of volunteers. Tasked with holding them to account, these boards are often looking for new members and as Kathleen explains, it’s a position which comes with more benefits than ever without becoming a substantial drain on your weekly schedule.

“FLAIR (Federation of Local Housing Associations in Renfrewshire & East Renfrewshire) Academy started out about three years ago and it was a product of us really

New Glenburn development

thinking about what the incentives to become a board member are,” she said of their training scheme for new board members. “The academy consists of nine one-hour sessions from different trainers which are all focused on different aspects of what you’ll be doing. Thankfully, we run two blocks per year, which means that if you can’t make all of them successively, you can catch up on what you missed at another point.

“Due to the fact that we always had to induct new members and they’d often be sent on training sessions to the likes of Glasgow, we thought ‘why don’t we just pool our resources and do it collectively?’ Not only as it’s cheaper, but because it makes it more accessible. “There’s no formal accreditation,” she details, “but it’ll give you a great insight into the housing sector.

“For a lot of people, they choose to buddy up with a housing association of their choice and go along to their board meetings as an observer. From there, they fill out a form and after that, we look at which housing associations really need board members at any given time.

“For kids these days, they need to have so much on their CV to be competitive,” Kathleen said of the potential benefits that joining a board could have on a young person’s career prospects. “You need to show all the traits even before you get to university. So, this is

something that isn’t hugely time-consuming, but they won’t get that experience anywhere else. From that experience, they can say that they’ve worked in a team, that they have read, interpreted and made decisions based on what they’ve learned and a whole host of other transferable skills. It’s something to talk about, it might make employers think ‘oh, they’ve got something about them’.

“But above all, we want them to be as diverse as possible and we’re happy to have people from their twenties to their eighties.”

From tenement rehab across five closes in Orchard Street to doing whatever they can to support their tenants in terms of both their mental and physical wellbeing, it’s clear that this contingent of housing associations have the interests of those who occupy their properties at heart. What’s more, they’re actively looking for people from the community to take an active role in the process and ensure that they’re doing the best job that they possibly can. All the while, learning skills and accruing knowledge that could stand them in good stead in their own personal and professional lives.

If you’d like to learn more about joining a housing association board, visit paisleyha.org.uk/partnership-working

The Young Poet, on the side of a Paisley Housing Association building

Alan Graham, Senior Project Officer giving out an iPad to a Tenant

Housing Officer George Gray

Devised as a means of championing local creators of all mediums, the latest addition to our culture section brings you the best from our visual artists.

A renowned local artist who recently celebrated ten years of working at The Briggait in Glasgow, the appeal of Moe Rocksmoore’s work has refused to wane over the years. Deeply involved in both her own craft and the education of others, Moe’s calling card comes in the form of her “skyscapes” that possess not only incredible depth, but an intangible quality that can’t be replicated. Fresh from her works appearing on BBC’s recent drama The Control Room, she’s now gearing up for a new exhibition this October. rocksmoore.com

BMORE SKETCHY

Quickly becoming revered as one of the finest graffiti artists in the country, Renfrewshire’s own Bmore Sketchy gives us an insight into his world of urban masterpieces. “Every time I paint a new piece I’m trying to do better than the last and trying out new skills and techniques I’ve learned to improve my art. I’m always proud of my last commission and use that as a stepping stone to the next.” Here he is (right) with Dave from Kustom Kruizers in Renfrew.

AUTUMN ART WORKSHOPS

Away from the hustle and bustle of The Art Department’s groundbreaking Big Art Show exhibition, the space will also play host to an exciting calendar of workshops in Autumn which will enable burgeoning artists to learn or improve upon their skills in the likes of pottery (with ceramicist Karen Hanvidge, pictured), drawing, collaging and watercolours. For all the dates and details visit outspokenarts.org

GARY BYARS

A multi-talented painter who can turn his hand to caricatures with the same panache as he does nature studies, to say that Garry Byars is a well known face on the local art scene. Having gained no shortage of attention for his previous work Aw The Buddies, which depicted an array of local businesses and local luminaries in Barshaw Park, he’s now setting out to chart the evolution of the town with a whole new set of faces and local enterprises. gbyars.com

MOE ROCKSMOORE

MUSIC

The soundtrack to your autumn awaits in the shape of these upcoming new releases

Among the most prolific figures to emerge from jazz music’s replenished burst of creativity in recent years, Makaya McCraven’s ten-year plus journey through the genre has seen him deliver a steady stream of inventive and routinely engrossing output. Having garnered no shortage of new fans courtesy of 2019’s We’re New Again LP, which reimagined Gil Scott Heron’s final album to tremendous effect, Makaya returns with the aptly titled In These Times this September and if singles such as Seventh String and Dream Another are anything to go by, it’s sure to rank high among the finest jazz records of the entire calendar year. Released 23rd September.

COOL IT DOWN

When it comes to dream-pop in the modern era, Alvvays are about as adept as they come. Led by the bewitching vocals of Molly Rankin, their wistful yet unflinching reflections on all manner of matters of the heart and head have yielded no shortage of tracks which come equipped with a truly timeless quality to them. Drenched in reverb and a biting sentimentality which invokes nostalgia with every note, their first album since 2017’s Antisocialites is certain to be one of the marquee events in indie pop and will give us a whole new batch of songs to swoon over this October. Released 7th October.

A group that besieged the world’s affections when they emerged from New York with a whip smart and acerbic sound on the landmark Fever To Tell, few bands have proven to be as consistent or completely hypnotic as the trio of Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase. Now, nine years and an arduously long hiatus on from 2013’s Mosquito, the Manhattan-based art rockers are finally returning with their fifth full-length, Cool It Down. Previewed with the anthemic Spitting Off The Edge Of The World, it appears that the group’s mastery of the middle ground between accessibility and musical experimentalism is still alive and well. Naturally, fans can’t wait to hear what else they have in store on the 30th. Out 30th September.

MAKAYA MCCRAVEN - IN THESE TIMES

YEAH YEAH YEAHS

ALBUM

ALBUM

Photo by Sulyiman Stokes

LITERATURE

BOOK REVIEW

Confidence

By Denise Mina

The Mystery of Ward 18

By Rosalinda Millar

The lights were dimmed

As sister made her round Drowsy patients safely snuggled down Beyond the window with gentle sighs The whispering wind sang a lullaby.

Reviewed by Lisa-Marie Hughes

The multi-award winning Denise Mina has been heralded as crime writing royalty by Val McDermid and legions of readers, and with Confidence, she certainly keeps the title intact.

Lisa Lee, a young, urban explorer and vlogger disappears from North Berwick after posting a video from an abandoned French chateau where she finds a small, grubby metal casket in a sealed attic room.

The lost religious relic appears for sale, igniting a worldwide media frenzy.

Throughout its duration, Confidence is a frantic, thrilling adventure where we follow podcasters Anna and Fin across Europe as they seek the truth about Lisa Lee’s disappearance. All the while, someone does their utmost to stop them at all costs.

Across her repertoire of novels, Denise Mina has a particular knack for rooting stories in place and from stormy North Berwick to Paris, Hungary and back again, you feel you are right there with Anna and Fin on every step of their journey.

In a story spanning decades and continents, its key ingredients of murder, secrecy, smuggling, con artists and complicated heroes make for a heartracingly spectacular read.

Confidence is available to purchase now via Penguin.

Gently, gently, the door clicked shut Then Sister stiffened - What! Oh Mercy! what is that? A rumbling grumbling thunderous sound It’s sonorous reverberation resembling a bear in hibernation

Sister said, oh what a pain Has the central heating gone again. While a frantic nurse ran to discover Who the hell switched on the Hoover.

Startled patients clapped their hands around their ears One yelled - I didnae know that Concorde flew past here! Louder ever louder in resonance until even the porter patrolling in the night looked out to see who might be working with a big road drill!

Disgruntled patients from sleep disturbed Nurses growing more perturbed tried valiantly to find the source of this outpouring Checked plumbing, windows, and door locks as the ward vibrated in the after shock. of the ever growing rumbling and roaring.

Sister in exasperation said - I want an explanation for goodness sake as the floor and walls began to shake. Her face grew pale, her voice imploring.

From room three a voice called “WHEESHT”! Dinnae get your knickers in a twist It’s no the wa’s, the windaes, or the flooring It’s ower here - It’s Mary - Snoring!

A review from our resident bookworm Lisa-Marie Hughes and a poem from Rosalinda Millar.

ENTERTAINMENT

Here’s what to devote some of your screen time to in the coming months.

CINEMA

BROS

Produced by R-rated

CINEMA

BODIES, BODIES, BODIES

The latest hotly anticipated film from acclaimed production house A24 is seeking to take the world of slasher flicks and turn it on its axis. Featuring a plethora of Hollywood’s fastest rising new stars including Rachel Sennott, Amandia Stenberg and Pete Davidson. Set against the backdrop of a party game gone awry during a trip to a remote mansion that’s been struck by a hurricane, this dysfunctional group of friends soon find themselves attempting to root out a killer in their midst. In cinemas 9th September.

fame, Bros, which is set to debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, is shaping up to be one of the most talked about films of the coming year. Due in no small part to the revolutionary aspects of its production. The first gay rom-com ever made by a major studio, the movie features a largely LGBTQIA+ cast and centres around the story of two long-term commitmentphobes trying to put their hang-ups to one side in the pursuit of true love. In cinemas 28th October.

CINEMA

In the tradition of The Stepford Wives before it, Olivia Wilde’s latest spin in the directors’ chair sees her peel back the veneer of supposed suburban splendour of 1950s USA in order to examine its seedy underbelly and the forces controlling it. Starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh as Jack and Alice respectively, the film sees them portraying a young couple who are living in the purportedly utopian company town of Victory, California. Yet for all the trapping and conveniences that they could ask for, Alice begins to pick at the foundations of the world she resides in and discovers something deeply unsettling along the way. Out 22nd September.

ANDOR TV

The latest in the procession of prestige television series to be set in that fabled galaxy far, far away, Disney’s new Star Wars adventures acquaints us with Cassian Andor, who was first introduced to fans in the prequel film Rogue One. Set before the events of the 2016 film, the series follows the young spy – played by Diego Luna – as he infiltrates the empire and carries out missions on behalf of the rebels. Disney+ 21st September.

© Disney+

© A24

© Universal Studios

DON’T WORRY DARLING

comedy maestro Judd Apatow and directed by Nicholas Stoller of Bad Neighbours

DO YOU HAVE A FLAIR FOR HELPING YOUR COMMUNITY?

Housing associations in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire have launched a recruitment drive for people willing to help their communities.

The aim is to recruit individuals to serve on the Boards – sometimes known as Management Committees - of housing associations and ultimately make a difference.

A number of housing associations run what’s known as the FLAIR Academy – a FREE training initiative designed to provide all you need to know about what serving with a housing association entails.

The reward is that you are involved in the decision-making process on housing and regenerating communities – all part of the inspiring work housing associations undertake.

FLAIR is made up of the following housing providers: Barrhead HA, Bridgewater HA, Ferguslie Park HA, Linstone HA, Paisley HA and Williamsburgh HA.

FLAIR is particularly keen to recruit people who are under represented in the housing sector. FLAIR positively encourages applications from individuals regardless of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age or religion or beliefs.

If you are looking for a way to have a voice in the housing sector this opportunity might for you.

FLAIR can offer continuing professional development, real life experience for your CV, volunteering with meaning and purpose, networking with professionals and others committed to social impact and ultimately a way of helping improve communities and lives.

Being part of the FLAIR Academy lasts nine weeks and there are two semesters – April to June and October to December every year. It requires around six hours per month. All training materials, resources and reasonable expenses are covered.

There is a session every Tuesday evening from 18th October to 13th December 2022. These training sessions will be hybrid meetings, so either remotely or face to face in the Glynhill Hotel, Renfrew.

Housing Associations in new recruitment drive

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY

Whenever someone says Lochwinnoch, images of the stunning Castle Semple Loch likely materialise in your mind. Formerly known as Castletoun, this estate is so vast that at one time, it even had its own private railway station. Described in George Crawford’s 1710 publication A History of Renfrewshire as consisting of “a large court, part of which seems to be a very ancient building, adorned with pleasant orchards and gardens”, this locale in the greater Clyde Muirshiel park area has persevered through the ages to become the sight of fun-filled days out for generations of local residents.

Visited by over 80,000 people annually, there is so much scope for

activities that even the staff deem it difficult to narrow them down.

“Oh that’s tricky,” proclaimed senior instructor David Hill during an exceptionally busy day in the midst of the heatwave. “So, there’s oodles of walking and cycling routes for all different abilities and distances, which is a key one. There’s also the café as well as all of our outdoor activities stuff. Granted, you can’t just turn up as they all require booking and often quite far in advance, but we’re always amazed by the response that they get. It can sometimes be six months ahead. In terms of those courses and activities, we do everything from ranger walks to nature-based things and trails for the kids as well as coaching for kayaking and sailing.

“I suppose the thing that’s great about where we are is that it’s an untapped green space with loads of different trails and areas which is right on the doorstep of so many people. On a warm day, there’ll be thousands of folk down here who are content to just walk about, sit on the grass, buy ice creams, take in the view and just watch the world go by.

“There’s so many routes mapped on our website,” he said of their trails. “With our bike-based ones, you can actually download the GPS files and there’s everything from simple family rides to big road journeys which are upwards of 60-100 kilometres.”

Although they’re eager to stress that while the activities they oversee are a massive draw, Castle

Although you may be familiar with the name and its glorious views, we’d bet that you might not know the full extent of what’s on offer at Castle Semple.

e

Semple is ultimately for everyone to make the most of.

“Folk come down all the time with their own paddle boards, kayaks or bikes and the like and they’re more than welcome to come down and just use the place,” he continued. “You don’t need to come down and tell us, as there’s so much room. Right now, we’ve got kids down here for multi-activity summer camps amid everything else that’s happening. Ultimately, we just want people to come here and have a nice time in the outdoors, whatever they’re doing. There’s no shortage of familiar faces and it’s very well used by the locals including those from the likes of Howwood and Beith. They use it as a short trip with the dog or a bike ride.

“For those who’d maybe like to take up a new hobby, there’s rowing, sailing, windsurfing and paddle

board clubs which are all native to Castle Semple. If you’d like to get involved and try any of these sports, then just get in touch with them and find out whether they can accommodate you. They’ve all got different sessions for beginners and even up to advanced classes.

“Elsewhere, there’s plenty of people who just come down and admire the view every single day. There’s always something different to look at, particularly with all of the different clubs that we have. Even in the wintertime, there’s loads going on and we have events across the calendar,” Dave concluded. “So, no matter the time of year, there’s plenty of reasons to come down.”

To find out more about what Castle Semple may have in store for you and your family, please visit clydemuirshiel.co.uk

Things To Do at Castle Semple

1: FIND a lookooterie or two on the Semple Trail.

2: WALK (or cycle) the 4km Johnshill Loop taking in Parkhill Wood and the lochside.

3: VISIT by bicycle! The Centre is on Sustrans off road cycle route 7 Glasgow – Irvine.

Seasonal bike hire also available on site.

4: FEED the ducks or enjoy a family friendly event with the Countryside Rangers –advanced booking on event days essential.

5: ENJOY a coffee or an ice cream and the lovely view from the Visitor Centre Café.

BISHOPTON

Angelini’s Pizzeria & Café

76 Greenock Road, PA7 5JB

Ingliston Country Club & Hotel

Old Greenock Road, PA7 5PA

Pretty Beautiful Salon

78 Greenock Road, PA7 5JB

BRAEHEAD

Braehead Shopping Centre

King’s Inch Road, G51 4BN

BRIDGE OF WEIR

Bernie’s Café Deli Main Street, PA11 3PN

Bunty’s General Store & Deli

1 Prieston Road, PA11 3AJ

Harrods Dry Cleaners

8 Castle Terrace, PA11 3EF

Hair Hair

Prieston Road, PA11 3AH

Ice Mania

13 Livery Walk, PA11 3NN

Olapip Home Windsor Place, PA11 3AF

The Coach House 31 Main Street, PA11 3NR

The Lion’s Paw

1 Morrison Place, PA11 3NU

Tryptych Studios Main Street, PA11 3NR

Tulip Hair Design Unit 10, 23 Livery Walk, PA11 3NN

CROSSLEE

The River Inn Houston Road, PA6 7AW

DARGAVEL

Scoff & Patter

1 Dalgety Drive, PA7 5LN

ELDERSLIE

Butchers Steak & Grill 133 Main Road, PA5 9ES

Elderslie Coffee Shop 11 Stoddard Square, PA5 9AS

ERSKINE

Blend

Rashielee Avenue, PA8 6HA

Bracken

Bridgewater Place, PA8 7AA

Look Opticians

Bridgewater Place, PA8 7AA

Pandamonium Play Centre 53 Kilpatrick Drive, PA8 7AF

HILLINGTON

Origins Fitness 22 Earl Haig Road, G52 4JU

HOUSTON

The Carrick Centre Coffee Shop Main Street, PA6 7HD

The Fox & Hounds South Street, PA6 7EN

The Houston Inn North Street, PA6 7HF

Versari Beauty

13a Kirk Road PA6 7HW

HOWWOOD

Bowfield Hotel & Country Club

Bowfield Road, PA9 1DZ

Little Free Library

Howwood Park

The Boarding House Main Street, PA9 1BQ

INCHINNAN

Barnhill Farm Houston Road, PA4 9LS

The Braehead Tavern Greenock Road, PA4 9NH

The Farm at No.12

12 Brownsfield Holding, Barnsford Road, PA4 9LZ

JOHNSTONE

Aleo

65 High Street, PA5 8QG

Evolution Body Building 20 Thorn Brae, PA5 8HE

Globe Bingo

7 High Street, PA5 8JU

Gowanlea

Barochan Road, PA5 8YS

John Marshall & Son 65 High Street, PA5 8QG

Johnstone Coffee Café

71 High Street, PA5 8QG

Johnstone Railway Station 20 Thorn Brae, PA5 8HE

Johnstone Town Hall 25 Church Street, PA5 8EG

Lynnhurst Hotel Park Road, PA5 8LS

Morrisons

30 Napier Street, PA5 8SF

Optical Express 28A High Street, PA5 8AH

Quality Cards & Gifts

2 Houstoun Square, PA5 8DT

Signature Permanent Cosmetics 6-8 Walkinshaw Street, PA5 8AB

Spateston Inn

Hallhill Road, PA5 0SA

The Canton Restaurant 16 Thornhill, PA5 8JG

The Dessert Kings 53 High Street, PA5 8AJ

The Rolling Pig Ann Street, PA5 8BZ

KILBARCHAN

Bobbins

25 Steeple Street, PA10 2JF

Habbies 25 New Street, PA10 2LN

The Trust Inn 8 Low Barholm, PA10 2ET

KILMACOLM

Cairn

1 Lochwinnoch Road, PA13 4HE

Carriages Bar & Restaurant Station Road, PA13 4DW

Cross Café

Port Glasgow Road, PA13 4ET

Punto 4 St James Terrace, PA13 4HB

LINWOOD

Animal Station Ltd 34 Napier Street, PA3 3AJ

Linwood Farm 1 Hillhead Drive, PA3 3FB

Mossedge Village 145 Brediland Road, PA3 3RX

The Salon 15 Napier Street, PA3 3AJ

LOCHWINNOCH

Castle Semple Café Lochlip Road, PA12 4EA

Cucina Minucci 2 High Street, PA12 4DA

Handcrafted Coffee 2 High Street, PA12 4DB

Little Coffee Caravan A737, PA12 4JG

Now & Then 8 Church Street, PA12 4AD

RSPB

Largs Road, PA12 4JF

The Brown Bull 33 Main Street, PA12 4AH

PAISLEY

Abbey Mill Business Centre 12 Seedhill Road, PA1 1JS

Accord Hospice Superstore 37 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PA

Alison Capaldi Hair

84 Arkelston Road, PA1 3TS

Armstrong Massage Therapy 98 Arkelston Road, PA1 3TZ

Bailey’s Antiques

34 High Street, PA1 2DQ

Barga Paisley

25 New Street PA1 1XU

Bella & Fella

Sir James Clark Building, PA1 1TJ

Bianco Nero Coffee Shop

27 Gauze Street, PA1 1ES

Black & Lizars

6 New Street, PA1 1XY

Blend Coffee Lounge

25b Causeyside Street, PA1 1UL

Bull Inn

7 New Street, PA1 1XU

Café Fairfull

12A High Street, PA1 2BS

Café 77 Barshaw Park 77 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PE

Caffè Pronto

96 Causeyside Street PA1 1TX

Caffè Royale

71 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PE

Cardosi Espresso Bar

65 High Street, PA1 2AS

Castelvecchi

10 New Street, PA1 1XY

Cloud 9 Deli

9 Gauze Street, PA1 1EP

Comicrazy

45 Old Sneddon Street, PA3 2AN

Courtyard by Marriott Marchburn Drive, PA3 2SJ

Claire Reid Hairdressing

7 Mill Street, PA1 1LY

Doghouse Grooming 4 Johnston Street, PA1 1XG

Elira House of Hair 46 Foxbar Road, PA2 0AY

Emulate Hair Studio

Brick Lane, PA3 4DW

Finishing Touches

7 Johnston St, Paisley PA1 1XQ

Fox’s Deli

St James Street, PA3 2HQ

Foxbar Café

34 Foxbar Road, PA2 0AY

Frangelinos Fish and Chips 26 High Street, PA1 2BS

Gael Interiors 4 Orchard Street, PA1 1UZ

Gantry 12 New Street, PA1 1XY

Glen-Bun Bakers 166 Braehead Road, PA2 8QD

Graphic Hair Design 67 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PD

Grumpy Monkey 22 Moss Street, PA1 1BA

HeadLox UK 71 Neilston Road, PA2 6NA

Hilton’s Hair & Beauty 8a St Mirren Brae, PA1 1UA

Iain Stewart Hairdressing 97 Causeyside Street, PA1 1TU

Iconic Fitness 10-12 Lawn Street, PA1 1HA

Incube Shop 9b Gilmour Street, PA1 1DG

Ironed Out 20 Wellmeadow Street, PA1 2EE

Ivad Gifts 29 Gauze Street, PA1 1ES

Jam Jar 16 Shuttle Street, PA1 1YD

Japan Street Food 9 Renfrew Road, PA3 4AF

JMI Opticians 59 Neilston Road, PA2 6LZ

Juniper Gin Bar

30 Old Sneddon Street, PA3 2AL

Kaoss Hair and Beauty 29 Gauze Street, PA1 1ES

Karis Massage Therapies 5 Hunter Street, PA1 1DL

Kenneth Edwards 45 Causeyside Street, PA1 1YN

La Banca

63 Neilston Road, PA2 6NA

Lagoon Leisure Centre 11 Christie Street, PA1 1NB

Lang Hair & Beauty 136 Neilston Road, PA2 6QH

Malatso

50 High Street, PA1 2DJ

M&S Food

Wallneuk Road, PA3 4BF

Meat in the Middle

8 New Street, PA1 1XY

Mecca Bingo

8 Saucel Crescent, PA1 1UB

Milano Boutique

5 Mill Street, PA1 1LY

Morrisons

Falside Road, PA2 6JE

Morrisons

Thread Street, PA1 1GZ

Mrs Party

5 Johnston Street, PA1 1XQ

My Hair Guru

48 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PW

Nibbles Takeaway 3 Johnston St, Paisley PA1 1XQ

Nomads’ Coffee Shop

63 High Street, PA1 2AS

Orchard Clinic

16 Orchard Street, PA1 1UZ

Paisley Arts Centre

15 New Street, PA1 1EZ

Paisley Physiotherapy

13 Old Sneddon Street, PA3 2AG

Piazza Shopping Centre

Central Way, PA1 1EL

Pro-Life Fitness Centre

98 New Sneddon Street, PA3 2BD

RAMH REstore

24 Causeyside Street, PA1 1UN

Rainbow Turtle

7 Gauze Street, PA1 1EP

ReMode

43b High Street, PA1 2AH

Roasters

69 High Street, PA1 2AY

Rocknrolla’s

5 Wellmeadow Street, PA1 2EF

Rowantree Café

165 Glasgow Road, PA1 3LF

Scotts Café

5 St James Street, PA3 2HL

Sinclair’s of Paisley

30A High Street, PA1 2DQ

Skirlies Café

4 Broomlands Street, PA1 2LR

Specsavers

5 Moss Street, PA1 1BG

Tannahill Centre

76 Blackstoun Road, PA3 1NT

Taste & C

35 Moss Street PA1 1DL

Taste Buds

22b Lawn Street, PA1 1HF

Tastys

29 George Street PA1 2LD

Telfords Paisley

1 Stow Brae, PA1 2HF

The Art Department

2-10 Causeyside Street, PA1 1UQ

The Gatehouse Coffee Roasters

Benn Avenue, PA1 1JS

The Gleniffer

9 Glenburn Road PA2 8TA

The Keg

15b Gilmour Street, PA1 1DD

The Kitchen

7 Penilee Road, PA1 3ES

The Pantry

2 Silk Street, PA1 1HG

The Ugly Duck

38 High Street, PA1 2DQ

The Wee Howff

53 High Street, PA1 2AN

White Cart Company

30B High Street, PA1 2BZ

William Phelps Butchers

41 Causeyside Street, PA1 1YL

With Love Flowers

48 Causeyside Street, PA1 1YH

Woodlands Coffee House

44 Glasgow Road, PA1 3PW

Zambretto

42 Old Sneddon Street, PA3 2AP

RENFREW

Andersons Jewellery Workshop

38 High Street, PA4 8QP

Bunty’s Corner

14 Inchinnan Road, PA4 8NE

Café Su

15 Canal Street, PA4 8QE

Cardbox

5 Hairst Street, PA4 8QU

Coffee Jam

Hairst Street, PA4 8QD

Highland Cathedral Kilts

15 Hairst Street PA4 8QU

Luna Rossa

1-3 Canal Street PA4 8QE

Piccolo Mondo Renfrew

63 Hairst Street PA4 8QU

Quality Cards & Gifts

17 Canal Street, PA4 8QE

Renfrew Leisure Centre

Paisley Road, PA4 8JL

Renfrew Town Hall

Hairst Street, PA4 8PF

Savage Slice

50 Fulbar Street, PA4 8PD

The Keg Shack

46 Hairst Street, PA4 8QY

AWARD-WINNING CUISINE FOR CHEAP

For those from Paisley and the surrounding areas, one thing that’s certainly not news is that the Multan Tandoori harbours some of the finest Indian cuisine that you’re liable to have in the entire country. A community-based restaurant to its core, this George Street institution has acknowledged the fact that everyone’s feeling the pinch and as a result, they’re now advertising a 10% discount if you order online at multan.co.uk using code MULTANEAT. In addition, they’re also offering a 15% discount to NHS workers as a thank you for their tireless work over the course of the pandemic.

RAISE A GLASS

Now that we’re actually permitted to socialise again, it doesn’t just feel that party season is in full swing, but that it’s always high up on the agenda. For those who are eternally entertaining, Marks & Spencer, who were voted the nation’s favourite wine retailer in 2022 by Good Housekeeping, could be a lifesaver as they’re now offering up to one third off across red, white, rose and even fizz. So, why not head down to the local branch at Renfrew Road and see what savings you can find for yourself?

MORE THAN MEETS THE ICE

If you’ve been to Johnstone lately, you’ve no doubt encountered The Dessert Kings. Conveniently located right on the High Street, this new ice cream parlour has quickly become a hit with the locals attracting takeaway orders from across the region. What you might not know is they also have a delicious savoury offering. From chicken wings to burgers, loaded fries, tacos and more, The Dessert Kings have everything you’d need for a hearty feed on all fronts.

BRUNCH AND BEVY

Although it was alluded to in our previous issue, it’s safe to say that Cafe 77’s new offering of an early lunch and a small libation is going down a storm with visitors to this Glasgow Road hotspot. A new addition to their already stellar menu which allows for the added bonus of prosecco, teas and coffees or expertly crafted cocktails alongside their pancakes and stacks, their latest creation ushers in a new era for those in Renfrewshire who like to treat themselves come the weekend. What’s more, it’s available for two at the price of just £50!

Exciting culinary developments within the Renfrewshire community

DINNER AT OKOME

Known for its fresh, authentic Japanese cuisine, I was delighted to hear that the team behind Glasgow’s popular eatery Okome had decided to branch out to the centre of Paisley.

Already well-established in Clarkston, Shawlands and in Glasgow’s West End, the team, galvanised by their recent success and fuelled by an ongoing ambition to expand, only recently opened their new restaurant on Moss Street at the end of July, but have already received nothing but praise from the locals.

So, with their reputation already firmly established, we arrived with high expectations and large appetites. And we weren’t the only ones – judging from the bustling crowd of people waiting outside for their takeaways, and the constant flow of people arriving to sit in.

As we were welcomed inside, the spacious eatery appeared minimalist in style with its Japanese-inspired décor and wood-framed interiors – hanging flags and a gorgeous cherry blossom adding a splash of colour to the room. The menu, however, was anything but. At first glance, I was almost overawed by the choice on offer – from the fresh and flavoursome sushi options to the intriguing range of ramen, rice bowls and bibimbap dishes.

Okome’s ethos is ‘healthy delicious’ and their statement of purpose is to create a ‘truly authentic Japanese experience’. With that in mind, it’s clear that no stone has been left unturned in sourcing the best produce

and freshest ingredients to bring this sizable mission to fruition. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch or a more substantial evening dinner, the vast menu ensures everyone is well catered for – with various vegetarian variations on offer. And for those not well-versed in the art of Japanese cuisine, there’s plenty of ways to dive in.

Inspired to broach new territory myself, I opted for the beef bibimbap (£10.50) which arrived in glorious technicolour. Filled with warm fluffy rice, it was topped with beef; a vibrant array of freshly shredded veg such as crunchy carrots, courgettes, seaweed and beansprouts; a dollop of hot chilli paste; and a crisp, fried egg. Meticulously assembled, it was a treat to the eyes as much as it was to my taste buds – each flavour and texture coming together beautifully in the mouth.

My partner Gianluca chose the tofu teriyaki bowl (£8.20). He assured me it was every bit as good as it looked – his bowl filled with rice; fresh, crunchy vegetables; and crispy, lightly battered cubes of tofu. Doused in a sweet, tangy teriyaki sauce, it hit every spot. What’s more,

Our resident food reviewer Suzanne Oswald heads to a new Asian eatery on Moss Street.

“IT’S CLEAR THAT NO STONE HAS BEEN LEFT UNTURNED IN SOURCING THE BEST PRODUCE AND FRESHEST INGREDIENTS”

despite their affordable price tags, both dishes were as generous in portion size as they were in flavour.

With so much on offer, it would have been amiss to stick to our two mains, so we also ordered a plate of yasai gyozas (£4.40, five included) and the veggie set of sushi. The gyozas were crispy, lightly fried and packed with fresh flavour, not to mention accompanied by that all-important soy sauce. For those not open to fish, the veggie platter was a delicious alternative – featuring elegant, bite-sized pieces of cucumber, avocado and pickle maki, yasai roll, tofu nigiri and edamame beans. Clean and precise, each piece was as fresh as the next – a trickle of soy sauce adding a sweet and saltiness to the vegetables. And at only £6.30, it was a generous side to share. Alternatively, it could be a tasty lunch, if you’re that way inclined.

Given that everything arrived together and fairly quickly, our stay in the restaurant was short and sweet –but we nonetheless left feeling very satisfied. Perfect for a casual evening meal, a quick, healthy lunch or even a tasty takeaway, we’re delighted to confirm that Okome is another welcome addition to Paisley’s increasingly eclectic and fast-growing food scene.

Okome, 30 Moss Street, Paisley, PA1 1BA, 0141 887 2111, okomepaisley.co.uk

Alot can happen in the space of a decade and for Café Fairfull, this has most certainly been the case. Owned by Elaine Fairfull, whose family have been at the helm of local, community-oriented businesses for generations, this eatery is both quaint in spirit and inviting in atmosphere.

Equipped with an expansive menu which ensures that every regular can get their favourite dish, Café Fairfull’s versatility may require a lot of graft on the staff’s part, but has played a pivotal role in making it into a much-loved locale for those in the area.

Garlanded in flowers and fairy lights, the café serves as a calming refuge on a particularly warm afternoon in Renfrewshire.

Given that it was on the balmier side, I bypassed the usual coffee in favour of a revitalising strawberry smoothie that was made with fresh fruit and served as a stroller accompaniment for a summer’s day.

Despite the fact that it was an immensely busy, our food arrived punctually and didn’t skimp on flavour or portion size either. After some consideration, I opted for the peri-peri roasted vegetable and mozzarella panini and I was by no means disappointed. Providing ample kick without sacrificing depth of flavour, it delivered on all fronts and ensured that I had a new go-to when making repeat visits.

Meanwhile, Paul had Café Fairfull’s lauded sharing platter to sample. Complete with crispy chicken wings,

LUNCH AT CAFÉ FAIRFULL

Robert and Paul took a trip a trip to a much loved fixture of the Paisley's High Street.

french fries, toasted garlic ciabatta, onion rings, spicy nachos, mozzarella sticks and a full pizza that comes complete with the stonebaked texture which always elevates them to new heights, it was a challenge that our eternally hungry designer rose to with glee. Granted, I helped out wherever I could and by the end of it, we were both amazed at not only the immense value of this £25 banquet, but the manner in which they’d gotten the best out of each and every component of it.

Across café sales, wholesale and farmers markets their celebrated in-store bakery creates just under 8,000 cakes in a week to meet demand.

With this in mind, we capped off our visit by halving two of their tried and tested favourites in the shape of the Viennese whirl and strawberry tart; with each one crafted to perfection, they proved to be the perfect way to end an immensely tasty afternoon.

Practically allergic to resting on their laurels, Café Fairfull always have big plans in the pipeline and based on the strength of our recent trip, we’ve no doubt they’ll pull them off.

Café Fairfull, 12a High Street, Paisley, PA1 2BS, 0141 387 3621, caféfairfull.com

After releasing one of the most lauded books in recent memory with Duck Feet, Renfrew-born author Ely Percy takes us through their journey to bring the experiences of high school classmates to the page.

Photos by Danny Livingston

Although they may be fresh from a honeymoon to Paris that had been thwarted by an unanticipated bout of Covid, Ely Percy remains in high spirits and with good reason. Decades on from committing themselves to the craft of writing, Ely’s work is finally receiving the reverence it deserves. Most notably, their 2021 novel, Duck Feet, which tells the story of Kirsty Campbell from Renfrew as she navigates the trials and tribulations that only high school can provide.

Yet while it may be one of the biggest literary hits of last year, the critically acclaimed book is the byproduct of a very lengthy gestation process that saw Ely’s original concept grow arms and legs.

“It started with just one short story after a callout in a magazine for pieces about shoes,” Ely reveals. I was just about to graduate from uni and when I sat down to write, I really loved the voice of the wee girl and by the next day, I’d written another one. The first one was accepted and published right away, which is quite rare, so I just kept doing more. By the time I got to about ten, I realised that exploring these different situations from school was maybe something more and they all began to join together. Initially, people weren’t really taking it on as a full manuscript.

“It ended up being a 16-year period of sending them out individually,” they divulge, “with about 35 getting published. There was one story that I sent out which nobody liked at all and now it’s one of the most popular aspects of the book!

“I thought I had something there, but people were saying ‘nobody wants to publish a book of stories from the perspective of a wee lassie that lives in a housing scheme, it’s just too niche’. Folk were saying ‘can

you turn it into English because we’d have a better chance’ but I was just like naw, you’re wrong, nobody in Renfrew talks like that.

“I eventually realised that I had to publish another novel before this would ever get a shot, just because it’s short stories and it’s in Scots.

“Then, one day, after I was on a panel with Ellen Desmond from [Edinburgh-based publishing house] Monstrous Regiment, she turned to me out of the blue and said ‘why won’t you give Duck Feet to us?’

And I was like, you’ve never asked! (laughs) So, I sent them the whole manuscript and they were like ‘we love this, so can you novelise it?’

I didn’t really realise what they were asking at the time, but if I knew it would’ve been a whole structural rewrite, then I might’ve fainted (laughs).

“I always wanted it to be like snapshots of high school as when

you look back, you remember it as highlights,” Ely says of the book’s particular brand of linear narrative.

“Sometimes, you don’t necessarily get the story where she learns about something, but you realise that her outlook has changed. I wanted it to be like when you haven’t seen someone for a few years and then suddenly, they’re different. You don’t know what happened in that interim period, but you know they’ve changed.

“There’s a lot of Scottish books I love that are about poverty, but there were often bits that I couldn’t relate to,” they say of the impetus behind the book’s content. “I didn’t really see myself in any books or TV programmes, or anyone that I’d hung about with at school. So, I was like, why not? It was really important. Kirsty grew up in the same street that I grew up in, but she’s not a real person. But if you think you said something in the book, then you probably did (laughs). In every situation that arises, I just tried to think about how a 12-year-old girl would respond to it and what the people around them would be saying about it.”

Rather than being written in a vacuum, Ely is proud of the fact that Duck Feet was very much written in tandem with the town and people that it depicts.

“I remember years ago, when I first started writing it, I gave some of the stories to my sister and she then handed them out to all of her pals at the pub. It was really interesting to hear them saying ‘aw, mind that’ or ‘aye, we used to go there’ and they then started suggesting that I put certain things in and I took that on board. So, I knew then that I had something here. It didn’t matter if 20, 50, 100 people read it, I just wanted to write this. I felt like Renfrew should have a book.

“After it came out I was getting messages from people

“IT DIDN’T MATTER IF TWENTY, FIFTY, ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE READ IT, I JUST WANTED TO WRITE THIS”

saying ‘I went to J High or the Grammar or Park Mains’ and the experience in the book was just like theirs,” Ely said of the universality of Duck Feet’s stories. “Eventually, I was getting them from folk in Wales and England saying it was the same. Now, people who went to school in Renfrew are now teachers and using it in class!

“I did an LGBT group in a school and I read the story ‘Pure Gay’ and it was amazing to see them being like ‘yass’ as I was nervous about it at first. They never had anything like that when I was in school, so that was really cool to see. It’s turned out to have quite a big LGBT following even though it’s not a particularly queer book.”

With more eyes on their work than ever before, Ely has plans for a sequel, Odd Duck, which will “have three voices” from the LGBTQIA+ community. Meanwhile, they are in the process of writing Kingstreet, a

“queer tartan noir” which centres on Alan, a trans-masculine character who was born in Renfrew but resides in Glasgow.

Although they are eager to readdress what they see as a dearth of representation for trans and neurodivergent people which, while prominent in Young Adult fiction, isn’t necessarily spread out across all genres, Ely is still finding plenty of time to write Sci-fi stories featuring “aliens in Robbie Park.”

When asked if they believed they’d joined the esteemed ranks of writers who use Scots dialect to portray diverse and authentic experiences, Ely humbly downplays it. Instead, suggesting that they’re simply writing in the way that best serves these stories that provide vital exploration into the everyday lives of those who inhabit our communities.

“I just wanted to write about what I knew,” they declare. “Having met Des Dillon [author of Singin I'm No

Q&A

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK OF 2022 THUS FAR? I was incredibly lucky to receive an advance copy of Heather Parry’s absolutely genius debut novel Orpheus Builds A Girl which is coming out in October. The ending left me gobsmacked.

FAVOURITE RENFREWSHIRE BASED WRITER? Alan Bissett.

FAVOURITE RENFREW PUB? The Viscount (now The Flying Scotsman) or The Wallace Bar.

FAVOURITE STORY FROM DUCK FEET? This changes all the time, but my favourite Duck Feet story to perform is probably the first one (Duck Feet) or VL.

THE BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD READ? I think everyone has different tastes so I’m loath to make a blanket recommendation. That said, the funniest book I’ve read in years was Daisy On The Outer Line by Ross Sayers and I think this would resonate with a lot of folk who live in Renfrewshire.

A Billy He's A Tim] years ago, he said ‘just write the way you talk’. It’s funny, I didn’t see myself joining the literary canon (laughs). I’ve been writing since I was 15 years old. It doesnae feel grand, but I feel very lucky that people are responding to it.

“I want to write stories about ordinary people. They deserve stories,” Ely proclaims, “and happy ones at that. Not everything I write is happy-clappy, but I hope that there’s always humour and fun.”

Keep up with Ely and their work via elypercy.com