Maryhill Integration NetworkBRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

Newsletter Summer 2013

Great News!

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Maryhill Integration NetworkBRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

Welcome to the 22nd edition of

Maryhill Integration Network’s

Newsletter. There have been many

exciting updates over the past few

months, and we are happy to share

them with you. Highlights include;

Holi Indian Festival of Colour in

Rouken Glen Park, the opening of

the Community Garden for

Refugee Week 2013, our Music and

Theatre Production Project’s

performances at Go Dance ’13 and the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay as part of the

Glasgow Commonwealth Games Celebrations, the national premieres of the extremely

popular and infl uential documentary fi lms made by members of mIN as part of Refugee

Survival Trust’s Making it Home Project, all of this as well as three members of MIN

receiving major awards and being honoured for their service at mIN, alongside 9 of our

service users successfully completing ‘Life in the UK: Citizenship Course’ with Langside

College. We hope you enjoy this Newsletter.

Welcome to our Twenty-fi rst Newsletter

Unfortunately we have recently lost two very

special people at mIN. Ateech Aldosari - a

member of the mIN Voices Group - passed

away in November 2012 following a heart

attack. Ateech was a destitute Asylum Seeker

from Kuwait, although he had many health

problems he was a dedicated member of mIN.

A memorial has been placed in the garden to

remember him.

In June 2013 we were also sad to hear

that a good friend of mIN and member of

Writers with Futures, Lamees Tayyem, also

passed away. She was the coordinator of the

International Women’s Group in the North

of Glasgow and collaborated with mIN to

celebrate the cultural richness of Glasgow.

Originally from Palestine, Lamees will be

greatly missed by all that knew her.

Sad Farewells

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Awards at mIN

Our very own Remzije Sherifi, Development Co-ordinator for mIN, was a joint winner of the 2013 Migrant & Refugee Woman of the Year. On Friday 8 March in London, she was recognised for her ability to establish so many activities and projects in Glasgow and beyond, bringing ethnic minority women, asylum-seekers, refugee, and migrants together with local communities. Samira Ahmed introduced the Keynote Speaker. It was a night of inspiration and celebration that showcased all the progress that can be made by women being active in their local and national communities.

Janet Andrews, Member of mIN’s Executive Committee

Evening Times Community Champion Awards 2013Ahlam Souidi, our Support and Advice Worker, won the Evening Times Individual Community Champion 2013 award for the North of Glasgow. The award, established to recognize the unsung heroes of Glasgow, highlights her fantastic contributions to her community. Also, Dario D’Andrea, Community Police Officer who works with both our

mIN Voices Group and the Men’s Group, won the Uniformed Champion Award. Members of the mIN Voices Group attended the award ceremony to celebrate Dario and Ahlam, making it the liveliest award ceremony the presenters said they had ever attended.

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Summer Events

With the official arrival of summer, we were very excited to have the official opening of the Community Garden. Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Sadie Docherty, cut the ribbon to open the garden and planted the first seed. The garden will be a shared community space that will also serve as a venue for running workshops and promoting environmental awareness, well being, and sustainable living. Both the mIN Men’s Group and Oasis Women’s groups have been pitching in to make the garden truly beautiful.

The Garden Party was held on as part of Refugee Week 2013 and included face painting, arts and crafts, international dance and music, and gardening activities.

Writer’s with Futures Project ‘Making It Home’ with Refugee Survival Trust:

Community Garden Party

mIN’s Writers with Futures Creative Writing Group has completed an exciting new film-making project with Refugee Survival Trust, Glasgow Media Co-op and Edinburgh’s Women Supporting Women Project in Pilton. The project gave both groups the opportunity to build bridges through responding to poetry and creating short films inspired by famous poems on the theme of ‘Home’. The transformation of experience into art has brought personal reflections about hope and

awareness for both the women involved and the audiences. The final films, ‘Come Home’, ‘Choice’, ‘The Shortest Sweetest of Songs’ and ‘It Could Happen’ were screened at 8 events as part of Refugee Week, and were completely sold out in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as being presented in Scottish Parliament. The films will also be screened as part of many other documentary film festivals and events in the coming months. You can view the films via the following link: www.makingithome.net

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Holi – Celebration of Spring Colours

In April, mIN hosted a celebration of Holi, Indian Festival of Colour, with a yoga demonstration, dance workshop, live music, and a colour fi ght. On a rare sunny day in Rouken Glen Park, participants painted each other in the colours of Spring. Holi is a Hindu holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil, and was a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of Spring in Glasgow with funding from Forestry Commission Scotland and support from East Renfrewshire Council.

Charity Spring Fair

Just as the Welfare Fund was looking low, a good fairy, Michelle Gallagher, volunteered to run a fund-raising event for us! On Saturday 27th April, Ruchill Kelvinside Parish Church hosted local people and mIN members who enjoyed adult and children’s tombola, arts and crafts, jewelry, henna painting, and lots of wonderful home baking. Patricia Ferguson MSP and Martin Rhodes, the Councilor for Maryhill/Kelvin were also in attendance. Thanks to Michelle, her friends and family, who helped so much; the staff and volunteers who worked so hard; and thanks to Ann McKechin MP, Sandra White MP and to all the other kind people who donated raffl e prizes. Because of you, the Welfare Fund received an additional £903!

Spring Events

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Men’s Group

mIN Men’s group meets every Tuesday 5.30-7.30pm in Maryhill Community Centre, and provides a space for members of the community to meet, make friends, and take part in activities. Recently, the group has been involved in bike maintenance workshops, taken part in the Wyndford World Cup Football Tournament, hosted a White Ribbon Campaign Session, and contributed to the Community Garden project by building planters and raised beds with support from Glasgow Wood Recycling and Boomerang. New members are welcome!

Oasis Women’s Group and Men’s Group

Oasis Women’s Group

mIN’s International Women’s Group took part in a project looking at medicinal plants for health and well-being from the Scottish countryside with Medical Herbalist Catriona Stewart PhD MSc MNIMH. The project was funded by Forestry Commission Scotland and NHS Health Improvement and involved the women making trips to Chatelherault and Mugdock Park to develop knowledge and skills that they will transfer to mIN’s own Community Garden.

In partnership with Glasgow Women’s Library, the Oasis Group also took part in a film screening and discussion as part of GWL’s new project ‘Mixing the Colours: Women speaking about sectarianism’. A lively debate followed the screening of Lebanese film ‘Where Do We Go Now?’ directed by Nadine Nabaki, highly recommended by the Oasis members!

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Photographs by Karen Gordon, Iman Nezamian, Francesca Morrison, Rosanne Davidson and others.

You can see more pictures of mIN at our flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/maryhillandcentralwestintegrationnetworks/

Photo Gallery

Here is a selection of photographs illustrating mIN activities since the last newsletter.

Oasis Women’s Group making lanterns for the Community Garden

Children joining the magician during the Children’s New Year Party

ACTION Making Films as part of ‘Making it Home’

Queen’s Baton Rely Commonwealth Games

African Drumming at the Garden Party

Drumming Workshop at Garden Party with Nordoff-Robbins

Making It Home Film Screening at Scottish Parliament

Successfully passing Parenting Course with Parent Network Scotland

mIN and AlbScott at Go Dance ‘13

mIN Members visit to Police Station as part of Community Engagement Project

Refugee Week Heritage Finale

Key members of mIN are: Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, SRC, Maryhill CAB, British Red Cross, Maryhill Mobile Crèche, Maryhill Parish Church, Findlay Memorial Church, Strathclyde Police, Glasgow Community Safety Services, NHS Health Improvement Team, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, Barrowland Ballet, Royal Conservatoire Scotland, Amina MWRC, SIMCC, NGARN, North West Violence Against Women Implementation Group, The Arts Tree, Standout Arts - Health Within, AlbScott, Home Start, Parent Network Scotland, Glasgow Community Safety Services, Glasgow Women’s Library, Refugee Survival Trust, Langside College, Lambhill Stables

Core Funders: Scottish Government Equalities Unit, Glasgow City Council North West Democratic Services, Lloyds TSB.

Project Funders: Robertson Trust, NHS Health Improvement, Forestry Commission Scotland, Radio Clyde Cash for Kids, Big Lottery 2014 Communities, Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Editorial Team: Remzije Sherifi , Rose Filippi and Emilea Wright.

Maryhill Integration Network is a registered Scottish Charity (SC O37300).

Designed and produced by www.red-amber-green.co.uk

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PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES

MONDAYDrop in for asylum seekers, refugees and BME community. Including, one to one ESOL support, advice, support and orientation. 10am – 12pm Findlay Memorial Church, 56 Clarendon Place, St Georges Cross, G20 7PZ

ESOL Classes for Men and WomenLevel 1. 10am – 12pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

African Dance and Drumming ClassesAll levels welcome. £5 or free for unwaged people. 6 – 8pmMaryhill Community Centre.35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

Writers with Futures – Creative Writing GroupEvery other week 11.30am - 12.30pm / 6 - 8pmmIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

TUESDAY Yoga Suitable for all levels 11.30am – 12.30pmMaryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

mIN VoicesSupport and advice group for asylum seekers and refugees. Last Tuesday of every month. (crèche available*). 5.30 – 7.30pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

mIN Men’s Group1st, 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays of the month.Volunteer led social group open to all. Every other week5.30 – 7.30pmmIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

WEDNESDAY ESOL Classes for Men and womenLevel 2. 10am – 12pm mIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

Music & Theatre Production Project Classes in Dance, Music and Theatre Performance for children and adults (crèche available*). 6 – 8pmmIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

Mother Theresa Women’s GroupMulticultural women’s group with arts and one to one ESOL support. In partnership with AlbScott. (crèche available*). 12 – 2.30pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre,21 Rose Street, G3 6RE

Tiny SongbirdsMusic Classes for babies and toddlers. In partnership with AlbScott. 12.30pm – 1.15pm / 1.30pm – 2.30pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre,21 Rose Street, G3 6RE

THURSDAY Oasis Women’s Group Multicultural women’s group with a range of activities. (crèche available*). 12.30 - 2.30pmmIN Meeting Room, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TS

One to One Advice Surgery Drop In or make an appointment for info and advice on Housing, Benefi ts, Domestic Violence and other issues. (Women only). 12 – 2pm mIN Offi ce, 1st Floor, Maryhill Community Centre,35 Avenuepark Street, G20 8TSTel: 0141 945 2017

Dance and Performance Community ProjectClasses in Dance, Music and Theatre Performance for children and adults– with AlbScott and Barrowland Ballet.6.30 – 8.30pmGarnethill Multicultural Centre21 Rose Street, G3 6RE

* Please note that crèche spaces are limited and on a fi rst come fi rst served basis

For more information on any of the above activities please contact mIN o� ce on: 0141 946 9106 or email admin@maryhillintegration.org.uk

How you can get involved...If you feel you would like to help with the work of the Networks by volunteering, or if you would like to use any of our services, please contact us on 0141 946 9106.

You can also fi nd out more about mIN from its new website and facebook page www.maryhillintegration.org.uk/www.facebook.com/maryhillintegrationnetwork

Cover Photograph at Holi - Celebration of Spring Colours Photograph by Karen Gordon