Calton meeting tonight

I've been asked by Betty Cosgrove, Chair of the Calton Area Association to let people know that there's a meeting tonight in the Thenew Housing Association offices on Green Street about plans for the memorial gardens. It's from 6pm-8pm. I have a surgery tonight, but hope to make it along!

Living Streets

I participated in a 'Living Streets' audit in the Calton area last week - it was interesting to hear all the views of a range of local residents about the problems they perceive in the streets where they live and the improvements they would like to see. From my point of view, this gives me a far better understanding of where resources and assistance should be targeted.

I walk about in my ward on a very regular basis - only yesterday walking with the pram from my home in Dennistoun to my surgery in Bridgeton library. I report potholes and other problems with the fabric of the area when I see them, and I hope that this is helpful in improving the area. The issues I see on my travels however might not be the same as those local people notice, and everyone sees the world in their own way.

Problems can be obvious, like the absence of footpaths and the blind corners in Millroad Drive, or really quite specific to particular groups. One example from the walk where I didn't realise there was a problem was a rut in the road next to St Mary's - elderly and infirm people crossing Abercromby Street to go to the Chapel had tripped on this. It had been reported to the Council but, because the Council staff didn't make that journey regularly themselves, they couldn't identify the rut and it hadn't been repaired. I've taken a photo, and will make sure LES staff know where it is!

While there isn't money to do everything residents would like right now, activities like this will help to form a wider plan which can be implemented as and when resources become available.

Jazz night at St Mungo's

I've blogged before about the talent on show at St Mungo's Academy, so you'll understand that I was delighted to receive an invite to Jazz on a Summer's Night.

St Mungo's jazz band has been on the go for about eighteen months, and I very much enjoyed their toe-tapping performance at the school Awards Ceremony.

The Calton Area Committee was recently approached for funding for some additional instruments*. Since I loved my time playing the trumpet in my own school's jazz and wind bands, I enthusiastically supported their application! The school's business manager, Margaret Summers, was congratulated last night for making the application, and I wholeheartedly concur - the performance was worth every penny, for the glowing participants and their very proud parents and friends.

The vocalists, Claire Magee, Honor Logan and Megan Flynn could have held their own on any stage - they sang with commitment and passion. The band itself were more than worthy to the singers, playing some eighteen different tunes during the night. I was tickled to hear Mercy Mercy Mercy, one of my favourites from my jazz band days, along with some I itched to play like Soul Bossa Nova (better known as the Austin Powers theme tune!) and Feeling Good. The bump clearly liked it too, as it wouldn't stop jiggling around to the music. I can't wait to hear them again!

The young people really looked as if they were enjoying themselves; my own experience was a lot of hard work, and a lot of joy in performing. I'm thinking of looking out my trumpet and getting some lessons... wonder if they need an extra player?


*if you have a project you would like funding for, there's more information on this link. No project too small!