The Glasgow News - Issue 104 by The Glasgow News

New & Improved

WHO'S DONE THIS? Ross Swanson Fans of the BBC's much loved sci-fi series Doctor Who were left outraged this week after one of Glasgow's iconic blue police boxes was painted green to advertise a local juice bar.

ESTABLISHED 2007

News, Reviews, Life & Style 8TH MAY - 22ND MAY 2015 | ISSUE 104 | PUBLISHED BY WEST OF SCOTLAND

RESIDENTS TAKE

'FIRST' PLACE

The Buchanan Street police box, known to 'Who fans as The Doctor's famous spaceship the Tardis, was painted lime green to help promote Juice Garden's new city centre pop-up, opening later this month. Pub manager Mark McGee, 29, said he thought the whole thing was “surely a wind up”. He added: “It's bad enough that there was already a red one! Don't mess with the Tardis.” CONT PAGE 3

Raj Kapoor CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after persuading First Bus to launch a new service to the recently opened South Glasgow University Hospital. The number 16 will run from Drumchapel to the new hospital via Blairdardie, Anniesland Cross, Crow Road and the Clyde Tunnel. It's understood that staff, patients and their families across Glasgow will be able to reach the new hospital complex using an unprecedented

service featuring 68 buses per hour at peak times. But concern spread earlier this year when it emerged that people living in areas around Drumchapel would have difficulty accessing the hospital by public transport. Residents and politicians were spurred into action and First Bus have heeded their call. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) stated that 14 buses were due to run every hour to the new hospital, which opened at the end of April. This has now been augmented

by a service to cater for people living in areas between the hospital and Drumchapel. Eric Stewart, SPT assistant chief executive of operations said: "In addition to existing commercial services, SPT has worked with the bus industry over recent weeks to use kick-start funding to encourage the provision of new services to the hospital. "Following a review of bus services due to operate when the hospital opens, there were some obvious gaps. Although it is difficult to create direct

services for every journey required, these new services will most certainly help in accessing the hospital from the south and north side of the city. "We are continuing to work closely with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to make sure this happens in line with the phased opening of the new complex and have used financial support from the section 75 grant provided by the NHS to ensure these services are also sustainable."

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 M

0141 887 4252

20 15

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

CONTENTS Along with all your news, sport and entertainment stories look out for your great features sections inside, including...

OVER 1,000 REASONS OVER 1,000 TO BRING YOUR REASONS PRESCRIPTION TO BRING YOUR TO SPECSAVERS PRESCRIPTION Plus £20 off glasses TO SPECSAVERS Plus £20 off glasses Barrhead Tel 0141 880 3910

Glasgow Trongate Tel 0141 552 2776 Glasgow Forge Tel 0141 550 5140 Morrisons Tel (Newlands) Tel 0141 636 6070 Barrhead 0141 880 3910 Paisley Tel 0141 848 9192 Glasgow Trongate Tel 0141 552 2776 Rutherglen Tel Tel 0800 085 6090 Glasgow Forge 0141 550 5140

CALL US News Desk: 0141 212 5777 Adertising Team: 0141 212 5773

Morrisons (Newlands) Tel 0141 636 6070 Glasses from £69 range or above. Cannot be exchanged for cash or used with other offers. External non-Specsavers prescriptions only. Paisley Telbe0141 848 9192 Prescription must presented at time of purchase. ©2014 Specsavers. All rights reserved. Rutherglen Tel 0800 085 6090

Glasgow News Team

Glasses from £69 range or above. Cannot be exchanged for cash or used with other offers. External non-Specsavers prescriptions only. Prescription must be presented at time of purchase. ©2014 Specsavers. All rights reserved.

Editor-in-Chief, Ross Swanson

Head of Design, Kerstin Elliott

Editorial Enquiries, David Stewart

Advertising Deadlines

Head of Advertising, Glen Conlon

Final deadline for advertising is 5pm Wednesday. Artwork deadline is 12 noon Thursday.

r.swanson@live.com

dastewart85@gmail.com

glen.glasgownews@googlemail.com

@Glasgow__News

kerstin@wosmedia.co.uk

Published by West of Scotland Media

Glasgow News

64-68 Reidvale St, Dennistoun, Glasgow, G31 1SZ

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

"DISGUSTING"

-SAYS SCOTTISH LABOUR DAVID STEWART LABOUR have condemned as "disgusting" the actions of the Scottish Resistance movement after shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran endured a campaign marred by what the party calls disgraceful stalking. A spokesman for the party spoke to The Glasgow News about Mrs Curran’s general election campaign. "Mrs Curran was stalked and filmed by people who said they wanted to 'hunt' her - let's not understate this. "It was absolutely deplorable behaviour and we're disgusted by how Margaret was treated during this campaign." The shadow minister for Scotland has already decried the division in Scottish society that has arisen out of the election campaign. "Doughty Brown has been acting aggressively for months. This isn't new. It's clear SNP think the problem is bad headlines not his behaviour." Curran's difficulties with the Scottish Resistance came shortly before two SNP members were suspended following widely condemned harassment of the Scottish Labour leader and supporters. Piers Doughy-Brown and James Scott were suspended by the Nationalists after they and fellow goons pursued aggressive tactics towards Jim Murphy and his supporters - including comedian Eddie Izzard. Alongside notorious 'anti-austerity

campaigner', Sean Clerkin, DoughyBrown, and Scott tried to disrupt Labour supporters walking through Glasgow. Shouting "Red Tories out!" in the faces of Labour supporters, whilst pushing and shoving Mr Murphy's colleagues - the actions of the group left many children crying and the entire event in disarray. Eddie Izzard, a long-time Labour activist, joined Mr Murphy for a walk through Buchanan Street to drum up further Labour support.The comedian has described the protestors' actions as "violent emotion." Mr Izzard said: "It's ok having different opinions, but everyone should be able to put their opinion forward. This aggressive, this violent emotion, why violence? Don't have violence, we should just put our point of view forward and then everyone makes their choice on Thursday." SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon condemned the scenes but said they had "nothing to do with the SNP". She added: "We should all behave in a way in this general election that does credit to Scotland." Mr Murphy has said that the attempts to disrupt the democratic process will not work: "Scotland's flag and streets don't belong to any one political cause. Labour won't be silenced by ugly and aggressive nationalism."

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Science fiction enthusiasts also went online to voice their disdain for the police box’s new look. On Twitter, Whovian Fraser Beattie said:“Why is the Buchanan Street Tardis green? It looks awful...” Nineteen-year-old journalism student Jess added: “It makes no sense! Hopefully the other ones in the city stay blue.”

The popular health chain, who have premises on Byres Road and Renfield Street, have said the box will return to its original colour after the summer. The Doctor, currently played by Glasgow’s own Peter Capaldi, has yet to make any comment regarding the controversial change – but I’ll bet he’s livid. worthy winner for 2015.”

ANOTHER ZOMBIE HORDE INBOUND TO GLASGOW THIS SUMMER ROSS SWANSON

The city of Glasgow is once again about to be overrun with hundreds of the infected undead, it was announced this week by Zombie gamerunners 2.8 Hours Later. The massively popular urban zombie chase game, which plays like one giant game of tag, is returning to the city for the forth year in a row next month, with a brand new story entitled ‘Ruin’. Players will be tasked with finding their way between several locations throughout Glasgow, whilst trying to evade zombies in pursuit.

Simon Evans, who co-founded 2.8 Hours Later with his business partner Simon Johnson, said: “We visited Glasgow last year and as the game continues to grow in popularity we thought we’d bring it back to the city for an even more spectacular event. “People are always looking for something that will drag them out of their comfort zone and ‘Ruin’ will do just that. “In 2015 the game will offer a whole host of new challenges for our players to contend with, and characters they’ll meet which will make the experience completely different to previous years’. The mission is new, the story is

fresh, the gameplay is unlike anything that has come before in 2.8 Hours Later.” He added: “This offers a unique chance for players to act the lead role in a zombie video game or horror movie. People tend to sign up as a team, but you can sign up individually. Our only restriction is you have to be over 18 to play.” Tickets for the events, held on the weekends June 11-13 and 19- 20, can be ordered at www.2.8HoursLater. com.

Will you make it through the night?...

The infected horde within the game are played by actors in full horrific costumes and make-up. Players who are ‘caught’ by the living dead will be marked with invisible ink signifying infection. An ultraviolet light is used to scan players for ink marks, with the ‘infected’ turned into zombies ahead of the evening’s finale - the zombie disco. The game, developed by awardwinning game designers, Slingshot, is now in its sixth year, with over 60,000 people having already taken part in 2.8 Hours Later to date.

Glasgow Art School architect warns will be a challenge to create exact replica Émer O’Toole

The architect in charge of rebuilding the fire damaged Mackintosh Building at Glasgow School of Art has admitted that the historic structure will be hard to replicate. David Page, head of architecture at Page/Park, said he was not certain whether the company would be able to use the same materials sourced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the original structure. The Glasgow-based firm, which has previously done work at the Mackintosh-designed Hill House in Helensburgh, was given the job of leading the £35 million restoration project last month. The building in Glasgow city centre caught fire in May last year, causing significant damage to its famed interior. Page/Park is in discussions with the school about how to approach the project with work due to begin next spring. Professor Tom Inns, director of the school, put an end to the debate about the future of the iconic library by saying that it would be reconstructed.

While it has been debated in architectural circles whether to reconstruct the damaged parts of the building to their original aesthetic or to go for a more modern design, Page believes enough is known about the library to rebuild it. However, he has admitted that approach may be made difficult due to the way it was built. He said that the library had been constructed in an odd way and had been “nailed together like a garden fence.” He added that it would be a “challenge” to use the original materials- oak and timber from New Zealand- on the new library. However, Rory Olcayto, editor of Architects’ Journal, Britian’s leading architecture magazine, encouraged Page and his partner, Brian Park, to ignore those who want to create an exact replica. He said: “If the school of art is to be the ‘Joycean exercise in exploring the life of a city’ that Mr Page clearly wants it to be, his team will have to muffle their ears when heritage bores insist on authenticity. Joyce was a deviant. So was Mackintosh. Neither conformed to popular taste.” Park said they know “a huge amount

of detail about the library, so it can be reconstructed” and added he did not see a reason to deter from Mackintosh’s original design. “If we had no records, we could be in support of a contemporary interpretation but we do have so much. But I understand architects – even in Glasgow – saying they are quite vehemently against this approach.” Page said that the restoration of the school will use 1100 drawings and 20 hand-made models. It is expected that staff and students will be able to use the building by the 2017-18 term, with work completed by 2020.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

FINANCE FIRM CLUTHA REPORT CONFIDENT IN GLASGOW RELEASED TO A PROMINENT financial advisory service will open its first Scottish office in Glasgow, in the latest of a wave of firms showing new confidence in Scotland following last year’s ‘No’ vote. Bellpenny is a financial services firm specialising in investment funds and has already become remarkable well established in the city despite having no Scottish base. The firm announced this week that has taken out a fiveyear lease on a 7,000 sq foot office in the city centre. The new office, based on West George Street, will become the group’s hub north of the border and staff numbers are expected to rise as a result of the development. Company bosses hope that this move will allow the firm to move a step closer to fulfilling its plans of becoming the most respected financial advisory group in Britain.

Commenting on the move, the firm’s boss, Kevin Ronaldson, said: “Bellpenny already has a strong presence in Scotland – and Glasgow in particular – and we view it as one of the big strategic growth areas for our business for the future. “It was important for us to find offices in the Central Business District big enough to bring the local team together as well as giving us flexibility and room for significant future expansion. “The ground floor space at 180 West George Street works especially well for us as it also has suitable areas to accommodate clients and other visitors. “This is another important step towards realising our vision of becoming Britain’s most respected financial advice brand.” The opening of the group’s Glasgow office comes just a week after the company moved more than 50 staff into a major new hub in Birmingham’s business district.

FAMILIES, AS BAR REOPENS FOR BUSINESS

Ryan Gosling finally eats his cereal A clip of Holywood actor Ryan Gosling eating a bowl of cereal, in tribute to a Scottish videomaker, has gone viral after being posted online earlier this week.

account has attracted more than 200,000 followers since the original upload gained worldwide attention. Dumfries-born Ryan, who lived in Glasgow, unfortunately died this week after a two-year battle with bone cancer. After leaning of the humorist's passing, Gosling decided to upload a video of him finally accepting a spoonful of cornflakes.

A final report will be released to the pubic in the coming months. Clutha owner Alan Crossan announced plans earlier this year to reopen the pub this month.

Ryan McHenry, 27, had uploaded various montages on social media website Vine entitled 'Ryan Gosling Won't Eat His Cereal', after noticing Gosling's tendency to jerk his head suddenly in scenes, similar to a child refusing to be spoon-fed.

On Twitter, Gosling said: “My heart goes out to all of Ryan McHenry's family and friends. Feel very lucky to have been apart of his life in some small way.”

The Cutha bar open its doors on May 28 – eighteen months to the day after the terrible tragedy.

The short films went viral in 2013 and saw the video-maker win a top social media award. His Vine

Drake Wisemill Investigators have completed a draft report into the Clutha helicopter tragedy, it was announced this week. Ten people died when a Police Scotland aircraft crashed into the city centre pub in November 2013. The confidential report, undertaken by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, is being sent to lawyers acting on behalf of the victim's families.

E Y E R R E w F LIV go E as D Gl

May Offers

McHenry announced to fans last July that he had beaten the disease. However, the cancer reappeared earlier this year and he passed away on Monday.

Pebbles • Cobbles • Decorative Stones • Chips • Boulders • Rockery Stones • Paving • Astro Turf

European Fence Panels

15% Off LIKE us on Facebook

Polar White Marble 20mm Usually £144.00

All Cuprinol

25% Off

now £119.99

while stocks last

*Prices include vat

01560 485 413

thecobbleshop.co.uk

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

Local News

North

HIT-AND-RUN DANCERS ARE STREETS AHEAD KILLER JAILED A MAN has been jailed for 12 years after admitting to killing a Maryhill girl in a hitand-run incident. Christopher Hannah was at the wheel when his hired-car struck 11-year-old Sophie Brannen on Sandbank Street. The girl's ten-year-old friend and 36-year-old Joseph Lloyd were also badly injured in the incident. Heroin addict, Hannah, had already pleaded guilty to culpable homicide at a previous hearing. He also admitted to dangerous driving, attempting to defeat the ends of justice, and possessing heroin. Hannah already has a criminal record the length of his arm, including convictions for possessing an offensive weapon and road traffic offences. The drug-filled killer was on bail when he sped through the city, striking Sophie, her friend, and Mr Lloyd. Sophie was taken into intensive care at Yorkhill Hospital with serious injuries and

died on the 15th November last year. The other child, who survived, suffered a seriously broken leg and will require long-term physiotherapy. Mr Lloyd, also struck by the vehicle, left hospital after two days but will need surgery and has permanent damage to his right shoulder. Hannah continued to drive the car erratically through the city and crashed into a taxi, whose driver decided to pursuit him. The car stopped shortly after this second crash and Hannah made off on foot. Mr Hannah - who told the court his actions were "a total accident" – was later apprehended whilst in possession of heroin wrapped in tinfoil. Accident investigators concluded that Hannah was solely to blame for the crash. In a sickening attempt to evade justice, Hannah initially claimed he thought he had merely knocked over a wheeliebin. Investigators stated that he made "a conscious decision" to drive whilst "impaired."

YOUNGSTERS from a Glasgow dance school are looking forward to a well-earned appearance at the World Street Dance Championships.

The tournament will be held at the SECC in August and welcome children from cities across the world. Participants range in age from five to 19 and will show off their skills in break-dance, popping, and hip hop styles. One of the schools set to go to the finals is Urbaniks Street School of Dance, who run classes in Milngavie, Bearsden, and West End. Shirley Conroy, who is organising their participation, said: "The children have been training all year and were very pleased to have taken second place at the regional competition in March. All 31 of our youngster are working hard to impress the judges. "Some of the kids have been to the finals before but for others it will be their first chance to show off

their skills at a world final." The world championships are run by UDO Street Dance, Europe's largest street dance organization, with over 35,000 members across five continents.

Ms Conroy added: "Our young dancers are looking forward to meeting others from across the world, making new friends, and hopefully picking up some wellearned trophies."

There is a packed schedule of events slated for championships, taking place at the SECC from 28 August 30 August. Parties, hip hop battles, and a celebration for winners and runners-up are sure to make it an enjoyable time for all participants.

Street dance is often an improvisational dance style that encourages interaction and contact with spectators and other dancers. It is popular amongst today’s youth, with classes and tournaments rapidly increasing in number since the early 1990s.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

South

Local News

COLLEGE HACKS UP FOR AWARDS ENGLISH STUDENTS’ GLASGOW Clyde College journalism students have notched up an incredible 16 nominations for this year's Scottish Student Journalism Awards. Our first year student Peter Cassidy leads the way with an amazing four nominations for Feature of the Year, Column of the Year and Arts and Entertainment. He’s also been nominated for the Calum MacDonald Memorial award – a special accolade in memory of the young Herald reporter who died from cancer aged just 32. The award recognises excellence in journalism and those nominated have shown they’re trying to make a difference in society with their investigative journalism. Second year student Catrina Cochrane has three nominations, followed by Jenny Cleeton and Conor Cartwright, both nominated for two awards. First year students Richard Lilley and Joyce Robertson, along with second years Sam Carmichael, Rebecca McCurdy and Eala MacAlister, have also been nominated. Senior Journalism lecturer Felicity Teasdale said: “The number of

shortlisted nominations that the journalism students from Glasgow Clyde have received this year is fantastic. It’s a testament to the hard work of our students and to the staff who teach them.” First year student Peter Cassidy, whose nominations include his own exclusive front page splash in the Daily Record, said: "It was a surprise to be nominated for four awards; I would have been delighted to be nominated for one. I’m really looking forward to attending now, it promises to be a good night". The SSJAs are hosted by second year Glasgow Clyde Media students, who will hold the prestigious bash at Glasgow’s National Piping Centre on

May 28th. Guest speakers include the BBC’s Jane Lewis and acclaimed author Christopher Brookmyre. Francesca Arcari is one of five media students organising the event, which boasts a number of leading industry figures as judges including Sunday Mail editor Jim Wilson and Herald sports writer Hugh Macdonald. She said: "We’ve been working on organising this event since the start of the year and it’s been a lot of work but I think we’ll all feel really proud when we see it come together at the awards ceremony in May. “Everyone in the team has dedicated a lot of time and effort to the project.”

DAVID STEWART

He said: "I miss the people and the countryside. Scotland is such a beautiful country and I know that whenever I return and look at that it's like big therapy for me, everything relaxes, and I'm inspired and relaxed all at once."

The 'The Bounty Hunter' actor has splashed out £582,000 on the luxurious three-bedroom property, which is located near Giffnock. The 45-year-old actor - who was born just under 10 miles away in the town of Paisley - bought the apartment, which features a drawing room and private balcony, after previously confessing he missed living in the country.

Not to be out-done, more hard working students at Glasgow Clyde were delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase their work alongside fellow festival stars Irvine Welsh, Kevin Bridges and Christopher Brookmyre. Each of the students was tasked with writing a short piece about their hopes, dreams, ambitions and fears. Many of them opted to use the opportunity to share their views on hard-hitting issues that are close to their hearts, such as child labour, violence, war and famine. Camille Nehme, ESOL Lecturer and successful Levantine musician, was the driving force behind the students

THE BUTLER DID IT...

Gerard Butler has bought new home in Glasgow, which is sure to bring a smile to the ladies.

FLUENT SUCCESS

However, sources suggest the swanky flat won't be a bachelor's paradise for long, as he is rumoured to be planning to wed his girlfriend, Morgan Brown. The couple - who started dating last summer - are yet to confirm their engagement, but the wellknown interior designer has been sporting a diamond on her ring finger since March, sparking suggestions the Hollywood star has already popped the question because he is "crazy" about her. Butler was head boy at St Mirin's & St Margaret's High School in Paisley and achieved respectable grades—good enough to win a place to study law at the University of Glasgow. He also

attended Scottish Youth Theatre while a teenager. Before his final year of law school, Butler took a year off to live in California. He will now enjoy both the landscapes of Giffnock and Malibu in equal splendour. Despite a prolific acting career, he has found time to be a regular supporter of charity Mary's Meals since 2010. Gerard will not be stuck for places to visit in the south. Giffnock has numerous parks, including Rouken Glen, Huntly Park and Eastwood Park, where the East Renfrewshire Council offices are based. There remains some ancient woodland in Giffnock, which could be as old as 8,000 years. Greenbank Garden, an 18thcentury house and garden owned by the National Trust for Scotland, is located within Giffnock. The house has a 2.5 walled garden, sixteen rooms and barns and stables. This building is protected as a Category A listed building.

taking part. Camille, who has been playing multicultural music since he was a child and has performed at high-profile events all over the world, said: “This is my fifth year at Aye Write! and I was delighted to be able to perform my music once again and help learners display their writing and voice their opinions to such a big audience. “The ESOL courses are designed to help settle non-native speakers improve their understanding of the English language and increase their confidence in their everyday life. I believe taking part in Aye Write! has been a great experience for the students as it has given them a chance to have their voices heard.”

PUPILS FACE APOLLOING CONDITIONS Renfrewshire school pupils are being invited to work with former NASA astronauts and scientists at a unique space school this summer. Mission Discovery Renfrewshire is now open to S4 pupils who wish to take part in the week-long event at the end of June (29 June – 3 July). Working in teams, participants will work alongside the experts to develop their own idea for an experiment that can be carried out in space. Winners could be sending their experiment out of this world to be conducted on the International Space Station. Mission Discovery is being run by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with the International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET) and will be free to all pupils. The space school was first held in Renfrewshire in July 2014. This was the first time the programme has ever been run in Scotland. Mission Discovery is being offered to

Renfrewshire school pupils as part of a drive to establish Renfrewshire as a centre for excellence in the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). A key aspiration of Mission Discovery Renfrewshire is to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to develop their academic potential, irrespective of social background. If you are in S4 and would like to take part, find out more and apply online here. A programme of public events around Mission Discovery is also being planned and will be announced soon so watch this ‘space’.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

East

Local News

Memorial for anti-war campaigners IMAGE OF MISSING KILLER unveiled at Glasgow Green ISSUED IN HOPES OF RECAPTURE Ross Swanson Police have released an image of a missing convicted killer, who failed to return to prison after he was allowed leave to visit family, asking anyone who knows his whereabouts to come forward.

had served 11 years of a 12-year sentence before he absconded last week. Police want anyone with information on Lieser's whereabouts to contact them on 101.

James Lieser, 38, did not return to custody at HMP Greenock on Friday April 24 after being given unescorted leave in Glasgow. He was last seen by his family in Parkhead, in the East End of Glasgow, at about 3.30pm that day. The Scottish Prison Service hope that issuing Lieser's image to the public may lead to his recapture. In 2004, Lieser was convicted of the murder of Steven Collins in Parkhead on August 23, 2003. He

A memorial to those who campaigned against World War One more than a century ago has been unveiled in Glasgow. Lord Provost Sadie Dochery unveiled the monument, a commemorative black granite stone with inscription, on behalf of Glasgow City Council earlier this week. The memorial, situated directly behind the People's Palace, Glasgow Green, near to the International Workers' Memorial was unveiled on the 100th anniversary of the Women's Peace Congress which took place at The Hague in 1915. The inscription on the memorial reads: "In memory of those who opposed WW1 in order

to challenge the purpose of the war and the waste of lives. They also campaigned for social and economic justice and against the exploitation of those who lived in the city during the war." Lord Provost Sadie Docherty said: "Our city has commemorated the start of the First World War and the many thousands of people who were killed and injured. We have remembered them and their suffering.

campaigners are well-known names who are written into our history, like the great Glasgow trio Helen Crawfurd, Mary Barbour and Agnes Dollan. They were outstanding leaders and the Women's Peace Crusade which they started spread far beyond Glasgow. They also worked to protect the interests of the poor through the rent strikes and the Clyde Workers Committee."

"It is also right that, as part of our five-year commemoration of the First World War, we also remember those who were opposed to the war. They are a part of our history and we must respect their points of view. "Some of these anti-war

Earth to Earth... Should a funeral cost the earth? The simple answer is no! Do families have a say in how a funeral is carried out? Of course they do! Janice Stevens believe funerals should be affordable to all, with no loss of quality or service provided. Costs should not dictate how well a family feel they can provide a dignified farewell to those they have lost.

They are committed to ensuring those you hold dear receive the best possible care in their hands at all times.

•

Arrangements made in the comfort and privacy of your own home

Families don't realise that they can work hand in hand with the funeral director, and that support and guidance provided by the director in making decisions, is how ultimately the family can feel happy and content with the funeral on the day.

•

Affordable funerals for all

•

Male & Female Arrangers/Directors

•

Assistance for those eligible to access Social Funding

•

Private Rest Rooms

Both Janice and Steven believe in building a relationship with the family from the first moment of contact, right through to the day of the funeral.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

West

Local News

WEST ON THE CORNER Ross Swanson

Glasgow’s tremendously popular WEST brewery are heading even more so in that direction this week as they reopen one of the West End’s most popular pubs. West on the Corner, formally The Halt, on Woodland’s Road has been a fashionable haunt for students and ageing ale-enthusiasts alike for generations. The St. Mungo brewers originally acquired the pub last year, rebranding the bar ‘Pop-up West’ for a successful summer run, before closing last December for a complete refurbishment. WEST founder Petra Wetzel said: “I

am thrilled we can finally show off what I think is possibly the sunniest restaurant and bar in Glasgow. The light at WEST on the Corner is truly magical and we hope that the beer, food and service will match it. The beer boss also wished to confirm that children, dogs and their wellbehaved parents and owners were all welcome at West on the Corner. The bar and restaurant will open this Saturday May 9 at 9am. WEST’s other restaurant/bar in the city is attached to their brewery premises at the Templeton Building, Glasgow Green.

ARAB STRAP INSPIRED VENUE

TO OPEN IN WEST END Ross Swanson

Glasgow's West End musical elite are coming together in preparation to open a brand new music venue.

The venue is a joint venture between Brian Reynolds, who runs Synergy Concerts and the annual Wickerman Festival, and Colin Campbell who runs The Squid and Whale bar. The pair say they have a great passion for music and have open mind to develop the place as an intimate live venue, bar and eatery. The venue will boast a top quality PA System, a capacity above 100 and will

Three ambitious make-up artistry students from West College Scotland were recently given the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals on an innovative new film project. Short film ‘Dark Waters’ tells the story of a young women coming of age, who when met with a life changing personal challenge, tries to find solace in art, love and the city, was shot in various locations including West College Scotland’s campus.

The Hug and Pint, named after Scottish band Arab Strap's 2003 album 'Monday at the Hug and Pint', is set to appear on Great Western Road and become one of the city's best places to see bands. The bar, formally The Captain's Rest, and more recently The Roxy 171, will open its doors next month.

MAKE-UP ARTISTS’ FILM WORK

be available to hire. Co-owner Brian Reynolds said: "We aim to serve the musicians and music fans who make Glasgow what it is today and have contributed so richly to the rapid development of this city in recent years. We want to create a supportive, inclusive and positive environment for experimentation & collaboration - a focal point for new ideas."' Booking the venue is Joe Rattray, who can be contacted on joe@ thehugandpint.com.

Speaking about the film, producer Lindsay Goodwall said: “With the film being set in a small town next to the water Greenock proved to be an idyllic location. “As the majority of people in this industry are freelance we are extremely proud of the work that we do, so we were delighted that the opportunity arose for us to provide relevant hands on work experience to College’s aspiring young professionals.”

FOODBANK BUILDS ON PUBLIC SUPPORT A Foodbank is looking ahead to help more impoverished Glaswegians despite a break-in and the resignation of its board over alleged financial irregularities. Greater Maryhill Foodbank is £7,500 in arrears due to the board being unable to account for receipts, says owner Julie Webster. But a new board has been appointed to tackle the debt, which was devastating to uncover, says Julie, who continues to command incredible support across the city. Ms Webster told The Glasgow News: “The board has resigned, leaving me the only one to pick the pieces. I'm now the only founding member left. “The board was not transparent. The foodbank is £7,500 in arrears and the board is blaming this on lost receipts.” Julie insists that it was she, not the board, who put in the hard work helping families enduring the brunt of on-going economic hardship. The number of people the foodbank has helped has trebled since it was founded, with 1457 receiving food parcels in March alone. “It was the ground staff - volunteers and I – who were working our fingers to the bone packing shopping in Tesco and delivering food drop offs”, she said. “We did not need these financial issues, especially after we were broken into.” Webster helped found the north Glasgow service in 2013 and has helped thousands of people. A registered charitable organisation, donations have trebled since its inception. Julie is confident the

new board will make sure the board leave behind its previous woes: “The good thing about the new board is that it is purely concerned with alleviating poverty. I've tackled any rumours with regards to the discrepancies by being outstanding at my job and that has clearly worked since donations continue to come in. “I employ an open doors policy at the foodbank, people are free to come in and inspect it at any time. I can't tolerate any discrepancies. “The new board is not affiliated to any other organisations and that should prevent conflicts of interest. Every decision is made with service users' needs as the main priority.” Julie recently attended the Glasgow Foodbank Forum, where a network of foodbanks meets to discuss wider strategy. She made a plea with officials to take a closer look at the roots of poverty that are causing a reliance on foodbanks. “They do not seem willing to have that discussion”, she says, “but I make no apology for being opinionated and focusing on the causes of poverty itself.” The foodbank was broken into in February and money stolen intended to fund a holiday for a girl injured in a hit-and-run car incident. First Minister Sturgeon, comedian Frankie Boyle, and thousands of the wider public helped donate over £28,000 in the wake of the callous act. There are around 35 and 27 foodbanks and soup kitchens in Glasgow respectively. Nearly 10,000 food packs were given out last year - 4145 of them to children.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

WORLD’S FIRST CASHLESS COFFEE CUP LAUNCHES IN UK Emer O’Toole An Australian-developed reusable coffee cup that allows customers to order and pay for their coffee by scanning the lid has launched to 22,000 coffee fans in the UK.

The frank green SmartCup was unveiled at the London Coffee Festival earlier this month, with the aim of reducing the number of coffee cups that end up in UK landfill sites. Australian entrepreneur, Benjamin Young, frank green’s founder, said: “What is amazing…is that it blends

the daily routine; you’ve got coffee, you’ve got money, you’ve got loyalty – you put that all together and you have an innovative way for cafes to build lasting relationships with their customers.”

He added that a cup of coffee is the most traded micropayment in the world with around one billion sold per day. Frank green’s market research revealed that there is a significant customer demand for seamless cash payments, loyalty discounts and special offers. Young

continued:

“What

we’re

creating is the ability to go cashfree – you can easily load credit onto your account. It’s for friends to send one another a coffee ‘just because’, it’s for people to build loyalty with their local café and be rewarded for going back. It also enables cafes to notify customers of special offers and discounts via the CafePay™ app, all while being sustainable and good to the planet.” With Britain’s coffee shop market estimated to be worth £7.2 billion a year and over 19,000 outlets selling coffee in single use cups, frank green is hoping to encourage UK customers to follow Australia’s lead where 30% of people bring their own cup to the coffee shop. Young spoke of how the UK needs a “major behavioural change” and said that “we seem to think nothing of contributing to the millions of throwaway cups that end up in landfill every day.” The annual London Coffee Festival ran in the Old Truman Brewery in London’s Brick Lane from 30 April to 3 May and featured over 250 artisan coffee and gourmet food stalls, tastings and demonstrations.

Public urged for information following £200k drugs raid Police Scotland have this week made a renewed call to the pubic to help them in “the fight against drugs”, after a large quantity of illegal substances were recovered from a West End property at the weekend. Officers from Cathcart Police Office searched a flat in Elliot Street, Finnieston, and recovered a quantity of drugs, believed to be Cannabis, with an estimated street value of two hundred thousand pounds on Saturday May 2. Police say equipment used in the sale and distribution of controlled drugs were also recovered from

located on scotland's most accessible island less than 2 hours from glasgow

the flat. Officers are continuing their enquiries following the raid. Detective Sergeant Gavin Tuohy of Cathcart Police Office said: “We are committed to ridding our communities of drugs and the misery they cause, and will always act on information we receive. "The support we receive from the public is crucial in the fight against drugs and I would urge anyone with information on drug dealing in their local area to contact Police.” Police Scotland can be contacted any time on 101.

execu20 new tiv & suite rooms es NOW OPEN

2 hotels and 30 lodges 3 restaurants and bars 2 leisure centres with pools destination spa outdoor adventure centre children’s playbarn outstanding scenery dog friendly

rooms from just £99 per night bed & breakfast www.auchrannie.co.uk brodick, isle of arran tel: 01770 302234

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

GLASGOW STUDY SHOWS SHOPPING CENTRE FORGES AHEAD POPULAR VENUES The National Museum of Scotland was the most popular visitor destination last year, with over 1.6m flocking to see its artwork and exhibits, according to studies from Glasgow Caledonian University. The research estimates that around 55 million people visited tourist destinations across Scotland in 2014. Attractions with free entry brought in twice the number of visitors as those with ticket entry. That comes in as a 3.3% increase in total visitors on numbers from 2013. University researchers said the country's tourism sector has benefitted from a higher profile earned through the 2014 Commonwealth Games. John Lennon, director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development, said last year was a "winning year" for the industry, which also pulled in extra interest thanks to the Homecoming events and Ryder Cup. He added: "Many operators also

Beautiful, said in his report: “The main observations show that, overall the standards shown at the Forge are excellent with a commitment to maintain and improve on the already high standards.”

saw positive impacts from the anniversaries associated with the First World War, which served to heighten Scotland's profile and destination awareness, nationally and internationally." 687 attractions were surveyed by the university and the research found the most popular to be those with free admission, which concludes the National Museum of Scotland in the capital. Edinburgh also did well at The Castle, which came on top as the most popular 'paid for' attraction - nearly 1.5m people made their way up The Mound to see the castle in 2014. Glasgow, no stranger to popular attractions, saw the Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery the former gaining 42 percent in visitors - prove popular for days out. The city's Science Centre also proved to be a hit. Over in Falkirk, Helix Park - home to the Kelpies - welcomed an estimated 800,000 people. It has been credited with increasing the number of visitors to the nearby Falkirk Wheel by 26 percent.

The Forge Shopping Centre has two reasons to celebrate this month - after winning both the title of Glasgow’s Best Shopping Complex, and being the first mall to win an award for excellence from one of Scotland's top environmental charities. The Glasgow Awards recognise the contribution of local businesses for the continued success of the city of Glasgow. Votes for the topplaced centre are cast by customers themselves. The Gallowgate-based mall, which enjoyed a golden summer in the spotlight last year thanks to its close proximity to the Commonwealth Athletes Village and the National Indoor Sports Arena, beat competition for the top award from Glasgow's St Enoch, Silverburn, The Fort, Princess Square, Braehead and Buchanan

Galleries shopping centres. Paul Wishart, manager at The Forge, said: “We were delighted to win the Best Shopping Complex award, which is a tribute to the hard work of our team on site. We would like to thank all of the customers who voted for us. “The awards were set up to reward the success of those who work tirelessly to make Glasgow what it is today and we are very touched that so many people voted for The Forge as there are lots of great shopping centres in the area.” The East End shopping centre also earned the Award for Environmental Excellence from Keep Scotland Beautiful. The Forge received the award for showing excellent hygiene practices and an impressive environmentally friendly performance throughout the year. Colin Hegarty, of Keep Scotland

Paul Wishart, added: “The Forge is the first shopping centre in the west of Scotland to achieve a gold accreditation. The team work tirelessly on a daily basis to deliver the centre to a high standard and this is the least our customers deserve.” The Keep Scotland Beautiful charity provides advice, support and training to organisations to help ensure clean and safe local environments across the country.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

COUNCIL PROFITS £4 MILLION FROM GLASGOW MOTORISTS FOLLOWING INCREASE IN BUS GATE FINES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Émer O’Toole

The news has been welcomed by members of Drumchapel Community Council, who had raised concerns on several occasions about accessing the hospital by public transport.

Glasgow City Council boosted its bus lane revenue by more than £700,000 last year from the introduction of a controversial bus gate in the city centre. The council earned £4 million from the fixed penalty notices in 2014/15, an increase of 22% on the previous year’s income and almost equal to the £4.1 million generated by the camera’s first year of operation. The rise in revenue is primarily due to the addition of a new city centre bus gate in Nelson Mandela Place last summer. The month before the bus gate was added, the number of penalty notices being given had reached its lowest ever level of 6,215 fines handed out to drivers in June 2014. A month later the fines had risen by 250% to 21,454 fines, with another 20,735 issued in August. Motorists caught driving in bus lanes or through bus gates are given an automatic £60 penalty, reduced to

£30 if paid within 14 days. By September, fines had lowered to under 10,000 following complaints from motorists that they were unable to see the road markings in time to avoid them. The statistics, obtained through freedom of information requests, come three years after Glasgow became the first city in Scotland to install the cameras in April 2012. Neil Greig, Scotland-based director of policy for the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), said: “The really positive statistics are still missing… What were all these millions of pounds of fine income spent on to benefit road users? Have the buses been running faster and more predictably as a result of the cameras? Have more drivers switched to the bus? Unless the council can answer these questions the accusation that it is all about raising money will not go away.” A spokesman for the Confederation of Passenger Transport Scotland, which represents operators, said bus lanes

“improve bus reliability, encourage modal shift, reduce traffic congestion and lower vehicle emissions.” A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “The number of people using bus lanes has steadily decreased since the introduction of enforcement cameras in 2012, demonstrating that drivers are changing their behaviour and that public transport is getting priority on some of the key routes into and across the city.”

Raj Kapoor

Community council secretary Alison Horner said: "I'm delighted to hear that a bus will be going from Drumchapel to the South Glasgow University Hospital as will the rest of the community be, I'm sure. "It's unfortunate that this took so much time and anxiety to organise, however at least it will be available. I hope that the many other areas that is to be affected, will also get something sorted sooner rather than later." But residents aren't completely happy with the announcement as it emerges the new service won't run till July 19th. Writing on Facebook, Caroline Magee said: "Wish it was running the now as being heavily pregnant it doesn't help getting two or three buses just to get to an appointment."

Drumchapel and Anniesland councillor Malcolm Balfour welcomed the announcement and heralded it as a victory for campaigners. But there are still outstanding concerns in that the areas of lower Knightswood and Yoker do not have access to the service, meaning the elderly and infirm could have to walk some way or use two buses. Councillor Balfour has suggested to First Bus that the time limit for a day ticket be brought forward, meaning patients with appointments before 9.30am needn't buy two tickets. The 14-storey hospital has cost the Scottish Government around £1bn to build and equip. The new complex, situated near Cardonald, will replace four hospitals dotted across the city. It is understood this will make it easier for patients to see specialists and access particular services. Nearly all of the hospital's 1,100 beds have their own room, en suite

Glasgow's Grinagog to tour Scotland

A Glasgow-based theatre company are poised for success once again with a new show set to tour the whole of Scotland this month.

The creators of last year's hit ice cream van fiasco The Pokey Hat are back with another helping of comedy mayhem, this time set in a cake shop. The Grinagog Theatre’s new acclaimed production, The Edibles, will debut the show in Glasgow this weekend, before heading on a nationwide tour, visiting theatres, community centres and schools. The show, created especially for three to seven year olds, mixes together minimal language, music, physical comedy and loveable puppets. Grinagog head Clare McGarry promises that young audiences are in for a “tasty treat”, as well as an educational experience. The Edibles was developed with a particular sensitivity for children with additional support needs in mind, and the cast will be running a

number of relaxed performances during the show's six week run. The Grinagog Theatre Company is based at Platform in Easterhouse. Over the past six years the organisation has built up an outstanding reputation for creating quality work for young audiences. The Pokey Hat, Grinagog’s previous show set in an ice-cream van, toured extensively across Scotland as part of the Culture 2014 program. The customised Pokey Hat van, made famous in last year's play, is set to be exhibited in the the city's Riverside Museum later this year.

The Edibles will be at Platform, Glasgow, between Thursday 7 & Saturday 9 May. Tickets can be bought from the Box Office on 0141 276 9696 or from www. platform-online.co.uk.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

“No one should suffer alone”

A mother’s fight for better postnatal depression support. A mother is fundraising for community facilities to help those suffering from postnatal depression after finding a shocking lack of support when she was diagnosed with the illness. Each year, between 5,000 and 8000 mothers in Scotland experience anxiety and depression following pregnancy. Although only around 15 percent of woman develop the illness, for those who do it can be a traumatic and potentially life-changing ordeal. Sally Tyrrell developed postnatal depression (PND) after the birth of her second child, Molly, in 2013. “Initially after Molly’s birth I was in quite a euphoric high”, says Sally, “but within two weeks I was in the depths of despair.” The mother-of-two from Uddingston says when her husband went back to work it felt like the nail in the coffin for her mood. She felt so anxious in speaking about her depression that she took a letter detailing her

feelings to her GP. “The GP told me she thought I had pretty much ticked all the boxes when it came to PND. “She has been a great doctor to me but did find it frustrating as there was only so much she could do. I said to her I felt I needed to see further professionals about my depression.” But Sally was told it would take a staggering 21 weeks to see an NHS counsellor. So bad was her depression, she pondered whether she might even be around by then. The 36-year-old’s mood continued to worsen and she was assessed by the NHS’s Crisis Team, which responds to emergency referrals at clinics and hospitals. They assess the highest priority cases on a same-day basis. “They told me they had only just sectioned someone and that I wasn't that bad. “The team pointed out that I was wearing makeup, was not depressed – just anxious – and should go home and listen to some relaxing music.” Sally’s GP put her on the urgent referral list for NHS Lanarkshire’s Mental Health Resource Team.

Eventually she was assigned a CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse). Sally has little criticism of the nurse but feels the system in place was woefully insufficient. “The nurse would take care of my daughter whilst I filled in paperwork. I still wasn't getting the one-on-one help that I believe people in that situation should get. “Each day was like ‘Groundhog Day’, and especially bad in the mornings. People with depression often feel like just staying in bed and hiding from the world but with two kids I couldn't even do that.” “My husband has been incredibly supportive but still I felt extremely isolated within myself and really needed local help in the wider community.” After a lot of searching, Sally gained valuable help from Bluebell PND Support, a confidential, weekly facility run by counselling service Crossreach. But thinking of how mothers in the same situation might be suffering, Sally took the matter to Michael Matheson, who at the time was Minister for Public Health. She presented to Mr Matheson and NHS representatives

the paperwork she says amounted to ‘help’. “First-time mums can be particularly vulnerable when working out just what's going on during PND. “Having your first child is a confusing time at any rate, never mind dealing with depression and the struggle to find suitable help.” Last month Sally did a presentation at an NHS conference, speaking about her experiences with PND and the facilities she believes are desperately needed. Research by children’s charity shows that guidelines issued on tackling the problem ten years ago are little further forward.

A report by NSPCC Scotland found that 71 percent of health boards do not have health visitors or midwives with postnatal depression training. Only five have a dedicated service for the condition. Sally, who was a successful accounts manager, now devotes her time fully to running support services for those with postnatal depression – and to raising her two children. Readers can find out more Sally’s support group by e-mailing l a n a r k s h i re p n d @ g m a i l . c o m Donations to her fundraising campaign should be directed to www. crowdfunder.co.uk/lanarkshirepost-natal-depression-support

LIFE &

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

STYLE

Food, Kids Fun, Music, TV, Movies, Interviews & more ...

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

CROSSWORD

SCOTLAND

TRIVIA 1.How many passenger railway stations are there in Glasgow? 2.what does the name Glasgow mean? 3.What is Glasgow’s tallest building? 4. Team Scotland won a record total of 53 medals in the Commonwealth games. How many were gold? 5. The Kibble Palace, can be found in which Glasgow park?

15. Paragon (5)

20. Sphere (3) 22. Vortex (9) 24. Tine (5) 25. Ameliorated (7) 26. Cure (6) 27. Extremely bad (6)

1. Tropical bird (6) 2. Asinine (7) 3. Ambit (5) 5. Yelled (7) 6. Relative (5) 7. Mistakes (6) 8. Varieties (5)

LEARN SCOTTISH GAELIC

WITH THE GLASGOW NEWS

Halò Hello

Feasgar math Good evening

14. Injured (7) 16. Foreshorten (7) 17. Barrel maker (6) 18. Wild and savage (5) 19. Blot (6) 21. Flower (5)

10. Where would you find a chanter and a drone? 11. What is Scotland’s longest river? 12. Which of Scotland’s lochs is the largest fresh water loch in the UK?

ANSWERS BELOW

7. What’s the oldest building in Glasgow?

Your phrases for this week are: “Dè an t-ainm a tha oirbh?" (Jeh un TAH-num uh HAW-ruv?) What's your name?

"'S mise.....(insert your name)." (SMIH-shuh...) "My name is..."

"An toir thu dhomh pòg?" (Un TUH-r oo ghawnh pawk?) "Will you give me a kiss?"

"Cha toir, ach bheir mi dhut sgailc!" (Chah TUH-r, ach vehr mee ghoot skahlk!) "No, but I'll slap you!" Check out next week's edition for phrases to rectify this awkward social situation.

TRIVIA ANSWERS

1. Pub (6) 4. Take for granted (6) 9. Weird (7) 10. Take place (5) 11. Expiation (9) 12. Sense organ (3) 13. Stage whisper (5)

9. What is Scotland’s offical animal?

1. 60 2 .Dear Green Place, 3. Glasgow Tower, 4. 19 5. Botanic Gardens 6.Grahamston, 7. Provans lordship, 8. The University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum, 1807 9. Unicorn, 10. Bagpipes 11. The Tay 12. Lomand

Across

Down

6.According to the urban myth, which forgotten village sits under Central Station near the Heilanman’s Umberella?

8. Which Glasgow institution was the first public museum to be opened in Scotland, and in what year?

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

KIDS DON’T MISS OUT ON THE CHANCE TO SEE THE AVENGERS : AGE OF ULTRON. OUT NOW!

THOR DOOR HANGER Ask help from an adult while cutting out. Cut out the door hanger along the border. Fold in half and glue it so the design is now 2-sided. Cut the holes where the hanger will slip on to the door handle. Hang with whichever side fits your Thor mood.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

App of the Week: Ys Chronicles 1

TRENDING

The original Ys (pronounced 'EESS' for some reason) video game was released for the Sega Master System back in 1987, and despite being a critical hit, spawned a series that has been ignored by all but the most hardcore of role-playing-game (RPG) fans outside of its native Japan.

button response. This version of the game was released on the Playstation Portable in 2011, so graphically it's the best you're going to find today. Purists may want to play the original on a Master System, but you can't exactly carry one of those in your pocket and play it on the bus. Hands down, this is the easiest way to enjoy this absolute classic.

Ys Chronicles 1 is a port of a remake of a remake (seriously), but is basically a glossy version of that very same first game. Despite being over two-and-a-half decades old, the game's fundamental exploration and turn-based combat mechanics still play perfectly well and remain mostly unchanged.

At £3.99 it's at the high-end of what many gamers will expect to pay for a mobile game. However it's a bargain when compared to outrageously priced old Dragon Quest (essentially the same thing, but not as good) ports available to download. Go for this one, trust us.

Fans of Square Enix's Final Fantasy series will feel right at home here. There is a lot of levelling-up to put up with and you'll need to grind away many hours in true Japanese RGP style, but the rewards are there if you want it. As far as classic JRPG's go, Ys Chronicles 1 is both an excellent trip down memory lane for seasoned gamers, and a great starting point for those younger players who want to see where the genre began. The conversion to touchscreen is flawless and you'll easily be able to traverse the world map with a fairly decent directional pad and touch

We’re always stumbling into weird stuff on eBay. People will literally sell anything (yes, anything) but sometimes we come across something so peculiar and disturbing that we’re not too sure how to react to it. This is one of those occasions.

from 1989’s Ghostbusters II (see inset) and has given us all a couple of sleepless nights. Holywood director Paul Feig is currently in the process of making a brand new rebooted Ghostbusters movie. I think we’ve just found our star. Terrifying, truly terrifying.

Someone on eBay is selling a signed picture of tap dancer, telly host and all-round oddball entertainer Lionel Blair dressed in what appears to be a leather tunic – and not much else. Read that sentence back aloud and just let that sink in for a moment. Seller ‘cavalierbrenmart’ gives little in the way of explanation for the bizarre item on the auction’s page, stating simply that the photo is in a good condition – so it’s nice to see someone has taken care of it. The signing reads: “To Raymond – Lionel Blair,” simple and effective. God know’s if Raymond is the seller himself or if he’s picked this up after a heavy night of drinking; either way apparently he wants rid. The menacing grin and cowhide armour make the ‘Give us a Clue’ star look startlingly similar to Vigo the Carpathian

Donate your unwanted furniture and household items to help Cancer Patients We are always looking for good quality donations and we will collect from your home

We are also in need of Volunteer Collectors so anyone interested in joining our team please contact Joan. To arrange a free uplift or to enquire about Volunteering please contact us on

Tel: 01560 321875 Or Email: info@scottishcancersupport.org.uk

Scottish Cancer Support, 29b Brown Street, Newmilns KA16 9AD www.scottishcancersupport.org.uk

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

Friday 8th - Thursday 14th Jericho Hill (Sound Of Johnny Cash) 8th @ McChills Bar

Concrete Ribs

Little Birds Indoor Summer Market

10th @ Sloans Bar & Resturant

WASTED

9th @ Govanhill Baths

11th @ Govanhill Baths

This Is Not A Fashion Showe

Glasgow Chamber How To: Create Raving Fans

9th @ Govanhill Baths

12th @ Glasgow Chamber

Textile Block Printing Masterclass

Speaking in Tongues by Andrew Bovell

9th @ House for an Art Lover

Southside Mastermind 9th @ Jayz Bar & Resturant

Huxtable Launch Night

12th @ Loks Bar & Resturant

Pencilled In

12th @ The Rum Shack

Fringe Feast 1

28th @ The Admiral Bar

14th @ Pudding Lane Cafe

Open Studio & Jewellery Making Drop-in

Paddy & William’s Soul Jam

9th @ Makers Workshop

14th @ The Rum Shack

Clyde Stride 2015

Touching Cloth

9th @ Riverside Museum

14th @ The Shed

Jazz Up the South

Normal Madness

10th @ Loks Bar & Kitchen

Tales and Tunes

10th @ Merry Go round

14th @ Tron Theatre

Poetry, Prose & Music

15th @ Langside Parish Church

Horrible Heidie Tours The Gatsby Speakeasy at 10th @ Scotland Street the Southside Fringe School Museum

15th @ The Rum Shack

HIGHLIGHTS

8th May, Southside Fringe Launch Party, The Rum Shack: Join us as we kick start the 2015 Southside Fringe Festival at this cracking new venue! We’ve teamed up with Friday Reggae Shack to present a packed night of top quality entertainment. Acts include reggae stars: Lady Lex, Bass Warrior & Hectorrr, plus Fringe favourites The Creative Martyrs, Barefoot Bren, Black And White Boy & Howlin’ Radio. 18+ 7:30pm - 12:00am Standard £5

10th May, Cancer Research UK Race for Life 5K Glasgow Green, Glasgow Green:

The Glasgow course starts on the Saltmarket, heading along the Trongate to proceed past the beautiful and iconic George Square before reaching the bustling City Centre of Glasgow’s style mile. Heading South, you will cross Glasgow’s Albert Bridge before arriving at the heart of the city in Glasgow Green.The course itself is relatively flat and offers participants the opportunity to take in some of Glasgow’s beautiful architecture whilst soaking up the amazing atmosphere. The event offers a unique and memorable experience of the city on a Sunday morning. Adult entry (16+ women-only) - £14.99 Child entry (6-15 girls and boys under 13) - £10.00 Under 6 entry (boys and girls) - free and no registration needed

15th May, The Rock n Roll Circus, Loks Bar & Kitchen: The best of Glasgow’s music scene pay tribute to their Rock ‘n’ Roll icon that has influenced their sound, also playing a selection of their own greatest hits 18+ 7:00pm - 1:00am Standard £10

For dates and complete listings go to whatsonglasgow.co.uk

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

Stay-Sick was created in 2012 by Glaswegian designer Alexandra Metcalfe, she started her career by customizing levi shorts with studs, patterned fabrics and adding fringe to them thus the beginning of her creative designs.

Her designs are not just eye-catching and memorable but sexy as well. Stay-Sick offers a wide range of ‘Summer Must Haves’ from sexy bikinis to elegant dresses but it’s 2015’s summer line that has got people talking. She has just released her sexiest summer swimwear yet, perfect for any type of holiday whether that being a crazy holiday in Ibiza or a relaxing one in the south of France. These unique pieces can make your personality shine through were other swimwear can’t. Currently Stay-sick designs are reasonably priced and available for UK and International deliveries, so if you’re looking for that Bold Summer Statement to make heads turn this summer holiday; get ahead of the game and make sure you are one of the first to invest in one of these winning summer wardrobe statement pieces before this brand takes off! Simply visit www.Stay-Sick.com to see for yourself how brilliant these designs really are.

I caught up with Alex to ask a few questions about her line. Just by talking to her I could tell she is very passionate about her designs. Why did you create Stay-Sick?

Oh my Bod swimsuit £35.99

I always knew I wanted to design clothes and work in fashion. I created Stay-sick as I’ve always wanted my own brand and to work for myself so…why not! I believe in working hard and doing what you are passionate about.

Lace up sides Body £39.99 Why the name Stay-Sick?

Stay-Sick is the name of a old cramps album. My mum used to play it all the time when I was young and I’ve always thought it would sound good as a brand name.

What gives you your inspiration for your designs? I get inspired by a lot of things: pop culture and past pop cultures; fashion trends. Sometimes it’s just a print or fabric that inspires an idea. I like to research and put up all my chosen ‘inspo’ on my wall and just let it subliminally inspire me.

How does it feel to see the number of customers shareing pictures of your clothes online?

Lace up bottoms £19.99 It’s one of my favourite parts of the job! I love seeing pictures of customers in my designs and seeing their way of styling it; they inspire me sometimes. Every time I see a little: @ or #, it really does brighten my day and help with the all nighters during peek season. I couldn’t be more grateful for the response Stay-sick has had and the support from all my customers. I really love how they get as excited to see the new stock as I do to show it!

What’s the next step for StaySick?

Expansion, it’s something we have been considering for a while but with the demand growing everyday and more wholesale and collaboration oppertunities it looks like to take the next step.

DUNNES

Fashion WWW.FORGESHOPPING.COM

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

LAURA

IN STYLE By Laura Pearson-Smith

@LPearsonSmith

MY STYLISH HAPPENINGS... The past week has been busy for me, out and about in the city. I visited the wonderful-smelling Crabtree & Evelyn store in Princes Square on Buchanan Street, for the launch of their Garden Celebration bath and skincare products. My favourite of the line-up is the herby and Lavender-scented Gardener’s Hand Scrub with Pumice (£13)- it

will keep all hands, including those without green fingers, silky smooth. I then had a fabulous VIP experience at the SSE Hydro in their private The Vault viewing box with my own personal waiter. I viewed the Take That tour concert from there; which was epic. It’s a stunning arena with fabulous sound, and I had the best views in the house. Clydesdale Bank run constant online prize draws for SSE Hydro concert ticket holders to swap their

WHAT TO BUY THIS WEEK... The Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30 (£29) is a new launch from this cool New York skincare brand, who have their own two-level store on Buchanan Street. You apply it on top of your own daily eye cream to reduce dark circles, puffiness and fine lines. These gorgeous floral print sandals (£22.99) are part of New Look’s SS15 range. The delicate detailing will see you all the way through Spring and Summer in style. You need to get on board with the copper homeware trend. Oliver Bonas have the prettiest range of dishes and glasses that will make your picnics look super-stylish. Serve your wine from their Copper Honeycomb Base Carafe (£26) and your chips and dips in their Colour Pop Matt Bamboo Bowls (£9.50 each).

“The highlight of my week has been hanging out in the SSE Hydro’s The Vault- a truely luxurious VIP concert experience”

normal arena seats to experience The Vault for themselves. If you have an upcoming concert ticket, give it a try at cbonline.co.uk. Finally, I topped the week off with a meal at new Glasgow Caribbean restaurant Sugar Dumplin back in Princes Square. It has such a laid back beach vibe that I forgot where I was for a while. If you manage to pop in, I thoroughly recommend having the tasty BBQ Jerk Chicken with Fried Plantain Chips (£11.95).

I am in love with my new striped beach bag with rope handles (£12) from Edinburgh Woollen Mill in the St. Enoch Centre. It makes for a great large city tote even if you aren’t heading to any sandy places anytime soon.

INSTAGRAM

OF THE WEEK

VISIT LAURA’S BLOG WWW.ALIFEWITHFRILLS.CO.UK

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

Try something new at

Strathclyde Have ever wanted to try your hand at sculpture? Learn more about the world of the Anglo-Saxons? Or maybe even learn to speak a new language? Then perhaps the Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL) at the University of Strathclyde is the place to go this summer. The Centre, based in the University’s Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences department, has this week officially launched its 2015 summer programme, with classes, seminars and workshops available to adults of all ages, including: Chinese ink and watercolour painting, an ‘Explore Your House’ history course, singing classes led by the Cappella Nova vocal group

and cloud computing for beginners. So, a bit of everything really. The CLL will also be going on the road for a number of its classes, including: a landscape photography course at Mugdock Country Park near Milngavie, seminars in garden plant identification and an introduction to gardening classes at Glasgow Botanic Gardens. The full programme can be seen a www.strath.ac.uk/ summerprogramme/. Further information can be obtained and bookings made on 0141 548 2116 or 0141 548 4287.

100 short classes, seminars and workshops for adults throughout July and August. Art, languages, creative writing, family history, photography and much, much more.

Centre for Lifelong Learning

Summer Programme 2015 boost your brain

To view the full programme visit www.strath.ac.uk/cllsummer or call 0141 548 2116 for enquiries. The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

Reviews

KVACHI: A novel

Read this...

MIKHEIL JAVAKHISHVILI

By M.J. Nicholls

A long-buried classic of Eastern European literature in the picaresque mould of Cervantes and Fielding, 'Kvachi' is the exhausting stop-start, rags-toriches-to-rags tale of its titular confidence trickster. The figure of the self-made scoundrel is popular in Georgia and other East European countries, having a famous bedfellow in Jaroslav Hašek’s hilarious The Good Soldier Švejk, published in Czech in 1923. Georgia masks a secret wellspring of classic and contemporary fiction,

some of which is now available in translation from the Dalkey Archive— an American press specialising in world literature and experimental fiction. Kvachi was first written as a series of sketches before being published as a novel in 1925. A year later, Mikheil Javakhishvili evaded execution for supporting the socialist party, whilst less fortunate writers met with the brunt of the Communist uprising. Kvachi is a first-rate huckster whose talent for fooling commoner to nobleman knows no limitation and his skill in evading the noose in

Watch this...

improbable circumstances borders on divine providence. Adventures commence in Georgia before migrating to Russia in the court of Rasputin, with whom he becomes a friend and confidante. Readers are then indulged in the extravagance of Paris and chaos of communist Europe, where the more interesting historical comment is housed. This is a novel devoid of such frill as psychological depth or critical volley toward the regimes of its time. The author was tortured for two months during the Great Terror of 1937, then executed, so his reticence to ‘speak

catastrophe, turning them into lycraclad bad asses hellbent on fighting evil. Geoffrey Chaucer, this isn’t. However fans will be glad to know that the writing is of a far higher standard than most comic book tales ever achieve.

This time though it’s ten for the price of one as the comic book megapower’s flagship team, The Avengers, are back again to stop another seemingly impossible mass of bad guys from destroying the earth (again).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Wedon returns on double-duty as both writer and director and once again proves why he has become the go-to guy in business to make an epic sci-fi drama look cool.

I’ll start with the good news then – It’s brilliant. You know the drill by now surely? The Avengers team cobbles together Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and about a thousand other poor sods who were apparently involved in some kind of scientific

With such a huge number of superheroes all jostling for screen time, it’s refreshing for much of the focus this time around to be on the lesser known duo of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), whose backstory’s add some much needed new material to the story we’ve been following since

2008’s Iron Man. Renner is given far more scope in AOU to be the likeable jokester seen in the comics, rather than the dull one dimensional drone seen in 2012’s Avengers Assemble. Hawkeye just may be your new favourite Avenger. Glimpses of humour shoehorned into some of the most intense action scenes have become something of a calling card for Wedon in recent years, and Chris Hemsworth’s ‘bemused alien adjusting to earth’ character Thor is still the most innocently charming and humorous of the bunch, while Robert Downy Jr’s quick witted scientist-cum-superhero Iron Man has some genuinely laugh-out-loud lines scattered throughout the film’s two and a half hour running time. James Spader’s haunting vocal portrayal as central antagonist Ultron,

Hear This...

who is a strange mix of Terminator, Frankenstein and moody teenager, is easily the best performance in the movie. Spader’s effortless ability to terrify and amuse in equal measure make Ultron one of the most memorable ‘baddies’ in recent cinema history. The film shows there is no end in sight for Marvel’s seemingly infinite cinematic narrative, teasing not only tension between Iron Man and Captain America leading into next year’s ‘Civil War’ epic, but also sewing the seeds of the battles with series ‘big boss’ Thanos through til 2019 (when a reboot will no doubt then be announced – and repeat). The film’s finale seems a little over the top (even for a Marvel film). Without spoiling what happens, it just feels

The Magic Whip is a student minded journey into existentialism by a band that by now should have solutions to their ennui. Blur’s early critique

like Wedon was forced into trying to ‘one-up’ himself from the first film’s massive Battle of New York scene and perhaps backed himself into a wall of climatic problems in trying to create something even more awe-inspiring. Nonetheless, AOU is a visual treat and worth seeing in 3D on the big screen. In fact, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not seeing this at the cinema. With Joss Wedon confirming earlier this month that he’s officially done making The Avenger’s movies, we’ll all just have to wait a couple of years to see if the directorial duo of 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony and Joe Russo, follow Wedon’s blueprint, or undo all his good work.

Blur : The Magic Whip

By David Stewart

Blur return to the fore with ‘The Magic Whip’, their first album in over a decade. Off the bat, Graham Coxon’s return to the band is clear and welcome. His jingle-jangly guitar riffs were sorely missed on previous effort, 2003’s ‘Think Tank’.

M.J. Nicholls writes fiction and is co-editor of Verbivoracious Press. www.verbivoraciouspress. org

Avengers: Age of Ultron

By Ross Swanson

We’re right on the cusp of summer blockbuster season and that can only mean one thing: Marvel has another big-budget superhero epic out in cinemas, and we’re all going to run and go and see it.

out’ is understandable. Nonetheless his depiction of Kvachi’s life was provocative and shocking for the era. Kvachi fast descends into a sequence of scrapes and their mostly positive outcomes, although there are several macabre torture and murder scenes. The narrative lacks the coherence of a proper novel, as a series of sketches might do, yet the reader is left routing for the scoundrel in spite of his sins. Fast-paced dialogue, black humour, and camaraderie-among-thieves keeps the antics fun and ingenious. Recommended for fans of daring and rebellious literature.

of commercialism and mainstream culture resonated well with the 90s youth. Now they’re very much the avant-garde of ‘grumpy old men’ and don’t hold much sway with the iPod generation.

Blur hasn’t, and therein lies the folly of the band s obstinate refusal to change with the times. Ironically, Oasis, their Britpop ‘rivals’, suffered - arguably worse-so - the same stead attitude to development.

But are young people Blur’s market at all? Ostensibly they’re looking to sell to those who bought their seminal work, people in their earlier thirties. But that generation has moved on,

This is no concept album and luckily so, since this is conceptual art at its most mediocre. Blur once said something, had a message, stood up as the lower-middle-class rebellion.

Now, despite some good melodies and some funky rhythms, it’s all very been-there-done-that. Finding any point to this album is rather difficult.

All a bit of a Blur, really.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

CINEMA Spooks: The Greater Good

Top Five

Mad Max: Fury Road

Pitch Perfect 2

Starring

Peter Firth, Kit Harington, Jennifer Ehle, Tuppence Middleton

Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Cedric the Entertainer, J.B. Smoove, Tracy Morgan

Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Hugh KeaysByrne, Rosie HuntingtonAshley Judd

Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Haillee Steinfeld, Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine, Katey Sagal

MI5’s Harry Pearce returns in this featurelength spin-off from the acclaimed TV show. After a terrorist escapes custody during a routine handover, MI5’s head of counterterrorism Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) takes the blame and appears to commit suicide. Except MI5 agent Will Holloway (Kit Harington) grows suspicious of Harry’s supposed death as he attempts to find out what happened to his former mentor. With an attack on London imminent, Holloway uncovers a conspiracy that runs from Vietnam to the Mediterranean. Four years on from the end of the awardwinning TV series, Spooks comes to the big screen with an explosive thriller headlining newcomers Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) and Tuppence Middleton (Jupiter Ascending) along with old-time Spooks favourites Peter Firth and Tim McInnerny (back as Joint Intelligence Committee Chairman Oliver Mace). Behind the camera is original Spooks director, Bharat Nalluri, from a script by series veterans Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent.

Chris Rock directs and stars in a dazzling blend of acerbic celebrity satire and touching romance. Andre Allen (Chris Rock) was the alcoholic star of the hugely successful, downmarket ‘Hammy the Bear’ movie series. But now he’s clean and sober and desperate to be taken seriously. That’s why he’s made an earnest, very dull film about the Haitian slave revolt. On the eve of his wedding to reality TV gold-digger Erica (Gabrielle Union), for whom nothing is real unless it’s captured on camera, he agrees to give an interview to journalist Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson). This proves to be a revealing encounter. In his third and finest film as director, Chris Rock brilliantly captures the energy and hilarity of his standup performances. Unfolding over the course of a single day, ‘Top Five’ is a sharply written, skilfully performed and precision-targeted send-up of celebrity culture. Watch out for cameos by Adam Sandler, Whoopi Goldberg and Jerry Seinfeld.

Action man Tom Hardy plays the iconic Road Warrior in the fourth adrenaline-driven Mad Max thriller. In a stark and parched postapocalyptic landscape, taciturn anti-hero Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) meets his shavenheaded female counterpart Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) who needs to cross the desert to get home. Writer/director George Miller revives the Mad Max series after 30 years with this hyper-kinetic chase movie. Boasting amazing visuals and an intense performance from Tom Hardy, Mad Max: Fury Road promises to be a worthy sequel to one of the all-time great action franchises. Charlize Theron (Young Adult), Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Zoë Kravitz (The Divergent Series), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough also star.

Now in their senior year, the Barden Bellas are back to compete in an international a cappella competition that no American group has ever won before. Following an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction that sees Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) expose herself at an event to celebrate the US President’s birthday, the Barden Bellas attempt to restore their tarnished reputation by entering the World Championships, which sees them competing against European champions Das Sound Machine from Germany. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, co-star and producer of Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2 follows Beca (Anna Kendrick) and the gang through their final year and sees many of the original cast reprising their roles, including Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Hana Mae Lee and Alexis Knapp. Along with more catchy performances from the Bellas, it will also feature cameo performances from real-life a capella groups Penn Masala and Pentatonix and the Filharmonic.

8th May 2015, Running time: 104 mins

8th May 2015, Running time: 102 mins

14th May 2015, Running time: 120 min

15th May 2015, Running time: 115 mins

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

WHAT NOT TO MISS...

Sleepy Hollow

The Paul O’Grady Show

Thurs 14th May: 10:00pm Series 2 Episode18 UNIVERSAL CHANNEL

Fri 8th May: 5:00pm Episode 15 of 60 ITV

Scottish-American actor, singer, dancer, TV presenter and writer John Barrowman joins the host to talk about his upcoming UK tour.

Guest: John Barrowman

Britain’s Got Talent Sat 9th May: 8:00pm Episode 5 ITV Ant and Dec host the latest round of the nationwide talent search.A wide variety of acts, from comedians to contortionists, singers to spoon players, compete to impress judging panel Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and David Walliams with their unusual skills - with a huge cash prize and a coveted slot at the Royal Variety Performance up for grabs at the end of the series. Repeat Saturday 9pm ITV +1, STV + 1

Definitely, Maybe Tues 12th May: 6.50pm FILM 4 Romantic comedy starring Ryan Reynolds, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz and Isla Fisher. On the eve of his divorce, father Will Hayes is questioned by his ten-year-old daughter about the women he has loved and lost, and the one he eventually married.

Empire Tue12th May: 9:00pm Series 1 Episode 3 E4

Abbie finds herself stuck in the past, and tasked with convincing a younger Ichabod that she is from the future. Meanwhile, Katrina allies with the horseman. Supernatural mystery, starring Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie.

The Lyons get a taste of what their lives could have been like if Lucious had never hit the big time. Meanwhile, another woman gets between Hakeem and rising hip-hop star Tianna. Repeat Tue 12 May 10pm E4 +1

Match of the Day Sat 16th May: 10:30pm BBC ONE

Gary Lineker presents highlights of the latest Premier League clashes, including Queens Park Rangers v Newcastle United and Sunderland v Leicester City. While QPR, Leicester and Sunderland have been involved in a battle against relegation for much of the campaign, Newcastle’s disastrous run of form in March and April left them in danger of being dragged into the struggle.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

Interview:

Darren Connell Glasgow born comedian Darren Connell is quickly becoming one of the most familiar (usually gurning) faces in the country following his standout performance in the BBC hit comedy Scot Squad last year. The comic, made famous for playing loveable pest Bobby Muir in the hilarious police mockumentary, says he's had an “incredible” 2015 thus far, quickly becoming one of the most in-demand stand ups on the city's substantial comedy circuit. Having been the first comedian to sell out a venue at this year's Glasgow Comedy Festival, The 27-year-old went on to perform three sold-out shows during the stint, for his show “Fat Chops”. Earlier this month he was awarded Best Actor at the Scottish Comedy Awards (having previously being nominated for a Scottish Bafta), beating quirky wrestler - and all around TV sensation - Grado for the top spot. “I must say, the past six months of my life have been absolutely incredible,” says Darren sincerely. “I wouldn't say I was a struggling stand up comedian before, but all of a sudden things just blew up. “I think a lot of people thought 'well, he's pretty funny on Twitter and Vine, I wonder if he's good in real life.' Which was good for me because, obviously, I'd been doing shows for years. It's not like I'm just trying it out as a new thing.” Indeed, the former Asda trolley boy's time on the stage performing material is nothing new, having first tried his hand at stand up comedy almost ten years ago after a friend's suggestion. “I actually started out by studying television production and sound recording at college,” says Darren. “I did that because I didn't have the courage to join a drama course, so I thought if I did the TV production that would somehow get me in. I was so young and naive that I didn't realise that was never going to happen.” “A friend of mine in that class said he

thought I was quite funny and that I should give stand up a go. He told me about open mic nights at The Stand, so I went along and did a gig.” However, the then 18-year-old Darren did not enjoy his first experience in front of a comedy audience. “Oh, I was horrific,” he reveals with a grin, “I never did it again until I was 22. I went back to The Stand and I thought 'Well, if I'm s**t I'll quit right now, but if it goes half decent I'll probably give it a try and see how I get on.'” Turns out, it went alright. In 2010, now in his early twenties and working as a barber, the future humorist joined a stand up comedy workshop ran by fellow Glasgowbased comic Charlie Ross, with the hopes of learning and honing his new craft. “I was in college for nine months studying hairdressing,” says Darren. “That's when I was at a crossroads, thinking 'I might be a s***e comedian' so I needed to get a trade to fall back on.” “But, during the training something just clicked and I thought 'I can't do this for the rest of my life' and that's what made me join the comedy course.” “I really struggled at the start to be honest,” he admits, “I always thought that I was funny, but I was just so nervous when I was performing.” “I just needed to learn more about the industry. Before you know the difference between a compare and an opening act you can't really progress into doing better.” The young comic was entered into the Scottish Comedian of the Year awards in 2010, and made it into the finals against his mentor Charlie Ross. “That training really helped build the basis of what I've been doing for the past five years. I must have done over 100 gigs in his first year, that's how you learn.” Darren's next step, and perhaps most beloved by his fans, in his comedy career was joining Twitter-owned video sharing service Vine. In an ongoing series of bizarre and often macabre few second long videos, Darren has amassed a huge number of followers.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

in 2006, the comedian had never pursued it further and was forced to learn fast on the set.

Championship Wrestling (ICW) ring anytime soon?

Despite obvious parallels between Darren's online Vine persona and the bumbling, but oddly charming, Bobby, it was after one of his stand up gigs he was approached to audition for the show.

“I wouldn't say I was nervous, no,” says Darren. “I was just so focused, thinking 'I can't f**k this up', that it stopped me from bursting out laughing all the time. I think we were all a bit like that really.”

“Definitely,” says Darren enthusiastically. “I actually went and tried out at their training school for eight weeks. They told me to come back and train again. Even if I can't be a part of the show as a wrestler, I think I'd be good as a manager.”

Not knowing what exactly he was auditioning for, Darren was asked to improvise various scenes which would later be filmed for the hit fourpart comedy show.

“Don't me wrong, when I chuckled I really did. In the auditions I was crying with laughter, almost to the point where I thought it might actually affect my chances of getting the part.

“Because you can't watch a video more than once on Snapchat, people kept telling me to get on Vine. I really couldn't be arsed with it at first, but eventually I just went and set one up, then that went mental too. But, yeah, none of it was really planned. It was just something to keep me amused really.

The ICW shows have become a massive draw not only in Glasgow, but all around the UK. As a lifelong wrestling fan himself, the comic is keen to be a part of the movement.

“It was all improvised really,” he says flatly, “Me and Karen (Bartke – who plays the constantly bothered police desk Officer Karen) discussed scenes before hand and tried to get some kind of basis for what would be said, but I'd say it was about 95-per-cent improvised really.”

“But as soon as the cameras started I instantly thought 'Oh, this is different' so I just had to be serious.

“If been in the crowd before thinking 'Oh, I want some of this' y'know?

“Vine has helped me, it really has. I think there are a lot of people who

Despite tying to get into acting through his college course back

“I'd been doing the stand up shows for years and years and just set Vine up out of boredom really. “I'd actually originally set up a Snapchat account and overnight it just took off. I think there must have been a couple of thousand people adding me over a few days.

“I do enjoy stand up, but I'd love to do some live acting and a bit more TV work. I think I'm quite open minded and I don't just want to be known as a stand up comedian.” So does Darren fancy joining his costar Grado in Glasgow's own Insane

“To me, it's just the ultimate form of Pantomime. Even if it was just a oneoff night, I'd love to get in there.” Filming for Scot Squad series two will begin in July and will see its return to BBC Scotland later this year with six new episodes.

Darren Connell's brain-melting comedy can be appreciated daily by following him on Vine and Twitter @ DaranskiConnell.

“

The past six months of my life have been absolutely incredible

“

don't even know I do stand-up and just think I'm some mad guy from Vine.”

The popular series, usually involving the comic contorting his face in a manner which would make Jim Carrey squirm, was created almost entirely by accident, he admits.

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

‘Coming out as gay was a compromise I was no longer willing to make.’ DAVID STEWART

Indeed, in the cosmopolitan sprawl of modern Glasgow, she is arguably just another professional woman going about her daily life. But people's histories are rarely as routine as we assume, and certainly not for this city girl. Olivia was born male. More accurately, perhaps: she is transgender.  There are no reliable estimates on the number of transgender people in Glasgow, Scotland or the UK. If one were to apply the latest census data proportionally to the city, the number of people who identify as transgender in Glasgow is anywhere between 590 and 2,940. But the numbers that we do have on transgender people’s health and well being are as alarming as they are precise. 45 percent of young, transgender people have had thoughts of suicide, 42 percent have selfharmed, and around half suffer anxiety and depression. Whilst concerning, these findings are hardly surprising. In a sense, the usual questions about Olivia's earliest memories and various stages in gender exploration are redundant. She presents herself as a thoroughly composed and strong woman, almost devoid of any hint of what has been a turbulent reckoning with her inner self. Olivia started living as a woman only two years ago. Now, the 32-year-old call centre employee fits ironically into an expectation

of femininity now criticised by some in the rad-fem movement. “I really benefitted from a supportive family”, says Olivia, who was born in Greenock but moved to the West End of Glasgow in her twenties. “I have friends who have had a much harder time. Everyone who is transgender is on their own journey, we’re all at different stages; it’s very much about individualism.” Indeed identity is arguably at the core of the transgender phenomena or rather the fight to break out of a body wrongly assigned by Mother Nature. “I first told my family two years ago when I was 30 and without them I don’t think I’d be as happy as I am now. Life is never perfect but I’m nearer to realising in body what I am inside. I’ve always been a woman.” Olivia decided to come out as a gay man in her twenties, in a move she describes as an effort to meet her true self half-way. “Coming out as a gay man was a compromise. It wasn’t entirely true but I just wasn’t at the stage yet where I was comfortable telling my family that I considered myself a woman. I didn’t know how they’d handle that.” Her mental aguish over how her family and the wider world might deal with such a revelation led Olivia into incredibly deep depression. Gender dysphoria is conceivably the most elementary identity crisis, pervading every area of life, from relationships to work and social acceptance. “A real advantage we have in Scotland is that you can self-refer to a clinic if you believe you may be transgender. I believe in England there is a more complicated system involving GPs. Checks and balances are a good idea, but even in Scotland it can be a very long

process.” Olivia has been waiting months for a second opinion from a clinician, a requirement before she can finally have the surgery she wants to reassign her body to match her gender. “Scots have to travel down to Brighton for the surgery because there isn’t a facility that does it here. But, then again, there are only a handful of gender reassignment cases.” Figures from the report Press for Change say just over 100 patients from Scotland underwent gender reassignment surgery between 2004 and 2009. Olivia had to leave her last job at a call centre in the East End due to persistent trans-phobic behaviour by the management. “One manager in particular refused to use female pronouns, even when I had made it clear I wanted to be addressed as a woman. I could maybe have gone down the discrimination route in court, but I just couldn’t deal with the potential hassle involved. “But my general experience in Glasgow has been absolutely brilliant; it’s a very open city. I rarely get any abuse in the street, although some of my friends do and I find that upsetting. “There’s been a lot of progress in gay rights, but I feel we still have a long way to go before transgender people get equal treatment. “But I’m happier now than I ever was; I can’t wait to have my surgery. Someday I want to get married, live on a farm, rear chickens, and just live a content life.” As Olivia leaves to join into the bustle of Buchanan Street, she adds further colour to the palette of modern Glasgow. In ‘no mean city’, it seems we all just want to be happy.

“

My general experience in Glasgow has been absolutely brilliant; it’s a very open city.

“

Olivia lives a fairly normal life. She admits to being prone to chatting too much, indulging in retail therapy, and enjoying a bottle of wine with her girlfriends.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

SHOWROOM OPEN TO TRADE & PUBLIC

QUALITY

SERVICE

VALUE

Andrews Marbles & Tiles is a company which has been trading for 129 years and have experienced staff who offer a friendly service and free help and advice to everyone who comes through their door. The company offers exclusive ranges and top quality products - pop in and see for yourself!

A.Andrews & Sons (Marbles & Tiles) Ltd, Unit 3, 2210 London Rd, Glasgow G31 8YQ (Just off Carmyle Avenue at London Road)

20% OFF

Selected tiles with this advert!

Opening Times: Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm

Saturday 9am - 1pm

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

App of the week: Top Eleven Available on Google Play and iOS App Store: £Free

West of Scotland Media | 8th May - 22nd May 2015

Sports

Celtic launches new home kit Andrew Muirhead

Andrew

Muirhead

Celtic unveiled their new 2015-16 home kit, swapping their long-term sponsors Nike for American sports company New Balance. The Parkhead side are the first Scottish club to be sponsored by the US company, in a five year deal which is worth around £30 million.

FOR YOUR DAILY FIX OF SCOTTISH SPORT VISIT WWW.SCOTZINE.COM

DONS PRAISED FOR PUSHING CELTIC ALL THE WAY Andrew Muirhead Celtic have secured their fourth Premiership title in a row following Aberdeen’s 1-0 defeat to Dundee United on Saturday.. Having beaten Dundee 5-0 on Friday night, the Parkhead side knew that if the Dons dropped points at Tannadice they would be crowned champions, Robbie Muirhead’s solitary goal for United ended their title challenge. Despite a slow start to the season, with calls for him to be sacked, Norwegian Ronny Deila has finished his debut season at Celtic with a League title and a League cup added to his honour roll. Speaking to the official Celtic website, Deila said: “We have achieved a big thing. Hopefully there will be more and more. Defensively we have been unbelievable the whole season and we have hardly conceded a goal. Offensively we have been getting better and we scored five beautiful goals against Dundee on Friday night. “We have worked so hard for this and finally we are there and can start thinking of next season. There is always high pressure here and I put high demands on myself as well. Today we just have to enjoy it and be happy that we are champions. I'm happy with a lot of the work we have done and we are going to enjoy this night.”

Speaking at the launch of Celtic’s new home kit sponsored by New Balance, Brown praised Aberdeen’s title challenge, commenting: "It was a good challenge from Aberdeen all the way. It's always hard, especially when they keep pushing. Our games were on Sundays, theirs were always Saturdays. "But we kept fighting, we kept playing attractive football, and that's what we try to promote at this club.You always look at whoever is second and third, especially at the start of the season we were a couple of games behind. We were playing catch-up and we knew we had to win games to put Aberdeen under pressure and we managed to do that." Celtic will be officially crowned champions on May 24th after their match with Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Parkhead. The Scot added: “This is such a huge fight for me. I have had a tough time of it in and out of the ring recently. But that's in the past and it's time to get back to performing in the ring and doing what I love. “We wouldn't have taken the fight if we didn't think I can win it and I am confident that I will. I don’t want to contemplate defeat, I am not thinking about it – but there’s no doubt that I need to win this to get back on track and into more big fights.”

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, speaking at the launch of the new kit, said: "The kit looks and feels modern; yet the traditions that bind this club and its supporters have been completely respected. We are delighted to enter this great new partnership with New Balance and we are confident our new kit will be a winner both on the pitch and with our fans. Cub captain Scott Brown added: All the players were excited to hear New Balance would be making next season's kits and the designs were

popular from the moment we saw them. We can't wait to wear them on the pitch." For over 100 years, the iconic green and white-hooped kit has been a symbol of passion and pride for the faithful supporters of Celtic FC. In the newly designed home kit, New Balance is maintaining the club's illustrious traditions, while incorporating a modern twist. The kit is presented as part of a New Balance â€˜Live For Celtic campaign, highlighting the passion all those associated with the Club have for it. In keeping with the team's tradition and identity, solid green hoops circle the bright white shirt, which are framed by finer hoop detailing to give the design additional depth. The clean sharp look is complimented by an integrated V-insert collar. Celtic's rich heritage is also celebrated with the inclusion of club message "Club like no other" to the inner back neck and an external Celtic cross sign off. The kit is completed with crisp white

shorts and white socks with green hoops. The kit incorporates NB Dry, technology that helps keep the body cool and dry whilst being active. The moisture wicking fabric releases moisture away from the body, making it fast-drying and it is anatomically fitted to form around the player's body shape for ease of movement. NB Flex technology, fibre construction that provides enhanced stretch for a less restrictive garment, is incorporated into the goalkeeper kit to help with motion and fit. New Balance Football’s general manager Richard Wright, said: "New Balance has big ambitions and we can learn a lot from one of Europe's most prolific and successful clubs. Being able to design the home kit for Celtic FC and to include New Balance features NB Dry and NB Flex into the design; we know we have given the team all the tools they need to remain successful for years to come.

City made to work hard for Celtic win Andrew Muirhead

Glasgow City continued their 100% winning start to the SWPL season with a 2-1 victory over Celtic in East Kilbride. City head coach Eddie Wolecki Black was pleased with the three points, but it was far from a vintage performance from the champions. Black said: “Obviously we are delighted to get the three points and the win, but it was a game we made hard for ourselves. Losing the goal gave Celtic a wee bit of hope and a match which was in our total control became a little bit more difficult. “However, we saw it out and I hope the girls are going to learn from this as the exact same thing happened against Aberdeen a few weeks ago. It will definitely be something we will look at and speak to the players about over the next few days. “We play Celtic again next weekend in the Cup semi-final and I am very hopeful it will be a different City team they face that day. We will have a full week of training to prepare which will help as it wasn't easy playing Spartans midweek and then Celtic today, two potential top four sides within four days, so I am looking for a far better performance next week.” Glasgow City were the better of the two sides in the early exchanges, with Hayley Lauder seeing her shot saved

by Celtic keeper Laura Hamilton after only six minutes. Brown and Grant both went close, before City broke the deadlock. Erin Cuthbert fired a ball across Hamilton’s six yard box only to see Emily McKerlie turn the ball into her own net. Hamilton denied City captain Leanne Ross a certain goal, as she turned the shot brilliantly around the post just after the half hour mark. With the half time whistle fast approaching, Abbi Grant struck the

woodwork for City, before Hayley Lauder capitalised on an error from Hamilton to make it 2-0 to Glasgow City. In the second half, Celtic finally had their first effort on target just before the hour mark, before Kirstin McGuire pulled a goal back with less than 15 minutes to play firing past City keeper Lee Alexander.   Both sides will face one another again on Sunday in the League Cup SemiFinal. Kick off is 12pm at Ainslie Park, Spartans FC.

8th May - 22nd May 2015 | West of Scotland Media

@Glasgow__News

BOOTH “IN A GOOD GROOVE” AT THISTLE Andrew Muirhead

Partick Thistle's Callum Booth says he has found his stride at the team despite injuries and is enjoy his time playing for The Jags. Currently on loan from Hibernian, Booth has already proven his worth to the Firhill side and the club’s current winning streak has given them huge confidence. Speaking to the official Partick Thistle website, Booth said: "We're on a great run just now and we've won four out of the last six games so the boys will be going into the game with a really high level of confidence and we're all just looking to make sure we continue this run we're on right up until the end of the season. "It's been great recently to get a settled back four in and know for definite

who you're going to be up against each week. We've only conceded three goals in the last six games and overall, throughout the season, we have a good record of not conceding too many goals which is obviously what you want as a defender. "When I first came in the manager played a bit of a different back four and I had a couple of annoying wee injuries that held me back and meant I didn't get off to the best of starts. I've put that behind me now though and we've got a settled back four that are doing well. "It was a tricky start but I'm in a good groove now and I'm enjoying my football a lot. I'm just aiming to stay focussed on doing my best for Partick Thistle between now and the end of the season.”

Thistle have won four out of their last six games, defeating beleaguered Paisley side St. Mirren 3-0 at the weekend, confirming their Premiership status for another season. Booth and his Thistle teammates travel to Lanarkshire on Saturday as they play Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.

The Coatbridge contender will travel to Texas for the fight and says he is ‘buzzing’. “I can’t wait for this fight”, says Burns. “Ever since it was confirmed I’ve been absolutely buzzing in the gym. “I’ve had some great nights in Scotland winning and defending my World titles at two different weights but I have always wanted to box in America.” Figueroa, who will fight in front of his fellow Texans, defeated Daniel Estrada last August with a ninth

under his belt, beating Michael Katsidis, Roman Martinez, and Kevin Mitchell. Burns came back from a defeat to Dejan Zlaticanin to beat Alexandre Lepelley in October last year.

He said:“I am so excited to be bringing this huge event to my home-town. It is my dream to fight on such a big stage and bring this kind of attention to Hidalgo. My fans have supported me from day one, and I plan on showing them how grateful I am with a stellar performance on May 9.”

The Scot added: “This is such a huge fight for me. I have had a tough time of it in and out of the ring recently. But that's in the past and it's time to get back to performing in the ring and doing what I love. “We wouldn't have taken the fight if we didn't think I can win it and I am confident that I will. I don’t want to contemplate defeat, I am not thinking about it – but there’s no doubt that I need to win this to get back on track and into more big fights.”

Basketball veteran set to retire Danny Watt

After 9 seasons with Glasgow Rocks, Sterling Davis has decided to retire from the game of basketball and will now focus on coaching the Glasgow based franchise after inking a Head Coaching deal for the upcoming 2015/16 BBL season. Davis, who joined the Glasgow Rocks during the 2006/07 season after the departure of Head Coach Thorsten Leibenath, took over the reigns as player/coach in 2007/08. Davis was the player/coach of the club for 8 seasons and is now relishing the opportunity to exclusively focus on coaching. He said: “I am definitely looking forward to just coaching and focussing solely on the tactical side of things

as opposed to both the tactical and physical side. It’s a weight off my shoulders and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead. I want to put a team together that will fight for Silverware – the city of Glasgow deserves it.” Sterling Davis averaged 10.66 points per game (48% from the field) during his 9 season tenure at the Rocks as

SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP FRIDAY 8th MAY 2015

Saturday 9th May 2015

round knock-out. The former WBC Lightweight world title holder, was named champion after Adrien Broner was stripped of the title. After two successful defences, Figueroa moved up to the light-welterweight division

Burns looks to add a landmark triumph to an already impressive record in facing Figueroa with the 31-year-old already having victories

FOOTBALL FIXTURES

Motherwell v Kilmarnock

Andrew Muirhead BOXER Ricky Burns is oozing confidence in the run up to his landmark bout against undefeated lightweight champion Omar “Panterita” Figueroa.

Glasgow News

19:45

BURNS “BUZZING” FOR TEXAS FIGHT

well as 5 rebounds and 2 assists per game. He played over 300 games for the Rocks and played more than 400 games during his illustrious career in the BBL spanning 14 seasons. With the Rocks out of the playoffs for this season, Coach Davis is already looking at 2015/16. The club will be hoping to announce player signings during the early stages of the offseason.

15:00 Dundee v Inverness CT Hamilton v Partick Thistle Ross County v St Mirren St Johnstone v Dundee Utd

SUNDAY 10th May 2015 14:30 Aberdeen v Celtic

FRIDAY 15th May 2015 19:45 St Johnstone v Celtic

The

Sports

Boxing, Football, Basketball,

Mohsni heading for Rangers exit 8TH MAY - 22ND MAY 2015 | ISSUE 104 | PUBLISHED BY WEST OF SCOTLAND

Andy Muirhead

Tunisian international Bilel Moshni is set to leave the Ibrox side, as he is one of 12 players out of contract in the summer.

Stuart McCall’s side face Queen of the South at the weekend in the first of a two legged Scottish Premiership play-off tie, after finishing third in the Championship.

The defender who has been a calamity at the back for the Light Blues this season, is seen a surplus to requirements and will inevitably spend the remainder of the season on the bench.

Rangers have beaten the Doonhamers only once this season, a 4-2 win back in August at Ibrox, since then they have lost twice to the Dumfries side and drew once.

German side Freiburg are reportedly interested in signing the 27 year old, who signed for Rangers in July 2013 making 41 appearances.

The winners will face Hibernian in the semifinals, before a two legged tie against the team finishing 11th in the Premiership.

BOILERS FROM £949 CALL 0141 554 1500 WE WON’T BE BEATEN ON PRICE

“INSTALLED”