A day oot in Glesga

 A 140 day occupation in 2001 and later community buy out of the badly neglected Govanhill Baths building was a small victory in a peoples' revolution. It has since become a local legend, and a fine example of how a Community Trust can acquire and run a major assest for the benefit of the people. There is a much told 'revolutionary' tale about a melon, plucked from a crate outside a Calder St grocer, used as a missile to knock off a polis-man's helmet. The aim was perfect and although the act of agression was mild, the message was clear. Don't mess with the people. They'd had a gutsfull and were ready to stand their ground. Such is the strength of Glasgow's diverse nature. For a recent example, check this story about a hastily mustered crowd blocking a Home Office deportation in the midst of a pandemic. But to get back to the Baths, this info from their website:

Govanhill Baths Community Trust is responsible for running the baths’ wide-ranging community wellbeing activities, as well as education and training. These are aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at people from the G41/G42 postcodes. The Trust has a successful social enterprise project and leading upcycling project Rags to Riches. It also runs the groundbreaking People’s Pantry, a membership-based initiative aimed at tackling food poverty and reducing waste.

The Trust operates as a Limited Company by Guarantee, a Charitable Trust and a Preservation Trust. Nice indictment of citizen David against Goliath council.

 

Among other things, the Trust runs an annual anti-racist Govanhill International Festival. Cancelled due to Covid in 2020, the event was back up in 2021 with a full programme of walks, talks, dance, movies, live music, exhibitions and more. I went for one of the less colourful (but safer) events - a self-guided walking tour of local landmarks. First stop Samaritan House - a hospital converted to housing association flats. We need more like this A friendly local treated us to a tour of apple, plum, pear and quince laden trees in tubs, giant sunflowers, chillis and gooseberries in veggie boxes on concrete in the community garden. Look who had this stop on her itinerary too, and wore her crown jewels for the occasion!

A stroll through an unseasonally straw coloured Govanhill Park led us to the folly of a Carnegie Library - fabulous stained glass windows, elaborate stonework, a diverse collection of books and some local stories.

Time was too short to take in the other 20 or so stops on the tour, so we retired to the Bungo Bar for a fine lunch before I headed back through Queens Park to Buchanan St bus station, where a soulful bronze laddie farewells his tearful lassie.

So much of this city is a work of art.