Lip-Reading Classes
We are delighted that one of our Companions, Margaret Sainte Claire, is offering a series of Lip-Reading classes in the Centre. She is offering a free Taster Session on TUESDAY 15th September 2015 from 2.30 - 4.30 with tea/coffee and biscuits. Contact Margaret for more details: msclipreading@gmail.com or just come along.
Visit of the First Minister
We were pleased to receive a short visit from the First Minister on Tuesday 21st July - she chatted briefly to Caroline and James. The photograph later appeared in the SNP's twitter account as part of their bye-election campaign to Glasgow City Council so it might be worth reminding everyone that we are a strictly non-political charity and glad of help from any political party.
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The Centre was represented at the Annual Requiem for the Order of Malta in Edinburgh on November 6th by Caroline and the two Liams. Much appreciation was shown of Caroline's fund-raising skills!
Our next project is to add a Hyperbaric Unit - primarily for people suffering from diabetes or multiple sclerosis. The two Liams will be attending a meeting next week at the unit in Leith and hope to recruit volunteers from the CathSoc at Edinburgh University, where we already have some Companions.
We now have eight families regularly using the M and T group - great fun and all making good use of the equipment Caroline and her sponsors generously provided. Room for plenty more toddlers!
Anne
Anne has been off for a couple of weeks and hopes to be back with us on Thursday 23rd October.
Jennifer has a job and sends her regards to all.
Michael is now studying in Milan for a year - buon viaggio.
Caroline has now provided enough funds to supply the Centre with a wide range of toys and nursery equipment - most popularly the jousting tent and tunnel, the ball-swamp and the toy cooker!
Thanks to Caroline' s fundraising, the Mother and Toddler Group is almost set to go, starting Monday 18th August. More details can be found on the Mother and Toddler page.
Update on Caroline's Rowing Challenge
She did it! At 2 p.m. on Saturday 12th July, Caroline rowed 3000 metres in 25 minutes and has raised well over £1000 for the Centre. Well done, Caroline!
Caroline's Rowing Challenge 12th July 2014
In order to support the work and future development of the Companions’ Centre, Caroline is doing a 25-minute rowing challenge – well over two miles, which would take her to the historic royal burgh of Govan! She is already in training for the event on Saturday 12th July.
Please give generously! You can donate here: Caroline's JustGiving page
Mother and Toddler Group
We hope to start a Parent and Toddler Group starting on Monday August 18th. More details to follow.
Visit of the Chairman, Saturday 7th 2014
The Companions’ Centre in Glasgow was delighted to receive a visit from the Companions Chairman, Paul Letman, and the Secretary, Alice Murphy, on Saturday. The day began with Mass celebrated in St Patrick’s Church by Father Francis, in memory of Axel Christie, the much-loved infant grandson of Companions Gordon and Maureen Brankin of Aberdeen, who died last month after a short life of 100 days.
After visiting the Centre, the party decamped to a nearby restaurant
Companions' Day in Glasgow
All Companions and members of the Order are cordially invited to a Companions’ Day in Glasgow with Paul Letman, our Chairman, on Saturday June 7th. It will take place in the City Centre within walking distance of Queen St and Central Stations. All the venues are wheelchair-accessible.
The timetable is as follows:
Saturday 7th June 2014
10 a.m. All who wish may attend the Parish Mass at St Patrick’s Church, Anderston (beside the M8)
11 a.m. Reception and refreshments at the Companions’ Centre (two minutes from the church)
12. noon: Lunch at Viva Ristorante, 77 Bothwell St. The restaurant is two minutes from both stations and there is a wheelchair-accessible bridge from the Companions’ Centre to the restaurant.
The cost of the lunch, allowing a small margin for a donation to the Companions’ Centre, is £20 a head, for three courses with two glasses of wine.
Please do think about coming – if you cannot get to Glasgow before lunch, we can easily take you to see the Companions’ Centre afterwards. If you require directions or further details, please contact Liam Devlin
Cheques for £20 per person payable to LIAM DEVLIN should be sent, by FRIDAY 30th MAY, to:
Liam Devlin, 93 Lomondside Ave, Clarkston, Glasgow, G76 7UH.
Monday 24th March
Congratulations to one of our directors, Caroline, who has successfully completed her Emergency First Aid Course of St Andrew's Ambulance Association.
Thursday 6th March
Busy lunch club and music club today. We now have families from the Ukraine, China, Somalia, Ghana and Zimbabwe.
Tuesday 17th February
Liam H. made a state visit to help with the Companions' Soup Kitchen at St James's Spanish Place.
Saturday 7th February 2014 Father John Keenan, Chaplain to the University of Glasgow, Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Church, Anderston and guiding light of the Companions’ Centre, has just been named by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of Paisley. He will be ordained bishop on St Joseph’s Day, March 19th 2014. The spiritual and practical support Father John has given us has been immense – he is a man of great holiness, orthodoxy and creativity. We will miss him sorely but look forward to having a staunch supporter in the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.
Monday February 3rd 2014 Some more children have now joined for Maths and English lessons, although we hope to get them onto musical instruments too ...
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Saturday February 1st 2014 We were delighted to welcome to the Centre, Fra' Ian Scott of Ardross Creagan, the Grand Prior of the Order of Malta which is our parent body. He chatted to Companions Caroline, Tommy and Liam H and was very enthusiastic.
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Thursday January 23rd 2014
The local Residents' Association had a meeting this evening in the Centre with representatives of Glasgow west Housing Association.
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People First had a very productive meeting in the Centre this evening.=============================================================
Monday January 20th 2014
One of our members celebrated his fiftieth birthday with us. Happy birthday, Bryan!
Monday January 13th 2014
Back to normal with a group of music students on piano and guitar, and a small group of ESOL learners. We also some regulars in the Jobs Club who are making some progress and regualr visits from email-checkers and wifi-users.Wednesday December 11th 2013
We had a little Christmas party for the Monday lunchtime groups - we will have another on Thursday for the rest. We will be closed over Christmas and New Year and reopen on MONDAY 13th JANUARY 2014.
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The new bridge over the M8 is proving a boon to Caroline, Bryan and the other Margaret Blackwood residents. Caroline has been part of the new bridge project from the start and is now in the SUSTRANS newsletter:
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NB Early Closure (3.30 p.m.) on Thursday 7th November to allow Companions to go through to Edinburgh for the Annual Requiem of the Order of Malta.
Thursday 31st October
A moderately busy week including a Residents' Association Meeting on Tuesday evening.
Two of our Jobs Club members got jobs this week which is great just before Christmas - well done.
Our Chinese regulars have been very kindly bringing in Chinese delicacies, including home-baked cakes and the ingredients for a very sweet tea.
We had a visit from People First Glasgow on Thursday to arrange to have their regular meetings here, including the residents of the Margaret Blackwood House led by Caroline. The first meeting is Tuesday 5th November at 3 p.m.
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Thursday 24th October
One of the key-workers at the Centre, Liam Hackett, appeared in The Herald this week in recognition of his receipt of a gallantry award by an African king. Great to have a hero in the Centre!
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Monday 21st October
Other meetings in the Companions' Centre:
24th October: GWHA Terrace with Sanctuary
5th November: People First meeting 3 -4.30
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Monday 7th October
After a quiet day, things suddenly livened up when the schools came out and we had three children in the Homework Club - one learning piano, one revising her times tables and one swotting up History. We also had two adult clients, looked after by Sangeeta, who are brushing up their English. Two representatives of Sanctuary Housing arrived while the place was heaving - they were very encouraging and may be able to help with our adapting the toilet for disabled users.
The current plan for the SVDP volunteers is for them to establish a rota to help with the food collection from Pret-a-Manger on a Sunday and then work for a couple of hours in the Wayside Club, and help with the food from Eat. on a Wednesday and spend a couple of hours aftewards in the City Mission.
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Tuesday 1st October 2013
The Glasgow University SVDP Society has now distributed flyers to all 196 flats in our block - they are stars!
Monday 30th September 2013
Week 3 was moderately busy but the After-School Club has still to take shape. Ironically, although we were closed today for a local holiday, on being opened in time for a meeting with Fr Keenan and the Glasgow University St Vincent de Paul Society, the Centre was visited by a number of local children who came in out of curiosity from practising their "parkour" outside; they have all taken notes home to their families and we hope to see some of them at least on Thursday.
Week 4 has started well with the SVDP group agreeing to meet tomorrow to take flyers round all 196 flats in our block. Some members of the group are also going to join in the food collection on Sunday and Wednesday evenings and will take food to the Wayside Club and Glasgow City Mission.
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Saturday 21st September 2013
Week 2 was one of peaks and troughs: we were very quiet on Monday and then much busier on Thursday with a lot of good things happening, including visits from the Residents' Association, who took flyers away to publicise the Centre, and Fr Keenan, parish priest of St Patrick's. Among the many visitors on Thursday were Al Haydock, managing director of Haydock Music in Bearsden, who kindly donated six Casio keyboards for our music sessions, and Isabel Irvine who gave us a set of china mugs.
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Monday 9th September 2013
Following a frantic morning with Tommy setting up the wifi and Liam H. cleaning years of muck off the windows, the Companions' Centre got off to a gentle start. Companions Caroline, Jennifer, Margaret, Michael, Tommy, and the two Liams had visits from Tang and Pat, while local-residents Denise and Sharon signed up as the first members of Jobs Club. The ladies proved invaluable sources of local knowledge and they are off to spread the word, as is the endlessly patient Mr Padda in the shop next door. We were joined for the Margaret Blackwood Lunch Club by Caroline, Margaret, Brian and Louise and signed up four children for the Homework Club. Lord Norreys, who is the Order of Malta's head of the Scottish Delegation, joined us for lunch during which Liam H. entertained us with the uillean pipes.
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September 1st 2013
Safedem triumphs again!
click to view
August 29th 2013
Phone-line now in, doors replaced with new locks by John Mackay & Son Locksmith, tables and chairs arrived courtesy of Peter & Margaret McCann of Castlecraig and kindly delivered by Alex and Magda.
August 26th 2013
Blinds now fitted by Alan Boyle of Hillarys Blinds - highly recommended! 075570967765
As well as fitting them free of charge, Alan donated some furniture: thanks very much!
August 22nd 2013
Progress: most of the furniture now in, four computers up and running, fridge delivered, invitations to Margaret Blackwood Residents to lunch on Monday 9th September issued by Caroline.
Still to come: shop sign (any day now), new locks fitted and doors replaced, stacking chairs to arrive from Castle Craig, wifi from Roadrunner to come next week.
Problem: so much asbestos in the buildings (not our unit, thankfully) that the BT men are having difficulty getting a phone-line in so we may have to delay the start of the cyber-café. Getting the lunches underway will be a good start, however, and get people used to coming in.
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August 12th 2013
Progress: carpet-tiles being fitted, locks and blinds ordered. sign for front ordered, first five senior volunteers signed up. Ready for student volunteers soon. Here is a mock-up of what it should look like (without the blinds) by Friday week:
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August 3rd 2013
Our high-rise neighbour has now been completely gutted and will be demolished by Safedem on September 1st. For safety reasons, the entire area has to be vacated for the day. Video to follow!
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August 1st 2013
The Companions' Centre has at last been handed over to Hospitaller Ltd by the contractors of GHA. We are now organising the fitting of a carpet, kitchenette, disabled toilet, cyber-café, fridge and furnishings.
We hope to be up and running on Monday 9th September.
The initial plan is:
Mondays and Thursdays:
10 a.m. - 12 noon: Jobs Club - for people needing help with writing their job history, registering with Government Gateway, JobCentre, email etc. Help with using computers and the internet will be given to anyone who needs it.
12.30 - 2 p.m. Lunch Club - all welcome to join us for a bowl of soup and sandwiches; there should be plenty of food for people to take away for their families to enjoy later.
3.30 - 5 p.m. Homework Club for local schoolchildren. You can use the computers and internet for research and there will be college students to help.