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Jennifer learns sign language – and not just for the hear and now

JENNIFER Wilkie fears that one day she will be completely deaf.

But the 29-year-old from Paisley is determined that if and when that day comes she’ll be prepared and still be able to communicate.

Jennifer has joined Renfrewshire Leisure’s Sign Language Club, which meets several times a week at Paisley Arts Centre.

She is joined by dozens of other people who want to learn British Sign Language (BSL) in a fun and relaxing way.

An Early Years Excellence and Equity Lead, at a local children’s centre, Jennifer explains:

“My main reason for learning BSL is to prepare me for the day I don’t have any hearing at all.

“I have profound hearing loss that is helped by two hearing aids, which I use every day and I can’t function without them.

“My hearing has slowly become worse over the years and there is no way of knowing if I will lose all my hearing and when this might happen.”

She continues: “It became apparent when I was young that I had hearing problems, but no one knows what has caused my deafness.

“I joined the Sign Language Club so I can communicate with people if my hearing ever goes completely. My mum comes to the club with me and we both pass on what we have learned to our family, so if the day ever comes that I am completely deaf, they will be able to communicate with me as well.”

Jennifer is urging other people to join the Sign Language Club and learn BSL from profoundly deaf tutor Graham Dow and BSL qualified David O’Rorke.

She says: “I would encourage everyone to come along and learn BSL. It’s such an essential skill to have to allow everyone to communicate and to lessen the barriers for deaf people.

“Graham and David who run the classes are very motivational, but make the classes very relaxed for everyone. The have inspired me to learn even more about sign language and I want to go on to gain a BSL qualification”

A new family BSL group has recently been started at Paisley Arts Centre, every Saturday, between noon and 1pm. Beginners meet on a Saturday, between 11am and noon and a Monday between 7pm and 8pm. The intermediate group meets on a Monday between 6pm and 7pm.

Anyone interested in coming along to the Sign Language Group should contact Emma Armstrong, on 0300 300 1210.

02/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

For the first time, this year’s Paisley Halloween Festival will feature a spooky silent disco where party-goers can show off their best Monster Mash and Thriller dance moves.

Part of the award-winning annual festival, taking place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October, the open-air silent disco, delivered by Silent Knights, is a family-friendly activity promising plenty of dancing, DJs, singing and a whole lot of Halloween fun.

Taking place in the heart of the town in Dunn Square, there will be a series of 40-minute sessions for families and festival-goers to head along to over the two-day event. They will be provided with wireless headphones and can select their tunes of choice.

There will also be two relaxed disco slots suitable for those with additional support needs and their families and carers. During these time slots the music will be turned down in the headphones and there will be more room to dance around. These sessions will take place on Friday from 5pm to 5.40pm and Saturday 2pm to 2.40pm. A walk-in Sensory Safe Space will also be available in the POP store in the Piazza Shopping Centre during the festival. This will be a relaxed space specially created for individuals with additional support needs and their carers.

Event DJs will be spinning tracks over three channels from Halloween hits to classic Ibiza dance anthems and pro-dancers will be on hand with classic dance moves that will keep everyone moving all day long.

The festival is being delivered in partnership with acclaimed outdoor theatre specialists, Cirque Bijou. There will be plenty of opportunities for people to join in the fun with a huge range of Halloween-themed activities including the dark circus style Halloween parade, aerial performances, workshops, street theatre and musical performances, scary movie screenings, live stage acts, creepy installations and a Halloween Fun Fair.

Louisa Mahon, Head of Marketing, Communications and Events at Renfrewshire Council, said: “The popular Paisley Halloween Festival is one of the most highly anticipated events in Renfrewshire’s annual calendar. Every year it gets bigger and bolder and this year is no exception.

“The Silent Disco is sure to be another exciting addition to the creative programme, drawing festival-goers right into the heart of Paisley town centre and offering a fantastic, fun, family experience.

“The support of partners like EventScotland has helped us grow our ambitious major events programme and establish the town as one of Scotland’s key cultural destinations in recent years. We look forward to continuing to deliver top class events in Renfrewshire in the future.”

The Paisley Halloween Festival, which was supported in 2018 through the Year of Young People event fund, was awarded £16,950 of National Programme funding from EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate for this year’s event.

The Silent Disco is accessible for all abilities and is recommended for ages 4 and over but all ages are welcome. Under 2s do not require a ticket but cannot be provided with headphones.

Tickets are on sale now and cost £5 for adults and £3 for kids (under 14 years old). A family ticket (two adults and two kids) is available for £14. Prices include booking fees.

To book tickets for the Paisley Halloween Festival Silent Disco please visit: www.paisley.is/discover/silentdisco/. To find out more about the event please visit www.paisley.is/halloween.

26/09/2019/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Braehead, Events, Music, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley Events, Paisley Photographs, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, renfrewshire events, Renfrewshire Leisure, Volunteers

NEW MULTI-ARTS FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN PAISLEY IS LAUNCHED

PAISLEY YOUTH ARTS FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE FROM 3-15 SEPTEMBER 2019

Paisley Youth Arts Festival – a brand new multi-arts festival for young people in Paisley – has been launched today (Wednesday 21st August 2019). The festival will run from 3-15 September 2019 and will feature over 50 events taking place in venues around the town centre, attracting up to 6000 young people from Paisley, Renfrewshire and beyond.

The project is one of the initiatives to come out of the Paisley 2021 legacy’s focus on youth arts events and is an independent project by local partners: Create Paisley; Erskine Music and Media Studio; Outspoken Arts Scotland, PACE, Renfrewshire Leisure and University of West of Scotland (UWS).

The festival will feature gaming, virtual reality, workshops for skills knowledge and pathways, podcasts, exhibitions, talent showcases, live music, open mic nights, parties and much more. There are three strands to the programme: Kids (age 5-12 year olds); Teens (age 13-18) and Young Adults (18-25 year olds).

Renfrewshire Leisure have programmed an evening of cool new bands and rising talent featuring: Man of Moon, Tiny Murder, Ghost Baby, Lunir + others. Fresh from a summer tour, taking in Kelburn Garden Party, Belladrum, King Tut’s and the Outwith festival, the formidable Man of Moon bring their juggernaut of sound to Paisley. On the night they will be joined by up-and-coming Tiny Murder, who will bring their unique cinematic dream pop to the audience one of the most talented young groups to come from Renfrewshire, the unmissable Ghostbaby and electronic duo, Lunir. Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/man-of-mon-tiny-murder-ghostbaby-tickets-67009504231

Outspoken Arts Scotland’s programme for the festival will celebrate women in music with a full evening of folk, acoustic, singer-songwriters, unique and original talent at UWS. The event will feature Paisley’s very own Carol Laula, who will perform with her band in this female-focused, variety-packed music extravaganza, presenting a full and fabulous set of her own whilst introducing some exciting women in music showcasing songs old and new. Featuring: Jordan Stewart; Lisa Kowalski; Mandulu & Hephzibah; Marina Rolink; Erskine Music & Media; PACE Youth Theatre Choir + other acts tba. Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carol-laula-band-guests-celebrating-women-in-music-tickets-67457775021

PACE Rep Company present four shows: Little Wings, fresh from Edinburgh Festival; The Diary of Anne Frank; Avalanche and Sad Eyes to Smile With by performance poet, Ink Asher Kemp. PACE will also be running workshops in acting, directing and performing skills. All events take place at The Wynd on School Wynd. Tickets available here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/pacetheatre

POP at The Piazza shopping mall in Paisley town centre will be the festival hub and will feature a variety of events including: a Retro Gaming Zone with a chance to play some of the classic platform games over each weekend; The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging – a visual art installation by artist, Toby Messenger; a live Scottish video games podcast from The Nearly Men; an Open Mic Session by Erskine Music and Media Studio and a Zero Waste origami wallet/purse making workshop hosted by ReMode. Create Paisley will run a young creators relaunch party and art workshops for: paper and ipad; poster printing and giant string arts.

Erskine Music and Media Studio will present: ‘Intro 2021‘- a compilation album featuring young up-and-coming artists aged between 12-25 from within Renfrewshire. The album will be launched at Comicrazy in Paisley with vinyl available to purchase at the event. This is a family-friendly free event celebrating the exciting local music scene in Renfrewshire.

University of West of Scotland’s Student Union in Storie Street will host their Freshers’ Finale UV Paint Party; The Big Quiz; A White T shirt party club night; a karaoke night; a ceilidh and whisky tasting and a silent disco.

The Fourth Wall is a virtual reality experience by John M Walter, part of 131st Annual Exhibition of Paisley Art Institute in the old Co-Op unit in The Piazza.

Quotes from Erskine Music and Media Studio; UWS and Renfrewshire Leisure to follow.

Steven Thomson, Creative Director, Outspoken Arts Scotland, commented: “The team at Outspoken Arts Scotland are absolutely delighted that Paisley Youth Arts Festival has truly emerged as a shining example of collaboration and partnership with other key youth organisations in the area and as a direct outcome of all of our efforts in the bid legacy from Paisley 2021 UK City of Culture.”

For further information and to see the full programme: http://youthartsfestival.co.uk/

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @pyaf19

04/09/2019/by Brian McGuire

Venues all over Renfrewshire are preparing to throw open their doors and invite people to delve deeper into their history.

Doors Open Days – Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment, old and new – takes place this weekend, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September.

Open Doors at Renfrewshire. 8.9.18

More than 50 buildings across Renfrewshire – many of which do not normally allow access to what’s going on behind the scenes – will welcome people of all ages, and share interesting stories on Renfrewshire’s history and heritage.

Activities will take place in Paisley, Renfrew, Linwood, Johnstone, Lochwinnoch, Kilbarchan, Bridge of Weir, Houston, Erskine and Inchinnan.

New venues introduced across Renfrewshire this year include – Brediland Allotments, Grow in Glenburn, Fountain Gardens, PACE, Paisley Florist Society Gardening Club, Renfrewshire Witch Hunt Experience, Wellmeadow Bowling Club, Renfrew Association of Growers & Gardeners, Renfrew Police office, Renfrew North Parish Church and Johnstone Credit Union.

A group of intrepid individuals will also be going underground on a tour of Paisley’s medieval Abbey Drain. Places on this year’s tour were decided by a ballot.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Doors Open Day nationally, with more than 1000 buildings set to open across the country.

Open Doors at Renfrewshire. 8.9.18

Renfrewshire Provost Lorraine Cameron will be visiting a few of the venues on Saturday.

Provost Cameron said: “Doors Open Days is a weekend full of learning and fun and it’s always great to see people of all ages taking part.

“To have more than 50 venues signed up to take part this year is fantastic, and I’m looking forward to hearing interesting stories about our history and heritage that will inform our future.

“Major events like this are great for the local economy as they get people out and about and spending money locally. I hope that people of all ages take time out this weekend to get involved.”

Doors Open Days is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and is part of European Heritage Days supported by Historic Environment Scotland.

Visitors are being encouraged to share their Doors Open Days photos on social media using #DODSCOT

A full list of venues can be viewed online at https://paisley.is/featured_event/renfrewshire-doors-open-days/

For a look forward to what’s coming up across Renfrewshire visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/events or www.paisley.is

02/09/2019/by Brian McGuire

THERE’S something for everyone to enjoy between now and the end of the year in the new series of shows, performances and events being staged by Renfrewshire Leisure.

The latest free edition of The Guide – the indispensible almanac for lovers of music, theatre and all things entertainment locally – has just been published.

The booklet covers a veritable compendium of comedy, music, family events, thought-provoking theatre performances, dance, talks, film, panto and even Christmas Party nights.

Highlights of the coming months contained in The Guide include a host of events from the upcoming Paisley Youth Arts Festival and the annual Spree Festival.

Morag Macpherson, Renfrewshire Leisure’s Head of Cultural Services Renfrewshire Leisure said: “We have a brilliant independent, dynamic youth arts scene, so expect the best from Paisley’s inaugural Youth Arts Festival in September.

“Young people and their grown ups have some beautifully crafted theatre to look forward to, with Anonymouse and Eaten at Paisley Arts Centre, WhirlyGig, at Foxbar Community Centre, and Stick By Me at Johnstone Town Hall as just a few examples.

“People can experience the best in touring theatre, including Company Chordelia and Stellar Quines, and don’t miss contemporary dance piece The Box by Julia James-Griffiths.”

The Guide can be picked up from Paisley Arts Centre, Renfrew and Johnstone Town Halls and Linwood’s Tweedie Hall, or it can be downloaded from www.renfrewshireleisure.com .

To book any of the events featured in The Guide, log on to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/whats-on or call the Box Office on 0300 300 1210 or visit Paisley Arts Centre, in New Street, Paisley.

30/08/2019/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Events, Music, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley Events, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Leisure

Independent Arts Projects presents Eaten by Mamoru Iriguchi

Independent Arts Projects presents

Eaten by Mamoru Iriguchi

The award-winning performance artist, Mamoru Iriguchi, is back out on tour this autumn with Eaten, a show for children aged 6yrs+ about food, eating and being eaten!

What if your food started talking back? Meet Lionel McLion. He’s just eaten a human called Mamoru. But Lionel hasn’t chewed his food well. So Mamoru’s alive and well in his stomach, and now wants to say hello. A strange friendship between the eater and the eaten starts to grow. Eaten invites children to the fascinating world of food chains and digestion.

“Whimsical hi-jinks” The Herald ★★★★ “Big Cuddly and Clever” The Times ★★★★ “Daringly inventive” The Stage ★★★★

Donning a lion costume, Mamoru simultaneously plays the roles of the eater (Lionel the lion who dreams of being a vegetarian) and the eaten (Mamoru the human who loves meat) resulting in a dialogue about food between the predator and his prey, locked in one body.

With a surrealist and humorous storyline, Iriguchi, together with director Ivor MacAskill and co-performer Suzi Cunningham, invite children and grown-ups to the fascinating world around food: eating, being eaten, digesting, defecating and everything in-between and beyond, in nature and on our dining tables. Eaten encourages young audiences and adult audiences to carefully examine what they eat and re-think their relationship with food and nature.

Paisley Arts Centre

Sun 15 Sep | 2pm | £4

0300 300 1210 | renfrewshireleisure.com/whats-on

BSL interpreted performance

27/08/2019/by Brian McGuire

Intrepid members of the public are being given the chance to experience a piece of medieval archaeology up close in celebration of Renfrewshire’s history and heritage.

Ope Doors at Renfrewshire. 8.9.18

To mark Doors Open Days 2019, experts from Guard Archaeology will lead guided tours of the historic Abbey Drain on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September.

Ope Doors at Renfrewshire. 8.9.18

The expedition down the drain follows on from the success of the tours as part of Doors Open Days 2018 – and as places on the tours will be in high demand, spaces will be allocated via a ballot.

The 100m long underground passageway, thought to be more than 700 years old, was unearthed in the 19^th century and rediscovered in the 1990s.

This summer, an eight-week excavation – the Big Dig – unearthed a well-preserved 14^th century archway marking where and how the drain met the River Cart, around three metres from the banks of the present-day river.

Archaeologists can now pinpoint the end of the drain and the boundary wall of the monastery, which informs what we already know about the infrastructure and layout of medieval Paisley.

The dig was managed by Renfrewshire Council, run by Guard Archaeology with help from Renfrewshire Local History Forum volunteers, and supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron said: “The Abbey Drain tour is a very exciting opportunity for anyone interested in Paisley’s architecture, archaeology and heritage to experience a medieval structure first-hand.

“I’ve been into the inner workings of the drain myself and it was a fascinating experience.

“There will be plenty going on all over Renfrewshire as part of Doors Open Days. I would encourage people of all ages to get out and about across the weekend and support local businesses while learning more about our heritage and culture.”

To be in with a chance of going down the drain, visit https://paisley.is/listing/win-a-tour-of-the-great-medieval-drain-in-paisleys-abbey-close/ and fill out the ballot form. The ballot will close on Friday 23 August.

Tours will run between 10am and 4.30pm on both Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September.

Participants must be aged 12 or above.

08/08/2019/by Brian McGuire

Renfrewshire community groups are being invited to take centre stage at Paisley’s Halloween Festival…by joining the spooktacular parade.

paisley haloween parade 2020

The award-winning festival – the biggest of its kind in Scotland and one of the UK’s must-see Halloween events – will take over Paisley town centre on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October.

The event – run by Renfrewshire Council – is being supported by EventScotland as part of their National Programme funding, which will allow an extended programme of outdoor performances.

Last year’s festival was the biggest yet – with 34,000 visitors to Paisley and worth more than £1.9m to the local economy.

paisley haloween parade 2020

This year’s event will have a theme of ‘dark circus’ – with the parade co-ordinated by internationally-acclaimed performance specialists Cirque Bijou, who want school and community groups to work with them in the run-up to the event and take part in the parade on the day.

They are looking for people to take part in carnival workshops and street theatre, dance and musical performances. Any interested groups should contact events@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Julian Bracey, artistic director of Cirque Bijou, said: “We are really excited to be part of this year’s celebrations. We have some amazing workshop leaders and are looking for local schools, groups and individuals to work with to make this years festival the spookiest yet.”

Louisa Mahon, Renfrewshire Council’s head of marketing, communications and events, said: “We are proud of how our Halloween Festival has grown to become the biggest of its kind in Scotland and an event with UK-wide profile.

“But we are also proud of the way it allows the many talented community and youth groups in Renfrewshire to work with and be inspired by artists of national standing. Our local groups will love working with the talented team at Cirque Bijou and help make this year’s parade as colourful and lively a spectacle as ever.”

The full programme for this year’s festival is currently being finalised and will be announced in August – along with changes to the event site for this year.

The Halloween Festival is one of the top dates within Renfrewshire’s major events programme, which brought 160,000 attendees and a £4.7m economic impact into the area in 2018 alone.

For more information on Halloween and all local events, see www.paisley.is

18/07/2019/by Brian McGuire

A crowd of thousands enjoyed an all-day family spectacular of parades, performances and pyrotechnics as one of the world’s oldest workers’ festivals took over Paisley town centre on Saturday.

The annual Sma’ Shot Day event turned the town into a hub of activity as the sun shone, with more than 50 events taking place across 20 outdoor stages and venues.

Sma Shot Day 2019

The event – which celebrates the victory of Paisley’s weavers in a 19^th-century industrial dispute – celebrates the town’s rich textile heritage and had the theme ‘let’s party like its 1856’.

The fun began with the colourful parade – featuring colourful characters, floats and costumes and led by the Charleston Drum – from Brodie Park to the town centre.

This year’s event was taking place in a new event site in the streets around the town’s historic Sma’ Shot Cottages.

Sma Shot Day 2019

Huge crowds gathered at Paisley Arts Centre for the spectacular pyrotechnic Burning of the Cork, featuring an effigy of one of the middlemen who demanded payment from the town’s weavers for the Sma’ Shot – the unseen thread which held together the Paisley Patterned shawls.

The outdoor stages saw performances from groups including PACE Youth Theatre, Right2Dance, Starlight Music Theatre and a drumming finale from the Charleston Drummers School of Rock.

Families enjoyed kids’ activities including an outdoor beach, circus skills and carnival workshops in the streets around New Street, Shuttle Street and Brown’s Lane

The pubs and clubs along Shuttle Street opened their doors for the day to join in the fun – with The Bungalow hosting a family ceilidh with local group Fèis Phàislig and kids workshops in Faction nightclub.

Local businesses across the town have been throwing open their doors for the Creative Craft Trail, with designers from Renfrewshire’s InCube creative business incubator showing off their skills at various venues around the town today and tomorrow.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron, who joined the parade on the day, said: “Once again, there was a wonderful family atmosphere along the parade route and at the event itself as we celebrated this important part of Paisley’s heritage.

“The new event site worked really well and helped spread the activity and benefits throughout the town centre.

“We were delighted this year to work with many of the pubs, shops and cafes to make them venues for event activity and drive footfall directly through their doors.”

Sma’ Shot Day is part of Renfrewshire Council’s major events programme which last year brought around 160,000 attendees and an economic boost of around £4.7m to Renfrewshire.

07/07/2019/by Brian McGuire

The Sma’ Shot celebration always takes place on the first Saturday in July – to mark the time of year when the weavers and their families would traditionally take their holidays.

This year will be no different – everyone is invited to join the annual party this Saturday 6 July from 12 noon to 5pm. And with almost 50 events taking place across 20 different venues, this year’s celebration promises to be the best yet!

Festivities will get underway at noon as the colourful parade leaves Brodie Park, heading for Paisley Arts Centre led by the tuck of the Charleston Drum. The parade this year will feature local groups, performers, spectacular floats and giant puppets, all co-ordinated by parade specialists Bridgeman Arts.

2019 will also see Sma’ Shot Day return to its roots, quite literally, by moving to the streets around the historic Sma’ Shot Cottages in Paisley’s town centre; with Shuttle Street, New Street, Witherspoon Street and Brown’s Lane all set to come alive with music, theatre, poetry, crafts and lots of family-friendly activities.

Amongst these activities there will of course be the Burning of the Cork (1.20pm within the grounds of Paisley Arts Centre) which sees the ‘Corks’ – the middlemen between the owners and the weavers – meet their fate at the hands of the working weavers in spectacular fashion. Right2Dance will deliver a short pre-Burning of the Cork performance with live music in front of Paisley Arts Centre at 1.15pm.

Plus, there will be lots of opportunities to learn a new craft at a series of artists workshops taking place all over Paisley. Follow the Creative Craft Trail for mural painting, jewellery making, embroidery and loads more.

The Sma’ Shot Cottages will also be open 12 noon til 5pm for your chance to see what life was really like for the weavers in the 19th century. Catch a guided tour and watch live weaving demonstrations with Paisley Museum’s textiles expert, Dan Coughlan. We also recommend a trip to Paisley Thread Mill Museum to complete your weaving experience on the industry’s most celebrated day of the year.

Download the Paisley.is handy event map and start planning your day!

04/07/2019/by Brian McGuire