Shortroods Archives - Paisley Scotland

Paisley’s annual Halloween Festival returns on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October with a Dark Circus theme for 2019 promising plenty of chills and thrills for visitors.

One of the largest festivals of its kind in the UK, this year’s event promises to be the biggest and best yet with internationally acclaimed outdoor theatre specialists, Cirque Bijou, helping to transform the entire town centre into the perfect Halloween playground.

Paisley Halloween Festival - Big Grey

The two-day spectacular, which routinely attracts tens of thousands to the town, will serve up a whole host of frighteningly fun, free activities for everyone to enjoy with the entire town serving as the stage.

The main spectacle of the festival is the carnival-style Halloween Parade which takes place on the Saturday and will see more than 300 costumed performers and community groups led through the town by the sinister Svengali ringmaster. The parade has a new, extended route for 2019 taking over the entire town centre and will boast magnificent floats and ferocious fire performers, creepy clowns and curious creatures, along to thrilling live music.

Immediately following the parade, no matter where visitors are positioned around the town centre, there will be something to see or experience as a series of live acts and activities will restart.

Aerial artists, All or Nothing, will also perform their death-defying act ‘Into the Dark’, which will see the artists circle and swirl around the haunted carousel over the grounds of the town’s iconic Abbey.

Paisley Halloween Festival - Big Grey

A new addition to this year’s festival is the ticketed spooky silent disco. Held in the heart of the town the disco is sure to deliver plenty of dancing, singing and Halloween fun for all the family.

The weekend will offer plenty of opportunities to join in the fun with a range of family-focussed Halloween-themed arts and crafts activities and workshops including pumpkin carving. Street theatre acts and walkabout performances will pop up around the town centre featuring the likes of the Spark LED Drummers and Mr Wilson’s Second Liners as well as acrobatic and hula hoop artists. There will also be a creative craft trail in a number of local cafes where visitors can do everything from building a bug to creating their very own gargoyle from clay.

Louisa Mahon, Head of Marketing, Communications and Events at Renfrewshire Council, said: “The annual Paisley Halloween Festival is always a highlight in our events calendar. Our increasingly ambitious programme attracts thousands of visitors each year and is now regarded as one of the best events of its kind in the UK.

Paisley Halloween Festival - Big Grey

“The festival has really cemented the town’s position as a key destination for visitors and is great for the local economy, with last year’s event worth more than £1.9m to the town and attracting 34,000 people. This year we aim to attract even more visitors to enjoy fabulous performances taking place across the town from high wire acts to the spectacular parade, and to sample our great selection of cafes, restaurants and shops.”

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 for this year’s event.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “The Paisley Halloween Festival continues to go from strength to strength and it is hugely exciting to see it sporting its biggest ever programme for 2019. This year’s exciting and innovative programme will no doubt engage audiences of all ages with aerial performances, arts & crafts activities, outdoor street theatre and the stunning Halloween Parade. Scotland is the perfect stage for cultural events and the festival is a great boost for Paisley, drawing thousands of visitors and locals alike to the town centre to enjoy this spectacular annual celebration.”

To find out more about Paisley Halloween Festival please visit www.paisley.is/halloween

21/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

The skies above Paisley Abbey are set to be lit up with a dazzling fireworks display on Saturday 2 November.

Thousands are expected to don hats, scarves and gloves and head into Paisley town centre to watch the beautiful array of catherine wheels, rockets and sparklers on display backed by a soundtrack of popular 90s classic hits.

Gus from Pulse FM will welcome crowds with music and banter from 6.30pm before the fireworks get underway at 7pm lasting approximately 20 minutes.

Paisley’s winter events programme will continue with the town’s Christmas Lights Switch-On on Saturday 16 November. There will be plenty of Christmas family fun including Christmas Choir concerts, Santa’s Grotto and the chance to meet Santa’s reindeer. Visitors will also be able to enjoy exciting street artists, fantastic performances on the live stage and even head along to the festive roller disco.

The festive fun will also extend across Renfrewshire with Christmas Lights Switch-Ons in Renfrew on Saturday 23 November and Johnstone on Saturday 30 November. The town centre also sees the return of the WinterFest event from 23 November until 30 December, run by Paisley First, featuring an outdoor ice rink, LEGO Paisley Penguin Parade Trail and plenty of festive fun.

For more information about Paisley Fireworks Spectacular, visit: https://paisley.is/featured_event/paisley-fireworks-spectacular/

18/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

Laura Forbes had never fully been out of her wheelchair before participating in aerial workshops as part of this year’s Paisley Halloween Festival, but next week she will perform 100ft in the air in front of Paisley’s iconic Abbey alongside her Dirty Feet Dance Company family.

The Paisley-based Dirty Feet Dance Company aims to create opportunities for disabled and non-disabled people and carers to enjoy, express and fulfil their potential through dance. They have been working with professional performers from Scotland’s leading aerial dance company All or Nothing, on the ‘Into the Dark’ show which is taking place as part of this year’s Paisley Halloween Festival on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October.

During the workshops the group have been given the opportunity to take to the sky in special aerial harnesses to allow them to express themselves in the air.

Laura Forbes (40), joined Dirty Feet Dance Company in 2013 and this is the first time she has tried anything like this. She said: “I’ve never been fully out of the wheelchair before, when I get lifted in the harness it’s an amazing feeling, it’s freedom.

“Before I first went up in the air I was scared but after the first time in the harness I just loved it. It gives me a total sense of freedom out of my wheelchair. If there’s something I’ve learned from this experience it’s that I won’t let being scared stop me from trying something new.”

“I can’t wait for us all to perform at next week’s festival. When we all come together we can do anything and achieve anything – we’re all like family.”

Clare Easdon (37) has been a member of the group since 2006. She said: “It feels amazing when you’re up in the air. I know I’m a wheelchair user but I don’t feel disabled when I’m up there. Being part of Dirty Feet Dance Company lets me try new experiences – this is the first time I’ve ever done aerial and I love it. I think it’s amazing what we’re able to do as wheelchair users.”

During the workshops the performers are able to use either a full body or sitting harness attached to a pully rope system to give them the opportunity to see how their bodies react in the air.

Ruth Foster, Co-director of Dirty Feet Dance Company, said: “It gives the performers a real sense of weightlessness and allows them the chance to explore their range of motion in a new platform and artform which has been a great experience for everyone.

“It’s within their power how high to go. They can stay a few feet off the ground or can ascend all the way up to the ceiling. They are in complete control of their movements in the air.”

Marie Williamson, aerial instructor and performer at All or Nothing, said: “The system we use gives them the opportunity to stretch out and discover their movement for themselves.

“From my point of view it’s an incredible thing to be part of – what I can see them get from it is fantastic. They all have such great characters and a real ‘do it’ attitude. They are very determined to show what they can do. I think people will be surprised by what they’ll see.”

This is one of a series of workshops taking place as part of the Paisley Halloween Festival pairing professional performance companies with local community groups to give them the opportunity to learn new skills and be involved in the town’s major events programme.

The award-winning Paisley Halloween Festival is widely regarded as one of the best events of its kind in the UK. This year’s event takes on a Dark Circus theme and promises to be the biggest yet with internationally acclaimed outdoor theatre specialists, Cirque Bijou, helping to deliver an extended programme of performances to thrill, chill and enthral.

In addition to the daring aerial performances visitors will be captivated by the mass costumed parade through Scotland’s largest town featuring giant animated puppets, frightening floats and a cast of spooky circus characters. There will also be bizarre street theatrics, a ticketed silent disco and a fantastic array of family-friendly activities taking place in locations throughout the town centre over the two-day event.

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 for this year’s event.

18/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

Renfrewshire’s flagship environmental campaign Team Up to Clean Up has achieved national recognition at the COSLA Excellence awards.

The partnership campaign between the council and the local community took home top honours in in the ‘Strong and Sustainable Communities’ category, beating formidable projects from Stirling Council and Dundee City Council in the process.

The campaign has transformed local communities and injected a sense of pride into neighbourhoods across the area, with litter picks increasing by 474% in the first full year.

Through print, digital and social media promotion, the campaign has reached more than 4.4 million people to promote its key messages around litter, dog fouling, recycling and road cleanliness.

Stand out moments from the campaign have been the annual Big Spring Clean and Spotless September events, in which more than 4000 volunteers have taken part, the creation of children’s book The Clumps’ Big Mess, which was given to more than 14,000 pupils, and the Team Up to Clean Up caddies which give communities the tools to make a positive difference to their area.

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “I’m over the moon for everyone involved with the campaign that we’ve been recognised with a national award.

“It’s an award not only for the fantastic council staff who put their all into making this campaign a success, but for the community who volunteer their time and effort to make their neighbourhoods better.

“The campaign strives to make Renfrewshire a more attractive place to live, work and visit and this award shows that it is working, and local people are engaged with what we are trying to achieve.

“We’re going to build on our achievements so far and I can’t wait to work even closer with our communities to make Team Up to Clean Up successful for years to come.”

The COSLA Excellence Awards aim to recognise the best in local government and showcase those projects that are breaking new ground, with more than 200 projects nominated to the awards this year.

A COSLA spokesperson said: “Team Up to Clean Up and everyone at Renfrewshire Council should be proud of this achievement.

“‘Strong and Sustainable Communities’ has always been a difficult category to succeed in and the team were up against some well-established, innovative projects.

“What stood out about Team Up to Clean Up was that it both regenerated the local environment and managed its resources responsibly, all whilst making Renfrewshire a better place, to live, work and visit.”

The Team Up to Clean Up campaign forms part of a £2.5million investment across five years to make a real difference to the cleanliness of the streets in Renfrewshire and improve the local environment.

As well as the support from local communities, an enhanced programme of operational activity is underway to clean gullies, sweep the roads and repair the roads infrastructure to ensure the campaign is a joint approach between the council and its residents.

For more information and to find out how to get involved, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup.

14/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

Renfrewshire’s inspiring local heroes are set to be rewarded as nominations for the Provost’s Community Awards open for 2020.

provost awards

Anyone who lives or works in Renfrewshire is invited to nominate in any of the following six categories:

Community Volunteer (sponsored by Glasgow Airport Ltd)
Community Group (sponsored by City Gate Construction)
Sporting Achievement (sponsored by ACRE Industrial)
Employee of the Year (sponsored by UNISON Renfrewshire)
Carers Award (sponsored by former Provost Nancy Allison)
Arts and Culture Award (sponsored by Renfrewshire Council)

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron said: “It’s an honour to host the Community Awards again and take the opportunity to pay tribute to our local unsung heroes.

“I meet many people who really go the extra mile without looking for any reward or recognition in my role as Provost, but these awards come from the community themselves, demonstrating that the hard work these groups and individuals do is not going unnoticed.

“I can’t wait to read the nominations so don’t miss out on the chance to nominate and start sending them in now.”

The deadline for entries to all categories is Friday 6 December.

The Provost will be joined by the award sponsors and other local elected members to choose the winners who will be invited, along with their nominator, to the awards ceremony on Friday 13 March 2020 at the Normandy Hotel in Renfrew.

For more information, and to submit your nomination, visit http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/provostawards2020, email provostawards@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0141 618 7102.

11/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

Renfrewshire Council are recruiting for a number of nursery jobs across the area.

Laura Sheridan, who changed her career to work in early years says it means she is making a big difference to children’s lives.

Ferguslie ELCC Crafts 2Y9A9588

She said: “I started working in early years as a supply worker, but it wasn’t long before I gained a permanent post as an Early Learning and Childcare Officer (ELCO) at Glendee ELCC.

“Every day is different in a nursery and each child is an individual with their own ways of doing things. That’s why we provide them with a range of experiences and options at Glendee. We have a free-flow environment, which means the children can take part in the same experiences outdoors as they do indoors. They can choose where they want to go and what they want to do.

“Our centre has strong links with the local care home and groups of children visit the residents each week as part of their intergenerational learning. We also have a forest kindergarten that we visit to explore and learn about the natural world. These trips help children to develop team building and understand the risks in their environment.

“I’m also responsible for a group of children within the centre and I track their developmental milestones. If a child needs additional support, we will work with parents and outside agencies to make sure we have the right support in place for them.

“I’ve been working in early years for more than six years now and I love it. Making a difference in children’s lives is very important to me and I am so glad I changed my career to do it. I used to work in the travel industry, but I’ve always wanted to work with children. So, after my son was born, I decided to head off to college and get my HNC in Childhood Practice.

“You get paid well, have flexibility on when you can take your holidays and have a rewarding job. I’d recommend it to anyone who has a passion for children and their learning and development.”

To apply for either the Early Learning and Childcare Officer or Early Learning and Childcare Support Worker jobs, visit www.myjobscotland.gov.uk.

10/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

Volunteers, community groups, pupils and businesses have teamed up to remove more than 1000 bags of litter from Renfrewshire’s local environment.

A key part of Renfrewshire’s highly successful Team Up to Clean Up campaign, Spotless September saw 49 events held across the area and 931 volunteers take part to enhance their communities.

Litter picks were held in schools, by riverbanks, outside businesses, in parks and more as the local community joined forces to tidy their local area.

The campaign has sparked new community gatherings across Renfrewshire and the latest has been formed by Jenna Givens as she looks to clean up Gallowhill in Paisley.

Jenna said: “I’ve recently moved to the Gallowhill area and there is a real community spirit around here with volunteers coming out to help and more expressing an interest, I expect our fortnightly clean ups will become a growing movement.

“As ever my two children have a hugely positive impact and continue to do good and are still keen to make a difference, it’s very rewarding to see all those bags of litter piling up.

“The service from the wardens and StreetScene team is superb, always very reliable in dropping off and picking up on time, and I can’t wait to get back out there to Team Up to Clean Up.”

Renfrew White Cart Riverbnak and Nature Spot 2

Spotless September also saw the first Pooches in the Park event take place in Barshaw Park as the campaign aimed to raise awareness of the issue of dog fouling and encourage everyone to be responsible dog owners.

More than 40 people turned out in rainy conditions to show their support for the mile-long walk, which also saw an open training event from St Mirin Dog Training Centre to teach owners and dogs alike how to stay safe when out walking.

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Team Up to Clean Up campaign continuing to grow and develop and with almost a thousand volunteers taking part throughout September, we really are seeing the difference in our communities.

“It’s more important than ever that we take care of our local environment and it’s great to see volunteers young and old taking part in the campaign. I take pride in where I live and it’s important the next generation recognise that we need to all work together to make Renfrewshire an inviting place to live, work and visit.

“Spotless September may be over but the campaign continues on and I can’t wait to get back out there along with others who enjoy”

The Team Up to Clean Up campaign forms part of a £2.5million investment across five years to make a real difference to the cleanliness of the streets in Renfrewshire and improve the local environment.

As well as the support from local communities, an enhanced programme of operational activity is underway to clean gullies, sweep the roads and repair the roads infrastructure to ensure the campaign is a joint approach between the council and its residents.

For more information and to find out how to get involved, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup.

03/10/2019/by Brian McGuire

New football facilities, a music library and free bike repairs are just a few of the projects soon to be available for young people in Renfrewshire after the successful applications were announced for the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund.

43 projects were awarded a total of £150,000 in funding after almost 3500 young people cast more than 10,000 votes.

The successful projects were announced at a celebration event at the Tannahill Centre in Paisley which was attended by more than 100 young people and community partners from across Renfrewshire.

St Mirren Youth Football Club were successful in receiving the maximum £3000 to create a changing facility at the India Tyres park which help to get hundreds of budding footballers out onto the park.

Stephen Mann, St Mirren YFC Treasurer, said: “What this funding is going to do is allow our nine boys and five girls teams to be playing out of the Tyres hopefully from 2020.

“It’s really going to boost our club and make sure that more young people are going to be playing at the Tyres in the near future.”

Another successful project that received the maximum award was Erskine Music and Media, a Community Interest Company run by young people, for young people that provides services such as music tuition, PA hires, event filming and photography.

Catherine Coyle, Erskine Music and Media, said: “This funding will help us to create a new music library consisting of vinyl’s and CDs, as well as opening up lots of opportunities to go on trips, see new places and play gigs.

“In general, it is going to open a lot of doors for us and give us more opportunities in the musical world.”

Previously known as the Youth Challenge Fund, youth groups across Renfrewshire came together to form a steering group which facilitated the fund, as well as renaming it the ‘Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund – by young people, for young people’.

It allocated £150,000 to projects which will make a real difference to the local area, such as removing the barriers to participation or the stigma around mental health, with the maximum award to each project being £3000.

The funding was split by population between the seven Local Partnership areas of Renfrew; Inchinnan, Erskine, Bishopton and Langbank; The Villages; Johnstone and Linwood; Paisley North, West and Central; Paisley East and Gleniffer.

Councillor Michelle Campbell, Renfrewshire Council’s Young Persons Champion, said: “Through the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund, we’ve been able to give young people the opportunity to shape their communities how they would like to see them.

“If there is an activity or support that they feel is missing, this fund gives them the chance to create it and we will now support all applicants as best we can to ensure that their ideas come to fruition.

“Too often, young people feel they are outside of the decision-making process, but through the fund we have been able to award almost £150,000 directly to young people to help them improve their own and the lives of their peers in Renfrewshire by making the changes they know are needed.

“Congratulations to all the recipients of funding, now is your time to go make a difference.”

The successful applicants will now use their funding to develop their projects and will be provided with the support they need to progress their ideas into reality from the council’s Community Planning and Youth Services teams.

For more information and a full list of winning projects, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/celebratingrenfrewshire.

Adrian McKechnie, Chairperson of Renfrewshire Youth Voice, said: “I think this an amazing opportunity for young people to get involved in the decision making behind how money is spent.

“The projects that the funding is going to go towards, whether this is to affect change or put together programmes that they see the value in, I think that’s what’s at the core of participatory budgeting and what was at the core of the Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund was that it was young people in control of how that money was spent.”

The full list of winning projects and their funding awards are:

Erskine, Inchinnan, Bishopton & Langbank

Erskine Music & Media Studio – £3,000
Erskine Youth Council – £2,918.90
Lamont Farm Project – £3,000
Park Mains Community Sports Hub – £3,000
St Mirren Youth Football Club – £3,000
Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693.71
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £675.39

Gleniffer

Gleniffer High School (sports leaders) – £2,900
Gleniffer High School (gymnastics) – £2,500
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693.71
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £2,961.60
Lamont Farm Project – £3,000
Foxbar and Glenburn Outdoor Group (Club) – £3,000
Foxbar and Glenburn Outdoor group (Residential) – £805.69

Johnstone and Linwood

Johnstone High School – £1,890
Johnstone Castle Learning Centre – £3,000
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £2,961.60
Linstone Housing Association – £3,000
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
Linwood High School – £3,000
Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693.71
Youth Interventions Sco46578 – £3,000
Linwood, Johnstone and Gryffe Community Sport Hub – £151.69

Paisley East

St Andrew’s Academy PE Department – £3,000
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
CREATE Paisley (5 ways) – £2,964
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £2,961.60
Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693
Sport for Change – £1,475
Loud N Proud £3,000
CREATE Paisley (cafe) – £2,934
Alba Thistle BC 2003 – £1,500
Young Enterprise Scotland – Renfrewshire Area – £1,567.40

Paisley North, West and Central

Paisley YMCA – £3,000
Loud N Proud – £3,000
Mary Russell Youth Club – £1,100
Own Yer Bike – £2,980.35
Pals of the Privies – £3,000
Cameron Dance School – £2,600
CREATE Paisley (ambassadors) – £2,000
Kibble Education and Care Centre – £2,800
CREATE Paisley (5 ways) – £652.65

Renfrew

Renfrew High Pupil Leaders – £3,000
Young Ambassadors – £3,000
Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693.71
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
Renfrew YMCA SCIO – £639.66
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £2,961.60
Lamont Farm Project – £3,000
Young Enterprise Scotland – Renfrewshire Area – £1,362.03

The Villages

Renfrewshire Carers Centre – £1,693
Linwood, Johnstone and Gryffe Community Sport Hub – £3,000
Johnstone Burgh Football Club – £3,000
I Am Me Scotland – £3,000
Braehead Junior Ice Hockey Club – £372
Renfrewshire Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – £2,961.60
Lapwing Lodge Camp Staff – £2,500
Lamont Farm Project – £3,000
The Boys Brigade, Paisley & District Battalion – £1,000
Elderslie Youth Connect – £500
Young Enterprise Scotland – Renfrewshire Area – £2,500
Renfrewshire Effort to Empower Minorities – £82.40

27/09/2019/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

Involved in a Renfrewshire community group? Fancy coming along to some of the shows at this year’s Spree festival? Then be our guest!

Festival organisers Renfrewshire Council have teamed up with Engage Renfrewshire to offer a limited number of free tickets to local groups for this year’s festival, between 11 and 19 October.

We want as many people as possible to experience this exciting cultural event, especially those who may otherwise struggle to attend. This is a scheme we have successfully run in previous years.

How to get tickets

Just get in touch to tell us – in your own words – how your group would benefit from the experience.

Please email info@engagerenfrewshire.com with a short description of what your group does, why you would benefit from the experience, how many tickets are requested and for which event by Friday 27 September 2019.

You can see what is available for the main Spree shows and the Wee Spree shows for kids here.

Tickets are for service users/group members only, however if you require staff to support the group, please let us know.

We will try to accommodate your first choice of event where possible but may not be able to do so depending on demand and will allocate on a first come first served basis. Please indicate your second choice of event.

Here are some things people who came last year had to say:

“Had the best night, I really enjoyed myself and felt at ease with the group”

“I wasn’t going to come to the event, as quite nervous being out in public myself, but so glad I did”

“Really lifted my mood, had such a good night, singing along”

“I don’t get out often due to my difficulties…I had the most amazing night”.

“This is something I wouldn’t have been able to attend otherwise, thank you”.

24/09/2019/by Brian McGuire