Renfrewshire Council Archives

More than a hundred excited young people donned their Santa hats and picked up their litter picker as they made their community a little brighter ahead of the festive period.

Gryffe High, St Fillan’s Primary and Houston Primary

Pupils from Gryffe High, St Fillan’s Primary and Houston Primary took their minds off the upcoming festivities for just a minute as they joined forces to clean up the area around their schools.

There wasn’t any tinsel, baubles or wrapping paper to be found but the pupils made sure to collect every piece of litter possible to give the council’s StreetScene team an early Christmas present.

Colin Johnson, Gryffe High Head Teacher, said: “To see the joint efforts of Gryffe, St Fillan’s and Houston pupils was really something quite special.

“Tall and small took on the joint responsibility of supporting our local community, all with a smile on their face and a determination to make a difference.”

Members of local volunteer groups Houston Litter Crew and Brighter Bridge of Weir joined community police officers to lend a hand to the excited pupils.

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, joined in the fun and was delighted with the enthusiasm of the young volunteers.

Councillor McEwan said: “What a sight it was to see Santa hats bobbing up and down as the pupils set out to do their bit for their community.

“One of the main aims of the Team Up to Clean Up campaign is to educate our young people to know that dropping litter isn’t acceptable and taking care of the community is everyone’s responsibility.

“It’s refreshing to see how responsive the young people are to this message and how eager they are to get involved in the clean ups.

“We’ll continue to support them and allow them to lead from the front as we make Renfrewshire a cleaner, more attractive place to live and work.”

The litter picks are part of Renfrewshire’s successful Team Up to Clean Up campaign, which encourages local people to take pride in where they live and is backed by a £2.5million investment in road sweeping, gully clearing and litter picking.

More than 3500 volunteers have taken part since the campaign was launched in October 2017 and there has been a rise of over 400% in community litter picks as local people continue to show their support.

For more information on the campaign, including how you can get involved, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup or join the dedicated Facebook group at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/groups/teamuptocleanup.

17/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Events, Music, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Events, Paisley History, Paisley Photographs, Paisley Town Hall, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council, renfrewshire events, Renfrewshire Leisure

Bid to gather Buddies’ Town Hall memories

Paisley Town Hall has played a huge part in the lives of generations of Buddies.

Now a new project to gather people’s memories and photographs of the much-loved iconic building has been launched.

Renfrewshire Leisure wants to hear from anyone who has a special memory of the Town Hall whether it involved a dance or concert held there, a first date, wedding, formal dinner, graduation or a special event.

The Memories of Paisley Town Hall project is being run as the building is about to be closed at the end of this year for a major refurbishment, which will see it re-open in 2021 as a major venue attracting events and people to the town.

All you have to do is log on to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/townhallmemories and post your memories and pictures of the Town Hall. People can also pop into the Town Hall before it closes at the end of this month and complete a postcard.

Victoria Hollows, chief executive of Renfrewshire Leisure said: “While the Town Hall is closed we want to keep it alive in the hearts and minds of Paisley Buddies.

“We want to hear everyone’s Town Hall tales, from funny stories to how the building has played a part in their lives and memories of some of the shows and famous bands they have seen there.

“It’s well-known that music star Paolo Nutini was discovered by his first manager at Paisley Town Hall when he stepped in to give an impromptu performance on the stage while hundreds of teenagers were waiting for Fame Academy TV show winner, David Sneddon to appear. Were you there?”

Victoria added: “When we gather people’s stories and photographs we’ll publish them online so everyone can enjoy each others memories of the building over the generations.”

The refurbishment of the Town Hall is one of the key projects within Renfrewshire Council’s £100 million investment in venues and infrastructure over the next few years, as part of a wider plan to use the town’s unique heritage and cultural assets to transform its future.

16/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Paul McCartney returns to Glasgow for his first Scottish show in almost a decade today (Friday) and some talented local young people will be joining him on stage.

the beatles

The group from Paisley Grammar School have been selected to perform on stage at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow during the finale of Paul McCartney’s ‘Freshen Up’ show.

The twenty-four pupils from the school will join the Beatles legend to sing the chorus part of the Christmas classic ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ in front of a sold-out crowd of over 10,000 people.

Mollie Quinn, a third year pupil at the school said “We’re so excited to be given the opportunity to perform at the SSE Hydro. The whole group have been working really hard rehearsing.”

Second year pupil, Emma Loney added “It’s an amazing opportunity to be part of something special.”

Head of Expressive Arts at Paisley Grammar, Andrew Dickie said the pupils have been rehearsing very hard this week with only a couple of days’ notice to prepare. He added “To perform in the SSE Hydro in front of a sold-out crowd is a once in a lifetime opportunity – and a great way to end the term.”

Paul McCartney’s last concerts in London and Birmingham took place in 2015 and were part of his Out There world tour, which ran from 2013 – 2015. His last visit to Scotland was in 2010 at Hampden Park.

Education and Children’s Services Convenor, Councillor Jim Paterson said: “This is an incredible opportunity for our young people to be involved in a large-scale production – something that very few people ever get to experience.

“Opportunities like this really showcase the wealth of talent we have in our Renfrewshire schools and I wish all the pupils the very best of luck.”

14/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Enthusiastic community members are being encouraged to sign up for their nearest Local Partnership ahead of the deadline for applications.

Local Partnerships meeting

Enthusiastic community members are being encouraged to sign up for their nearest Local Partnership and have their say on the issues that matter locally.

The community representatives will be a key part of the new Local Partnerships, sitting alongside local elected councillors and representatives from the public sector and the voluntary sector.

They will help shape the discussion and debate at Local Partnership meetings, bring their expertise and local knowledge to decision making and provide an important link to local people.

Local Partnerships meeting

The closing date for membership applications is Friday 14 December.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “I’d encourage anyone who has a passion for their community to put their name forward to become a member of their Local Partnership.

“We want to achieve a range of views and give local people the opportunity to have their say on the issues that matter to them within their community.

Local Partnerships meeting

“It’s important that the opinions of local people are highlighted so get in touch and take this opportunity to make a difference.”

A series of community events have been taking place across Renfrewshire to introduce the new partnerships and to encourage people to become community representatives, with the first official meetings of the new partnerships set to take place in early 2019.

The seven new Local Partnerships take on the same boundaries as Community Councils and replace the previous five Local Area Committees, with membership being split evenly between local elected members and local community representatives.

The partnerships will work together to identify the priorities for the local community and representatives will have a key role in the allocation of funding to local voluntary and community groups.

For more information on the Local Partnerships and to submit your application to become a member, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/localpartnerships.

12/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Motorists in Renfrewshire are being asked to think before throwing litter onto the roadside.

More than 50 tonnes of litter has been collected from the roadside in the past six months following the introduction of a dedicated Rapid Response Team (RRT).

team up to clean up

Part of Renfrewshire Council’s successful Team Up to Clean Up campaign, the Roadside Litter RRT are tackling discarded litter on verges and pavements as part of a drive to improve the local environment.

They tackle roads, often in rural areas, which have been identified as hot spot areas and work to remove litter, as well as showing a visible presence in the area to discourage motorists from carrying it out in the first place.

The Roadside Litter team also work in tandem with another RRT who carry out daily patrols across Renfrewshire, tackling issues of fly tipping and working with local businesses to ensure they are disposing of their waste correctly.

Councillor Cathy McEwan, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, said: “I can’t stress how important it is that motorists think before throwing their rubbish out their window and onto the roadside.

“It is affecting the cleanliness, appearance and health of our local environment, as well as forcing our road workers to work at the side of busy roads to clear it.

“It may only be one piece of litter to you but when everyone does it, it can become a real problem and it is not acceptable.

“So take the initiative, keep your rubbish with you until you get home and together we’ll make Renfrewshire a cleaner, more attractive place to live and work.”

£2.5million has been allocated to Renfrewshire’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign over five years to allow an enhanced programme of gully cleaning, increased mechanical road sweeping, the replacement or removal of out of date street signage and an additional six community litter pickers.

The campaign also challenges the community to play their part and this has proved extremely successful with hundreds of community clean ups taking place throughout the area and more than 2500 volunteers taking part.

A number of high-profile businesses, including ThermoFisher, McDonalds and Diageo, have also shown their support for the campaign by undertaking litter picks of the local area with their staff.

For more information on the Team Up to Clean Up campaign and how to get involved, visit: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/teamuptocleanup.

12/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

The group from the Disability Resource Centre gathered alongside the artists and musicians from Brass Aye to see the flag raised

A group from the Disability Resource Centre had a flag they designed raised in County Square last week to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The group have been taking part in the Threadlines project which is part of Renfrewshire Council’s £4.5 million Townscape Heritage Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme 2 (TH.CARS2) and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and Renfrewshire Council.

The Threadlines project has been running since summer 2017 and has seen four visual artists collaborate with local community groups to create pieces of artwork that would be temporarily located in Paisley town centre, inspired by the town’s history in printed textiles.

The artists worked with the wood-work and photography groups at the Disability Resource Centre (DRC) to design and prototype two transportable printing presses, focusing on making the traditionally inaccessible printing presses in to something that could be adapted for use by individuals with varied additional support needs.

Musicians from Brass Aye

The photography group designed their own bespoke letters in clay which were photographed and then 3D printed into a letterset for the printing press, and the woodwork group used motifs from old looms and traditional printing presses to make a set of lino and foam cut shapes which could be used to print in their press.

Using the resources, the groups were able to print their own patterns and compositions which have inspired the design on the flag.

The artists wore custom Chore Coats designed using the prints made by the DRC

The flag was raised in County Square at midday on Monday 3 December, International Day of People with Disabilities, and will be lowered on Monday 10 December (today).

A group from the Disability Resource Centre gathered to see it raised, alongside the artists involved and members of the public. Musicians from Brass Aye? played as the flag was raised.

Rachel Walker, one of the artists working on the Threadlines project said: “Working with the individuals at the DRC was a really interesting and enlightening experience which will continue to inform the way we will work in collaboration with communities in Paisley, making sure we have a practice that will be inclusive of people with additional support needs.”

The artists who have been involved in Threadlines wore specially printed Chore Coats to the flag raising, designed using the prints made by the Disability Resource Centre groups.

Disability Resource Centre volunteer, Jacqueline Sorbie, says that all the participants enjoyed the experience of creating a flag for International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She said: “The project boosted morale within the centre and showed the participants how teamwork can help them achieve their main goal.”

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson added: “An important part of the TH.CARS2 project was to engage a diverse range of audiences with the heritage and culture of Paisley through learning and making. I’m pleased to see that the Threadlines project has achieved this and hope that the participants will benefit from the new skills they have learned.”

To find out more about the TH.CARS2 project, visit http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/THCars2

12/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Industry leaders have praised Paisley: The Secret Collection after it just missed out on the Cultural Project of the Year Award at the 2018 Architects’ Journal Architecture Awards

Paisley Secret Collection MFG

The project was ‘Highly Commended’ by the judges for the inventive nature of its aim to revitalise the high street by bringing the area’s historic collections to life.

Scooping the top prize was the third phase of works to remodel Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre which saw the refurbishment of its basement into an open performance studio capable of hosting a range of events from comedy to jazz.

stella-shabti

Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Convener of Renfrewshire Leisure, said: “The Secret Collection has been a fantastic addition to Paisley as we aim to transform our High Street and bring people into the area.

“The collection includes some of Paisley’s world-famous textiles, plus a mix of ceramics, world cultures, social history, art and sculpture, natural history and local archives – with many of those items unseen by the general public in decades or longer.

“It’s fantastic that everyone involved with this wonderful project has received industry recognition as it really is one of Renfrewshire’s hidden gems and I would encourage everyone to take the time to visit and see the outstanding exhibits.”

Paisley Secret Collection MFG

Paisley: The Secret Collection is the first publicly accessible museum store on a UK High Street and contains thousands of objects which reflect Renfrewshire’s amazing heritage and culture.

The state-of-the-art storage facility is a space where everyone can explore, learn, research and discover hidden treasures in the collection.

Brought to life by Collective Architecture, the project was a key highlight of the work they have carried out transforming buildings using modest budgets to achieve maximum impact.

Ewan Imrie, Project Architect, said: “We are absolutely delighted that this project has gained national recognition through the Architects’ Journal Awards.

“The judges recognised the vision and bravery of the client in placing this precious facility within a very difficult central site, so that it is both accessible and a catalyst for regeneration.

“They were also very impressed by the creative and collaborative working relationship that developed between ourselves and Renfrewshire Council which allowed a bleak former shop unit to be converted into a hidden jewel on the High Street.”

The Secret Collection was one of several successful projects which saw Collective take home the coveted prize of Architect of the Year at the Awards ceremony.

Councillor Hughes added: “Collective brought imagination and an inspired sense of style to what could have been a purely functional space.

“They also had an enormous commitment to getting every detail right in a complex state of the art facility and we’re delighted that their work on the project has been recognised in this way.”

The Secret Collection is open to the public and free guided tours should be booked in advance.

For more information on The Secret Collection, visit www.renfrewshireleisure.com/thesecretcollection

10/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Museum, Paisley Photographs, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Leisure

Eric Grounds to lead Paisley Museum’s Capital Appeal

One of the UK’s most prolific fundraising directors has been appointed to lead Paisley Museum’s £5million Capital Appeal Campaign.

Eric Grounds will take up his role as Capital Appeal Director in the new year.

Eric Grounds

Eric has directed more than 90 successful Capital Appeals across the UK, including a £35million campaign for Marie Curie and a £350million appeal for the defence National Rehabilitation Centre in Warwickshire.

He has also directed a range of heritage and cultural appeals, including successful campaigns for the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Highland Clearances Project and the Roses Charitable Trust in Mull.

Mr Grounds, who is a fellow of the Institute of Fundraising, said: “I’m very excited to be leading the Capital Appeal for Paisley Museum.

“Paisley is a fantastic town and its people are its greatest asset. This project will transform Paisley Museum into an international attraction that celebrates the town’s unique culture and heritage. We want everyone to get behind this project so we can show the world what Paisley has to offer.”

Work is already underway to transform Paisley Museum, which closed its doors last month, into a world-class tourist destination.

Redesigned by world-renowned architects AL_A, the new museum will house Paisley’s internationally significant art, science and natural history collections and tell the story of the Paisley Pattern and the town’s time as a centre of global textile industry.

Paisley is known around the world thanks to the iconic pattern which bears its name and the revamped museum will gives visitors access to the world’s largest collection of Paisley shawls and pattern books. Part of the collection is currently on display at Dundee’s new V&A Museum.

The museum is expected to attract 125,000 visits a year when it reopens in 2022 and boost Paisley’s economy by £72million over 30 years.

The £42million museum transformation is part of a £100million investment in Paisley’s cultural venues and public realm, led by Renfrewshire Council, which is set to put the town firmly on the cultural tourism map. The Capital Appeal Campaign will raise £5million for the museum project, which has already secured funding from the Council, the Scottish Government Capital Grant Regeneration Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Renfrewshire Council is currently in the process of setting up Paisley Museum Reimagined Ltd, a new fundraising company which will oversee the project’s fundraising strategy and Capital Appeal. An application to give the company charitable status has been submitted to the Office of Scottish Charity Regulator.

Council Leader Iain Nicolson, Chair of the Paisley City of Culture Partnership Board, said: “We are delighted to welcome Eric as our new Capital Appeals Director.

“Eric brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and tremendous enthusiasm and energy to the team, and with his leadership of our Capital Appeal Campaign we will deliver our vision for Paisley Museum.”

06/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

Six schools from Renfrewshire and one from East Renfrewshire took part in the annual Intergenerational Quiz last week, organised by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

Winners Fordbank Flames

The event, held at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley, sees a team from each school matched up with a group of older people to go head to head in a quiz featuring everything from sport and history to general knowledge and music.

The teams for 2018 were:

Fordbank Flames – Fordbank Primary School and Johnstone Seniors Forum/Altpatrick Sheltered Housing
Ralston Rebels – Ralston Primary School and Ralston Day Centre
Newmains Renfrew Rainbows – Newmains Primary School and Renfrew Day Centre
Mossy Monkeys – Mossvale Primary School and Springbank Sheltered Housing
Todholm Turtles – Todholm Primary School and Springbank Sheltered Housing
SJO Sharks – St.John Ogilvie Primary School and Glentanar Court Sheltered Housing
Neilston Brainboxes – Neilston Primary and Kirkton Services

The teams meet regularly in advance of the quiz to learn from each other, as well as learning new things that will help them on the day. The project aims to break down the barriers and stigmas between the generations and help build relationships which continue after the event has taken place.

This year’s quiz came down to a tough tie-break between the Todholm Turtles and the Fordbank Flames, with Fordbank pulling ahead to be crowned the overall winner.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Lorraine Cameron was on hand to give out the trophies. She said “The Intergenerational Quiz is one of my favourite events. The atmosphere is always fantastic with both old and young alike getting involved in the fun.

“I especially love the dancing round, where we were entertained this year by some fabulous routines to the ‘Macarena’ and ‘Baby Shark’.

”It’s inspiring to see the relationships that form between the generations and I can’t wait to hear what else the participants get up to.”

06/12/2018/by Brian McGuire

REVELLERS can put the fizz into their Christmas party night with a special offer from Renfrewshire Leisure.

A special ‘Four 4 Fizz’ ticket deal is being offered for a fabulous Christmas Party Night featuring tribute band, Could It Be Take That, being held from 7pm to 1am, on Friday, December 21 at Johnstone Town Hall.

Anyone buying four tickets for the show will be charged £20 per ticket with a free bottle of fizz thrown in to help get the party started. Individual tickets are £27 each.

The night begins with a red carpet entrance, bubbly, a delicious three-course meal and entertainment from Scotland’s one and only Take That tribute band, followed by a glittering disco.

Victoria Hollows, Renfrewshire Leisure’s chief executive said: “This is a great deal for family, friends and work colleagues to get together and enjoy a fun, festive night out.”

Call the box office on 0300300 1210 to book your ‘Four 4 Fizz’ tickets.

06/12/2018/by Brian McGuire