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GILDEAS TEAM ATTENDING CHARITY’S OFFICIAL LAUNCH

Many of the Gildeas team is attending a fundraising concert for a Scottish charity focused on cancers of the head and neck.

Helen Johnston, our head of finance, is a supporter of TRACTion Cancer Support, which aims to raise awareness of cancers of the head and neck which include cancers affecting the pharynx, larynx, thyroid and oesophagus.

Helen had a laryngectomy in 2016 and is all too aware of the challenges faced by individuals who fall victim to these cancers, particularly young people who may feel isolated as a result, and those close to them.

In addition to raising awareness of the symptoms of these cancers and the challenges faced by sufferers, TRACTion also aims to improve the standard of care available and establish a support network.

The charity has been active since 2017 but will officially launch on Saturday March 2 at Paisley Abbey when it hosts the Outspoken Jazz Event with a performance of the Peter Edwards Trio and the Laryngectomy Choir.

Tickets for the event cost £5 and you can purchase them from https://helmtickets.com/events/3300/outspoken-jazz-event-laryngectomy-choir or by contacting Liz Grant on 07711 001502 or liz.grant6111@gmail.com or call 07711 001 502. All proceeds will go to TRACTion Cancer Support.

You can find out more about Traction Cancer Support at their website – http://www.tractioncancersupport.org/

20/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Business, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire

Working group set up to review parking in Paisley

Businesses, private car park operators and shopping centres will join council officers and elected members as part of a new working group to review town centre parking in Paisley.

Following a report to the most recent full Council Board, the new group has been set up to consider the current parking provision and identify any possible improvements.

The group will work with all partners to enhance parking in the town centre for the benefit of local businesses, while taking into consideration the financial and legal implications of a change to parking restrictions.

Paisley town centre has over 2100 car parking spaces, of which the council controls 1240, and the working group will strive to identify ways to make it easier for people to visit and park in the town centre.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “We want to encourage more people to visit Paisley to increase footfall for our local businesses and ensuring that parking is available is one way to make this happen.

“The new working group will bring together all the key partners to ensure we gain a breadth of views and all possible ideas are brought to the table, while most importantly making the right decisions for the benefit of the area.

“Through these discussions, we aim to find ways to encourage more people to visit the town centre and we will look at all possible improvements to entice people to visit Paisley.

“We are always happy to engage with local partners, and especially with our local businesses, to make positive changes and the working group will allow the best provision for the town centre to be identified and implemented.”

Plans have also been agreed to introduce 26 electric charging points in four public car parks in the town centre, following a successful submission for funding to the Scottish Government, with the car parks at the Lagoon Leisure Centre, Bridge Street, New Sneddon Street and Hunter Street set to benefit.

New disabled parking spaces will be also be introduced to car parks within the town centre to ensure adequate provision continues to be provided, while prospective works to improve car parking signage throughout Renfrewshire will take place as part of the investment in public realm and transportation improvements.

The aims and objectives of the working group will be progressed and a report on its progress will be reported to a future meeting of the Leadership Board.

20/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

St Anthony's Primary 2 Pupils - Olivia Regan, Jack McLaughlin, David Baird and Corey Jamieson

Education Scotland inspection hails progress in improving literacy, numeracy and work to close the poverty-related attainment gap

Renfrewshire Council is the first local authority in Scotland to be rated ‘excellent’ for its progress in improving learning, raising attainment and narrowing the poverty-related attainment gap as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

St Anthony's Primary 2 Pupils - Olivia Regan, Jack McLaughlin, David Baird and Corey Jamieson

Education Scotland published its inspection report today (Tuesday 19 February 2019) on progress in Renfrewshire and found significant year-on-year improvements in listening, talking, reading, writing and numeracy, with the attainment gap closing across all measures.

Renfrewshire is one of nine ‘challenge authorities’ in the Scottish Government funded Scottish Attainment Challenge, to close the attainment gap between those living in Scotland’s least and most deprived areas.

The report praises the “very successful” evidence-based, universal approach which sees support extended across all 62 primary, secondary and Additional Support Needs schools in Renfrewshire, a region where 27% of pupils live in Scotland’s most deprived areas.

Citing ‘highly effective leadership’, ‘excellent governance’ and a ‘shared vision’, it praises the culture where all staff are empowered to improve outcomes for pupils, their families and communities.

Renfrewshire Council Depute Leader Jim Paterson, Convener of Renfrewshire’s Education and Children’s Services Policy Board, said: “This is an exceptional endorsement from Education Scotland and testament to the innovative way Renfrewshire is raising attainment for all children and young people while also closing the poverty related attainment gap. We are delighted that significant progress has been shown in both measures.

“Our success is down to a collective approach. Children and young people have gained belief in themselves and I want to thank them and their parents and carers for their effort and commitment to learning. Our Children’s Services team has, through outstanding governance and leadership, also provided the right support and created the space to allow schools to deliver high quality learning and teaching.

“And staff in schools have once again shown their commitment to doing the best for our children by committing the energy and drive to deliver innovative approaches which are changing the opportunities for Renfrewshire children both during their school years and for their choices when they leave school.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Improving the education and life chances of our children and young people is the defining mission of this government. Central to this is the Scottish Attainment Challenge which is supporting hundreds of schools to develop approaches to improve literacy, numeracy and health and well-being that help close the poverty-related attainment gap.

“I would like to congratulate Renfrewshire Council on becoming the first local authority in Scotland to be rated ‘excellent’ for their progress in closing the poverty-related attainment gap. It is clear that the close collaboration between their dedicated and empowered workforce and their wider school communities is having a significant and positive impact.

“These results are extremely encouraging and I look forward to seeing how the local authority builds on this momentum to truly ensure that every child in Renfrewshire is given the best possible start in life, no matter their background.”

As a Challenge Authority, Renfrewshire has received £10.4million in Scottish Government attainment challenge funding since June 2016 and has achieved an 11 percentage point increase in expected levels of literacy and a 5 percentage point increase in expected levels of numeracy from 2015-2018. Over the same period, the poverty-related attainment gap has reduced by 6 percentage points in literacy and 4 percentage points in numeracy.

The report highlights Renfrewshire’s ‘outstanding approach’ in using data to inform improvements, with data mentors in every primary school and principal teachers for raising attainment in each secondary school, helping build staff expertise in data analysis.

Gayle Gorman, Chief Inspector of Education for Scotland, said: “Closing the attainment gap is vital for a modern, successful Scotland and that is why, since late 2017, Education Scotland’s Inspectors have been working in partnership with Audit Scotland with the goal of reporting on the progress made by local authorities in improving learning, raising attainment and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“These reports are vital to learn and share how well local authorities are doing and it is an absolute delight to see Renfrewshire Council’s report. Everyone should be delighted to see the impact of their work on children and young people. The clear and consistent

focus on improving aspects of literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing is helping to meet more effectively the specific needs of individual pupils.

“No doubt this is in part to a number of strategic approaches, in addressing the impact of poverty on the outcomes of children, young people, their families and the community. Addressing this impact has also been key and the improvement plan reflects very clearly the council’s strong commitment to early intervention together with the council’s very successful strategy of using universal approaches to raise attainment for all, alongside targeted interventions to close the poverty-related attainment gap.

“The commitment and focus of Renfrewshire Council on developing high-quality learning and teaching and leadership at all levels has led to improvements in children’s and young people’s learning and progress. I am particularly pleased to hear of the work being undertaken to listen to the voice of children and young people to help shape improvement in the authority. I am also very aware of the hard work that will have been undertaken by teachers, support staff and communities to achieve this success and would like to thank all of them for their commitment to improving the life chances of Scotland’s children.”

Hundreds of Renfrewshire staff have benefited from professional learning which is described in the report as ‘sector-leading’, including leadership development for headteachers and senior school staff and specialised literacy and numeracy training for classroom assistants.

Initiatives which have delivered success include pizza family learning, where more than 300 family members have enjoyed tea-time study sessions which look at literacy and numeracy.

A Cost of the School Day fund sees parents and school staff work together to ensure all children can take part in school activities and participate fully in their school.

More than 3800 pupils from 27 schools have also benefited from the PATHS programme which develops self-control and has seen a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour, while 49 schools so far have worked with the educational psychology service to embed a nurturing approach which helps children to learn and develop socially and emotionally.

Strong relationships have been built between schools and parents, encouraging greater family and parental engagement, with inclusion support assistants to help pupils struggling with attendance, school engagement or difficult home circumstances.

Steven Quinn, Interim Director of Children’s Services, said: “The additional resource from the Scottish Attainment Challenge has enabled us to increase the pace and widen the scope of our work to deliver high quality learning and teaching. This is improving attainment and achievement in all Renfrewshire schools, reducing inequalities and improving health and wellbeing for children and supporting young people into positive destinations after school.

“This excellent inspection report reflects the incredible work taking place in our schools and by the central education team to achieve these goals. We have invested heavily in our teachers and in our support staff, recognising the incredibly important role they have in shaping children and young people’s lives. We will now build on this progress and ensure we have the plans in place to continue this great work.”

The different initiatives were delivered and evaluated in partnership with experts at the University of Strathclyde while the Council’s education team also worked closely with the Robert Owen Centre at the University of Glasgow to co-ordinate work that delivers the maximum impact.

Professor Sue Ellis, from the University of Strathclyde’s School of Education, said: “The Renfrewshire Literacy Approach is evidence of the successful partnership between the University of Strathclyde and Renfrewshire Council and has addressed real-life, complex problems of practice and led to improvements year on year.

“It has made a real difference to the children of Renfrewshire by raising attainment, improving learning and narrowing the poverty-related attainment gap. Everyone from academics, head teachers and teachers, local authority staff and classroom assistants, worked on introducing a diverse range of children’s literature, as well as learning and teaching activities that engaged children on all levels. That valuable work has generated knowledge about effective literacy teaching and project implementation, as well as assessment and leadership, that can now inform policy and practice across the whole of Scotland.”

Professor Chris Chapman, Director of Policy Scotland at the University of Glasgow and Co-Director of the Robert Owen Centre, said: “The Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change has been working with key local authority leaders to develop a shared vision and understanding of the complexity and challenges of closing the poverty related attainment gap.

“We supported the development of Renfrewshire’s strategic approach, working with key partners to optimise the impact on children and young people’s outcomes. We’re delighted Renfrewshire’s approach and commitment to the major challenge of our time has been recognised in this inspection report.”

19/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

2,535 carers in Renfrewshire get £221 each in first payments from Social Security Scotland

Over 77,000 carers who were getting Carer’s Allowance from the DWP on 16 April 2018 were paid an additional £221 from the Scottish Government – totalling an investment of £17.2 million.

Showing the importance the Scottish Government places on recognising the role of carers, the Carer’s Allowance Supplement was the first payment to be made by Social Security Scotland, which was launched in September 2018. A second annual payment was made in December 2018.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“These payments marked a momentous moment – one where the most significant new public service since devolution became real. With this one payment alone, this new service helped 77,620 people including 2,535 in Renfrewshire.

“This is just the start. Once fully operational, Social Security Scotland will administer 14 benefits, supporting 1.4 million people and providing approximately £3.5 billion in payments every year.

Social Security Scotland Chief Executive, David Wallace, said:

“Our priority is to make sure that people get the right amount of money paid to them, into the right place and at the right time. We were happy to have done this successfully for this first round of payments.

“In addition to making sure that people get the money that they are due, we were delighted with the general feedback on our service. We have worked hard to make sure our client correspondence is clear, that our service on the phone is friendly and informative and that people feel like they are being treated with dignity, fairness and respect in every interaction with us. This has clearly worked and is something we will build upon as we introduce future benefits”

19/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

There’s now much more to see in Paisley’s fascinating museum store, The Secret Collection.

With the temporary closure of Paisley Museum for a multi-million pound re-development, the entire collection of artefacts has been moved to The Secret Collection store, 9 High Street.

The public can book weekly free guided tours of the museum store, which last 45 minutes to an hour. The Secret Collection is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Christine McLean, Renfrewshire Leisure’s Heritage Manager said: “The Secret Collection is Renfrewshire’s own unique town centre Museum store.

“During the past six months all the objects have been moved out of Paisley Museum and Art Galleries and the Coats Observatory to their new home

“I’d encourage everyone to come and have a guided tour which will give a peek at Renfrewshire’s fantastic heritage.

“If you’ve been to our Museum before, you might just spot some old favourites.”

The free weekly public Tours of The Secret Collection, at 9 High Street are available to book online by logging on to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/thesecretcollection or by email tours@renfrewshireleisure.com or telephone 0141 618 5129.

19/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

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

Play about Scots political hero is electrifying

The intriguing story about one of Scotland’s unsung heroes is being told in a new play being staged at Paisley Arts Centre.

The one-act play by award-winning Robert Dawson Scott, called The Electrifying Mr Johnston is about prominent Scottish journalist turned socialist politician, Tom Johnston.

The play is a Mull Theatre production and is being staged on Friday, March 8, at 7.30pm.

Tom Johnston was a radical thinker, land reformer, and scourge of the establishment, who began his political career as a town councillor in his hometown of Kirkintilloch.

He was elected to Parliament as part of the Red Clydeside surge of MPs in 1922, alongside giants of socialism including James Maxton. John Wheatley, and Davey Kirkwood.

Appointed Secretary of State for Scotland during the Second World War and frustrated by the migration of Scottish workers to the Midlands and South East of England, Johnston launched numerous initiatives for Scotland.

As late as the 1950s most rural communities in the Highlands were still lit by paraffin lamps. But the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board, a product of Johnston’s vision and a triumph of engineering, brought electricity to the rural communities of Scotland and changed the Highlands forever.

The play contrasts Johnston’s early radical writings and beliefs with later compromises, as he vies with Highland landowners for access to land for the benefit of the people and the country as a whole.

Following the performance of the Electrifying Mr Johnston there will be Bite-Size, which is a programme of rehearsed readings of new plays and works-in-progress, hosted by director Alasdair McCrone and playwright Peter Arnott with a cast of professional actors.

The readings, followed by feedback and questions and answers offers the audience a chance to be part of and enjoy the fun of the creative process.

To book tickets log on to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/whats-on or call 0300 300 1210.

18/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

Gavin Newlands MP, Politics, Renfrew, Renfrewshire

MPS STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH CATALAN POLITICAL PRISONERS

NEWLANDS: THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION MUST BE PROTECTED WHEREVER THAT MAY BE.

Gavin Newlands, SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, joined calls from MPs of all major parties for a fair and democratic process to bring an end to the Catalan crisis.

This follows the start of the trial of many pro-independence Catalan politicians and activists, some of whom have been remanded in prison for over a year on trumped up charges of rebellion and sedition. The 12 defendants include the President of the Catalan Parliament (equivalent to the House of Commons’ Speaker), and two civil society leaders.

Newlands has established himself as a strong supporter of the Catalan right to determine their own future and has spoken out against state repression of democracy across the world. Newlands has also drawn the public eye towards the links between Paisley and Renfrewshire North and Catalonia, including the connections to the small village of Borgonya where the local team plays in St Mirren style stripes due to their common history with the Coats group.

Speaking up for the 12 accused, Newlands said:

“I am proud to join MPs from across parties to stand in solidarity with the Catalan political prisoners who this week begun their trial on medieval charges of rebellion and sedition.

“Catalan pro-independence parties went into an election with a promise that they would hold a referendum on their independence, this gave them an undeniable mandate. The Spanish Government cannot continue to ignore these democratic calls forever.

“Regardless of your opinion on Catalan Independence, one thing is certain, namely that as enshrined in article 1 of the UN Charter, the right of Self-Determination must be protected all over the world. It is an international norm that must be respected and championed by everyone who claims to believe in democracy.

“The Spanish Government must agree to a fair and robust democratic process to bring this crisis to an end.”

14/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

Due to the hard work of the Change Lochwinnoch Campaign and St. Vincent’s Hospice Volunteers, the charity shop in the heart of the village will begin its major refurbishment on Friday 1^st March 2019.

Having hit their ambitious target, the shop is now set for a complete refurbishment, creating a modern, warm and welcoming space for the community to enjoy while continuing to raise vital funds for the charity.

The Change Lochwinnoch project was launched by a group of volunteers in the local community who have close ties to the life changing work of St. Vincent’s Hospice and the importance that donations to their charity shop make to their services.

Commenting on the work, Trading Support Manager for St. Vincent’s Hospice, Fiona Campbell, said: “The level of support our Hospice receives from the community in Lochwinnoch really is second to none, and we have been blown away by the work and dedication they have put in to make this refurbishment a reality!

“Each year our shops generate more than £400,000 which goes directly towards supporting the work of our Hospice. Not only will these changes to the shop help patients and families all throughout Renfrewshire, but it will also be a hub for the community, a place for people to meet, chat, make new friends and bring people together.”

St. Vincent’s Hospice is a specialist provider of palliative and Hospice care for individuals and families affected by life-limiting conditions from across Renfrewshire.

In the last year alone, the Hospice offered care for hundreds of families across Renfrewshire through their eight bed In-patient Unit, Day Hospice Service and in the comfort of people’s own homes with their Community Nurse Specialists team.

Fiona added: “Work will be ongoing in the shop throughout the month of March, and we owe a massive debt of thanks to every single person who has helped make this possible. Thank you!”

For more information and updates, follow St. Vincent’s Hospice on Facebook, @StVincentsHosp on Instagram and Twitter, or visit www.SVH.co.uk.

14/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

Barr + Wray, a world leading provider of pool and spa design alongside water engineering, has pledged its support to St. Vincent’s Hospice by becoming headline sponsor for their hugely popular Strictly Come Prancing event this Spring.

St. Vincent’s Hospice’s award nominated event Strictly Come Prancing is now in its eighth year and will take place on Friday 15 March at Ingliston Country Club & Hotel, aiming to raise vital funds to support the work of the Hospice.

Thirteen couples have been training hard for several months, and will compete on the night to win the prestigious trophy by performing a series of dance routines to impress the judges and live audience. The variety of Tangos, Quick -Steps, Waltz’s and Sambas will all be danced by couples who started out as non-dancers.

St. Vincent’s Hospice is a specialist provider of palliative and Hospice care for Renfrewshire and beyond, supporting families and patients who have been impacted by life limiting conditions.

Operations Director for Barr & Wray, Lorne Kennedy, said: “Barr + Wray take great pleasure in supporting local charities on an annual basis. St. Vincent’s Hospice is a highly commendable charity, providing care for all. We admire the hard work, love and support that go in to every aspect of the charity from the In-Patient Unit to the Day Hospice and the Community Nurse Specialists. Not to mention the support provided not only to the patients but their families and loved ones. B + W are proud to sponsor St. Vincent’s Hospice and give a little towards helping such a worthy charity.”

The evening will be hosted by their very own ‘Brucie’ and ‘Tess’ and will also feature performances from previous winners, contestants and professional dancers. An audience of approximately 500 will watch this spectacular event, including family, friends and Hospice supporters, as well as our panel of expert judges and a special guest.

Senior Fundraiser for St. Vincent’s Hospice, Louise Strachan, said: “On behalf of everyone at St Vincent’s Hospice, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Barr & Wray for their continued support.

At St Vincent’s Hospice, we offer specialist palliative and Hospice care for people and families all across Renfrewshire and beyond who are impacted by life-limiting conditions. Every year we have to raise more than £1.1 million to offer the level of support that we do for the community, making sure we are offering the right care, in the right way, for anyone who needs it.

This simply wouldn’t be possible without the wonderful support of the community, and we truly cannot thank Barr & Wray enough. Their generosity and continued support will make such a huge difference to patients and families all around the community, at a time when they need it most.”

There are a very limited number of places left at what is sure to be a sell-out event. If you would like to purchase a ticket, support the hospice or be kept up to date with any fundraising events Email Info@svh.co.uk or call 07521988488.

13/02/2019/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Braehead, Events, Glasgow, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Events, Paisley Pirates, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrew, Renfrewshire, renfrewshire events

Paisley Pirates Updates ABERDEEN LYNX 2 PAISLEY PIRATES 5

ABERDEEN LYNX 2 PAISLEY PIRATES 5

Pirates travelled north to the Lynx Arena and recorded a notable win as they put the home side to the sword, securing an excellent victory in front of a capacity crowd.

The visitors were obliged to play off early penalties but in fact it was during one of those periods of play, with Thorp sitting out a Holding call, that they broke with Abercrombie assisting Walker to score the opening goal while they were at a numerical disadvantage. While that goal proved to be the only one of the period, Pirates did in fact keep Lynx netminder Chalmers busy throughout the session, while Russell in the visiting net had little to do by comparison, and thus the visitors headed to the changing rooms holding a narrow 1-0 advantage at the break.

Aberdeen were penalised within a minute of the restart and found themselves two behind as Pirates made full use of the powerplay to double their lead, Walker netting his second of the game. The hosts saw a little more of the puck than they had done in the first session and pulled a goal back in the 29th minute through Durkacz, but Walker restored his side’s two goal lead with 5 minutes of the session remaining with an unassisted goal, making it a straight hat trick for the Pirates’ player/coach. With no further scoring, the buzzer sounded for the end of the session with the visitors holding a handy 3-1 advantage.

Pirates continued to have the bulk of play in the final session but they were shocked when Lynx reduced the deficit to one through Thomson in the 46th minute. The home side’s joy was short lived, however, as within two minutes they were penalised and Pirates scored immediately through Henderson to lead 4-2. Any remaining doubts about the destiny of the two league points were doused in the final five minutes, with the visitors on the powerplay again, as Walker netted his own fourth, and his team’s fifth, to silence the home fans and send the visiting supporters homeward with smiles on their faces.

Pirates Player/Coach, Adam Walker, commented after the game, “I thought we played a really solid road game last night. It’s always difficult to get the two points in Aberdeen but to heavily outshoot them and keep them to the outside for most of the game is a credit to our team. Everyone played their part and kept disciplined and that made. the difference.”

Pirates return to home ice this Saturday after a 3 week absence to face Solway Stingrays (face off 6.30pm)

PAISLEY PIRATES-PREVIEW

Paisley Pirates are back in action at Braehead Arena this Saturday as they welcome the Solway Stingrays to the venue for what will be their first home fixture in the Scottish National League for a few weeks. The club has recorded two excellent wins on the road over the last fortnight and will be looking to keep that good form going on home ice, particularly after beating Aberdeen 5-2 at a venue which has been somewhat problematic in recent years.

Head Coach Ian Turley commented, “It was very good collective performance from everyone. The team’s attitude and approach to the game was excellent and all the boys contributed to the win whether they played a lot of minutes or not.”

Pirates hope to continue their run in front of a big crowd on Saturday, as they look to cement a place in the top four ahead of playoff season, which commences in a few weeks’ time, and which would see them gain one of the seeded places, while looking to see the return of a few players who have been missing for various reasons in recent weeks as they head into the latter stages of the season.

Face off against the Stingrays is at 6.30pm.

13/02/2019/by Brian McGuire