Govanhill Baths Community Trust ·

Local Stores And Volunteers Make Moving Stories A Great Success

Posted: 28th June 2011 By Andrew Johnson

What great success the Refugee Week, Moving Stories celebrations turned out to be! In the peace garden on the pavement and in the baths some 500 people gathered over the day to celebrate, in association with the Big Lunch the 10 year struggle to re-open the baths as a well being centre. With contributions from the local community, local retailers the Govanhill Baths Trust and individuals at least 300 people enjoyed a “Big Lunch”.

Music from Slush Puppies, Subsine, Underbine and the Donkey kept the street rocking all afternoon, Iyad Hayatley reminded everyone about the power of story telling and keeping history alive. In the baths after story telling it was great to see more than 40 children and their parents from many of the Govanhill communities beating the Piñata into pulp in the deep end and sharing the many presents inside, including the new "I'm a Govanhill Swimmer" badge, available at the CCP for just 50p! A great thrill for them all to take part in a custom from another country (Mexico/China). How good it was to see the local Sainsbury’s and Co-op stores making major contributions to the lunch alongside Zuccini Fruit and Vegetable, Sheerin Palace, the Pound Shop, Anthony and Martine, Ray and Jennifer Rumjen and Gordon and Clair Black as well as a host of local community members and Friends of Govanhill Baths who just arrived with grand food for the table. Govanhill Grub, our own CCP cooking group/class continue to make a name for themselves with a truly great spread of international foods! Bill Ward and Roberto Cavieres did wonders with their cameras and a montage will appear soon on flicker. Local Henna face painting artists ensured the day was well and truly recorded “marked” for many children and adults.

And so many people just came in to look at and discuss the Phase 1 plans we have for the baths, completing our survey questionnaire funded by Big Lottery, expressing so much enthusiasm about the project to re-open the baths and the soon to open front suite for community use! This, now annual event, was mounted entirely by the Baths Trust and we are hugely indebted to the Big Lunch administrators for their full support. Also we thank the Refugee Council for advertising the event in its literature – its evaluation on the day showed clearly what a great success it had turned out to be.

For more information Local stores and volunteers make Moving Stories a great success

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