By Wendy Miller
IT is an unremarkable road in a Glasgow community but to the locals Elderpark Street in Govan is known as the United Nations.
Asylum seekers, refugees and people who have been born and bred there live cheek by jowl in the tenements. And all of them consider it home.
Many who came seeking refuge from the troubles of their homelands elect to stay on in the area - if and when they are finally given leave to remain - decisions that are reached at the nearby Brand Street immigration centre.
For the locals the diverse mix of ethnic minorities has brought huge social and cultural change.
But in the seven years since asylum seekers began arriving in Glasgow, Govan has learned to adapt - and embrace the new cultures.
Yesterday the Evening Times told how the city has more than 5000 asylum seekers - concentrated in five communities, including Govan which has around 400.
The city has been praised for leading the way in welcoming the families - from countries like Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Somalia - who have fled war and torture. And children especially have integrated into the city’s schools, making friends and doing well in class.
Nowhere are the signs of integration more apparent than in Govan.
Most recently, an African hairdressers and an African food shop arrived on Govan Road.
Govan residents are also flocking to weekly African dance and percussion workshops at the Pierce Institute while a recycled jewellery-making class is attracting a multi-racial mix of women from all walks of life.
Plans are also in the pipeline to create Govan’s first-ever multi-national recipe book.
Projects like this are helping unite different strands of this historic South Side community from young and old to black and white.
“I’ve lived in Govan all my life and I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in recent years,” said Sandy Black, a member of Govan Integration Network.
“You walk around now and you see the changes. Asylum seekers and immigrants have made a real contribution here because they want to get involved in voluntary work and community projects.”
Every Thursday a community drop-in is held at the Jubilee Social Centre in Elderpark Street - run by Nigerian minister Reverend Michael Angley Ogwuche.
There dedicated community workers talk through housing and welfare concerns with asylum seekers, immigrants and Govan locals.
Reverend Ogwuche said: “Govan seems to be the citadel of immigration. It’s a great community; everyone knows each other here. We have people from Ghana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Iraq.”
Angela Gardiner, community inclusion co-ordinator for Govan Housing Association, added: “Govan has always been a very diverse community and even more so now.
“It’s a community that seems to attract a real mix of Scots and ethnic minorities. It’s lovely to walk over to Govan Cross and see all these beautiful African women together with Asian women in their saris.
“Govan has always been a place of migration. We gave Britain its first Muslim MP in Mohammad Sarwar.”
Angela added: “The drop-in has a social function as the recycled jewellery making class is held here.
“Initially it was for ethnic minorities only but we’ve widened it out to the whole community now. The Citizens’ Advice is based here too and it really is a great meeting place.
“As well as the recycled jewellery making we also run a knitting bee. These events are funded by the Scottish Refugee Integration Fund and I really believe they help reduce community tensions and make asylum seekers and immigrants feel part of their community.”
The new African hairdressers, Amina Hair, is run by 23-year-old Amina Contech, originally from Sierra Leone.
She said: “I only opened the shop a few weeks ago but it’s starting to pick up. I want this shop to bring together people from all nationalities in Govan.
“African women come to get products in their hair because afros are so hard to comb. Whereas Scottish women want their hair to be more like ours!”
The jewellery-making class is run by Glasgow art student Tess McCafferty who said: “I’ve found I can just show them what to do. In this way the class is helping break down language barriers.”
From Bennie cake from Sierra Leone to noodles from Nigeria, Akin Obafemi has it all in Akin Precious Foods of Africa.
Mr Obafemi, 54, said: “I opened the shop nine months ago and it’s still slow but the way I see it, I’m providing a service not trying to make a fortune. I get a lot of Scots customers.”
Publication date 09/10/07
Evening Times
15 responses so far ↓
Mr Davidson // November 30, 2007 at 8:05 pm
What a disgrace, you should be ashamed of promoting such ‘Anti Scottish’ nonsence, when the tide turns it will be people like you and ‘Rose Cane’ plucked out and dealt with.
You are assisting with bringing Scotland further to its knees.
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:27 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
What a ckeek!!!!
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:28 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
What a ckeek!!!!
[Moderator:- Warning: Flooding will not be tolerated]
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:28 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
What a ckeek!!!!
[Moderator:- Warning: Flooding will not be tolerated]
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:29 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
What a cheap shot!!
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:30 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
This is not a majority view.
What a cheap shot!!
[Moderator:- Warning: Flooding will not be tolerated]
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:32 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would have been removed long ago and would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
This is not a majority view.
What a cheap shot!!
[Moderator:- Warning: Flooding will not be tolerated]
shuck // November 30, 2007 at 10:38 pm
This is no more than pro failed asylum seekers propoganda.
How many failed asylum seekers in Govan truly deserve the status they have been granted? If it were not for the fact that they and corrupt greedy solicitors applied every dirty trick in the book to prevent a legal removal they would have been removed long ago and would never have been granted under the governments shocking legacy programme.
This is not a majority view.
What a cheap shot!!
[Moderator:- Warning: Flooding will not be tolerated]
Ali // December 1, 2007 at 1:14 pm
You using yet another pseudonym, Shuck?
shuck // December 1, 2007 at 2:04 pm
It was a mistake, I think there was a problem with your system as it was not registering that the blog had been accepted,
Ali // December 1, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Wow, you really are becoming repetitive, Shuck!
shuck // December 2, 2007 at 11:46 am
Ali! Do you have anything constructive to say?
Ali // December 2, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Yes I do - please stop flooding. Its childish and irritating.
shuck // December 2, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Can you read?
Michael Woods // December 3, 2007 at 11:01 am
I, ve just read the Davidson comment above. If it means what I think it means then I have this to say to him.
This tide will not turn because we are educating our children out of seeing others as undesirables.
When you shuffle off into oblivion your legacy will be what?
Whereas those actively working for integration will be remembered as having attempted to make at least one caring society work.
I leave our children to judge us in this for they must live in the world we remake for them.
Climate change and the Third-World conflicts are largely our Western First-World responsibility, we did it.
Therefore we must accept the result of our greed and stupidity. One of which is a large increase in the numbers of people escaping the hells we create. Asylum seekers among them.
If a small part of Glasgow becomes like a mini United Nations then Good! I am all for it.
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