Awardwinning Glasgow filmmaker visits Maryhill to help budding writers
Guy won the Scottish Short Film Festival's Young Scottish Filmmaker of the Year title in 2024 for his work, Mouth.
Guy Woods (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)
The agency, which is planning a schools project in the city in September, helps young people from areas with deprivation and social challenges to discover confidence and imagination through writing.
A recent report produced by the National Literacy Trust highlighted that only 35% of young people in Scotland said they enjoy writing in their free time and only one in five said they write something daily outside of school.
Guy Woods leading the read-through (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)
Having successfully delivered writing and literacy programmes to thousands of young people in Edinburgh, managing director Claire Heffernan said the Super Power Agency was now aiming to replicate this in Glasgow to "help address these worrying trends."
Joseph de Smith, Lauchlan Innes and Jason Marshall (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)
She added: 'Some people just need the opportunity and support to write those first few lines.
'Writing is for everybody and the chance to be a published author shouldn't depend on your economic circumstances or connections, as too often has been the case in the past.'
Alexandra Blaszczyk (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)
The charity's programmes are offered free of charge to schools and young people, supported by volunteers.
Claire added: 'The charity exists to inspire young people to write and our policy is to never leave a child behind.
"The way we see it, young people should never be deprived of creative outlets, even if the places they grow up in don't have a fair share of services and opportunities.'
Actor Joshua Haynes (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest)
The Maryhill scheme was supported by the National Lottery and was filled up by young people, including Joseph de Smith, Lauchlan Innes and Jason Marshall, eager to hone their writing talents or simply pick up a pen for the first time.
READ NEXT:
Professional actors Joshua Haynes and Alexandra Blaszczyk volunteered at the project to give the young writers the chance to have their screenplays performed.
In September, the charity begins it first schools programme in Craigton Primary, St Anne's Primary and John Paul Academy.
Claire added: 'There is a rich literary tradition in Glasgow, a city with a story around every street corner and a tale up every close.
'We are determined to help young people share these with the world.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
20 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Review: Reggaelicious Kitchen in the Ayrshire village of Kilmaurs
"Since when has there been a Caribbean place in Kilmaurs?" a colleague responded incredulously when informed that Reggaelicious Kitchen would be the subject of this week's review. In all honesty, until a few moments ago, I had also questioned whether this was the correct address for the business serving traditional Jamaican dishes of ackee and saltfish or jerk jackfruit, which I had read five-star reviews for online. But here it is, nestled between a car wash and a bus stop, just a short walk away from the train station, with a converted St John's Ambulance used for catering events parked up outside. Pictured: Reggaelicious Kitchen in the village of Kilmaurs (Image: Newsquest) That's how it all began for Derrick and Sharon Vaughan, as they decided to transform this quirky vehicle into a street food truck in 2019. Creating a menu from recipes passed down from Derrick's mother, who had relocated from Jamaica to London as part of the Windrush Generation, the husband-and-wife team then set out to bring a taste of Caribbean sunshine to markets and festivals across Ayrshire and beyond. A few years later, the duo were ready to set up a brick-and-mortar restaurant in their home village, taking over the unit from a Greek Cafe in late 2023. Read more: Now confident that we're in the right place, we're greeted at the door by Sharon and led into a small dining room that's bright, also totally deserted. It's not like this all the time, we're assured as we take our seats by the window, but truthfully, I'm thankful for a change of pace from high-end restaurants that must be booked weeks in advance to ensure you secure your dinner. Though it's BYOB, we stick to soft drinks, toasting new experiences with a Jamaican Ginger Ale and a glucose level spiking 'Caribbean Crush (£2 each)'. Pictured: Reggaelicious boneless fried chicken strips (Image: Newsquest) Starters, then. From a choice of either chicken on the bone or tenders coated in the restaurant's own 'Reggaelicious seasoning', we choose the latter (£6) to share. I'm a fan of the gentle spices here, adding a salty, slightly fiery flavour to three chunky strips of chicken. I do, however, have issues with the cooking, suspecting that this has been reheated rather than prepared fresh. Whether or not this is the case, there's a tough, chewy texture to the meat, which is in some places separating from that all-important crust. It's far from a write-off, however, and straight from the fryer: I reckon this would be a different beast entirely. With an infectious smile on his face, Derrick visits our table between courses to fill us in on how things work at the Reggaelicious Kitchen. He cooks and delivers takeaway orders to the surrounding areas, but we should be under no illusions - it's Sharon who is the backbone of the whole operation. 'She really keeps everything going,' he says before heading back to join her in the kitchen. They make quite the team, and even better hosts. Pictured: Main courses and sides from Reggaelicious Kitchen (Image: Newsquest) Fortunately, we've parked ourselves at one of the restaurant's largest tables, because next arrives a banquet of mains and sides to share. 'Jamaica's national dish' of saltfish and ackee (£10) is a balancing act of firm white fish, rich and intense, mellowed by the West African fruit. It's wonderfully savoury and rounded out by liberal amounts of fresh thyme. Jerk chicken (£9) is served on the bone, sitting in a bowl of gravy-like sauce rather than prepared with a simple dry rub as I had anticipated. It's ideal for dipping the Jamaican dumpling (£1.50), a heavy scone-like puck of dough that I'm utterly enamoured with. It takes some serious willpower to hold back from ordering a second. Pictured: Side dishes of Jamaican dumpling, slaw and plantain (Image: Newsquest) Of our three extra sides, the plantain (£2.20) comes out on top with a sticky caramelised outer layer and fibrous flesh still firm inside. Jamaican slaw (£3) has been spiked with a dark purple hue by red cabbage, but fruity jewels of pomegranate, raisin and pineapple shine through. Finally, rice and peas (£2) do the trick in binding the whole lot together as we methodically spoon a little of each dish onto our side plates at a time. How fun to be introduced to so many new flavours in one go. Although again, there's room for improvement in the cooking of these dishes, which, as it stands, are just a touch too far from a temperature that would showcase them at their best. Read more: For dessert, there's the choice of Caribbean cakes (£2.20 each) or individual ice cream tubs (Also £2.20 each). We order the Pineapple and Coconut as well as a Jamaican Ginger cake to go, which is less faff than we anticipated as it transpires they are both pre-packed loaf slices. So off we go, saying our goodbyes to the lovely Sharon and Derrick before making our way back down the motorway to Glasgow, somewhere around only an hour after first arriving in Kilmaurs. Michelin Stars and fine dining conventions have their place in this world, but so too do the small, family-run businesses like this, which are equally as passionate about their food. As unexpected as it may be to find traditional Caribbean dishes in a village just outside of Kilmarnock, it really is quite brilliant. Menu: Starters of fried chicken followed by Jamaican dishes like ackee and saltfish, curry lamb and jerk pork. Desserts are limited to pre-packed cakes and ice cream. 3/5 Service: Husband and wife duo Derrick and Sharon run the show, making us feel welcome and happy to chat about their food. 5/5 Atmosphere: We have the restaurant to ourselves all evening, which takes a while to get used to. I'm sure that on a busier day, this place would have a great buzz. 3/5 Price: Mains sit around the £10 mark, while sides will set you back as little as £1.50 for a dumpling or £2.20 for plantain. 4/5 Food: There are some fantastic flavours to be found here, particularly in the jerk chicken and sweet, sticky plantain. Dishes appear to be reheated to order, which, in this instance, detracts from the quality of cooking. 6/10 Total: 21/30 Reggaelicious Kitchen is located at 19 Townhead, Kilmaurs, East Ayrshire.
Glasgow Times
21 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Canadian star hails Calvin Harris as 'f****** legend'
After being introduced to the guitar at a young age, Jessie Reyez has grown into one of the most exciting talents in R&B and Soul today. (Image: Picture credit: Miranda Escoto) Her second EP Being Human in Public was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards and she has co-written Dua Lipa's One Kiss, and now Reyez is moving from strength to strength, and is building quite the résumé for herself. 'This is something I have always dreamt about,' Reyez tells the Glasgow Times. She continues: 'Every time I am on stage, and I have a moment of pure presence – which happens every now and then – I am like 'Holy f****** s***'. I dreamt of doing this as a kid. 'I remember dreaming of being on stages and singing to thousands of people, and the fact I have been able to bring that dream to fruition for my inner child – that is something that is not lost on me.' READ NEXT: Scottish band to play 'biggest show yet' in Glasgow Something else that isn't lost on the singer is working with her pal, Calvin Harris. The pair have written and recorded multiple songs together over the last few years, including One Kiss and Hard To Love, which featured on Harris' album, Funk Wave Sounds Vol 1. (Image: Image: Newsquest) Talking about her love of Scottish accents, the Canadian-born star said she wanted to get better at it before her Glasgow show on September 14. And her plan? To watch Shrek and get pointers from Harris, of course. The 34-year-old said: 'I love that guy, he's so lit. 'Every time I work with him, I learn something. He's a f****** certified legend. He's a master of what he does.' She continued: 'There's something to be said about being in the room with someone that you trust, because there's a different liquidity to the room, it flows differently. 'I'm so stoked every time I get to work with him, especially because he is not just a collaborator, he's legitimately my friend. It's an honour to get to continually work with someone who is my boy, my bro.' We went on to chat about the viral TikTok video, which saw Harris ranting after DJ Nick Bracegirdle, also known as Chicane, accused him of copying the opening chords to his 30-year-old hit, Offshore. DJ Sam Sax remixed the foul-mouthed rant with the opening of Harris's track, Blessings. The piece repeats on a loop as Harris says: "You stupid b*****d. One, you didn't invent the guitar. Two, yeah, it's not the same.' Speaking on the video, Reyez said: 'I love that rant, it tickles me so much. It's so good. 'Scottish rage has such an elegance. It needs to be studied.' (Image: Picture credit: Miranda Escoto) READ NEXT: 'Finally! So excited': Folk star to perform in Glasgow as part of global tour Reyez's Glasgow show – which will take place at the O2 Academy – comes as part of her Paid In Memories Tour. 'Glasgow is fun, I can't wait to come back,' Jessie said. The tour follows the release of Reyez's new album of the same name, which Jessie said is her first sober album. She added: 'I have just gotten better as an artist. Not to sound pompous, but I have just gotten better at objectively critiquing myself. 'I'm still in vocal lessons and I'm still a student of the game, so I feel I get better with every album.' She continued: 'Being sober as well, my body is paying me back with consistency and flow – and that is what people can expect from the upcoming shows. 'They can also expect a better performer and to come to my show and make memories.' Tickets for the O2 Academy Glasgow show are still available to purchase. To grab tickets, visit Ticketmaster.
The National
2 days ago
- The National
Russian asylum seeker earns spot at Glasgow School of Art
Ruslan Popov Karhunvatukka, from Russia, earned direct entry into the third year of the communication design degree at the Glasgow School of Art after studying photography at Glasgow Kelvin College. His graduate project, Vaguely Familiar, was inspired by three years of family separation and explores themes of distance, reunion and connection through photography. The work captures the emotional impact of long-term separation and was produced after reuniting with his sister and aunt in Armenia in late 2024. READ MORE: University releases statement after rector launches legal action amid Gaza row Ruslan said: 'I hadn't seen parts of my family in three years. 'When we finally met again, it wasn't something I planned to photograph, but the moments just happened. 'That emotional experience became a visual one, it became the project.' His journey is being highlighted by Glasgow Kelvin College as part of National Opportunity Day, an awareness campaign on August 6 that aims to showcase the value of college education. Originally from Tomsk in Siberia and later Sochi, Ruslan and his family sought asylum in the UK for political reasons, first arriving in London during the Covid-19 pandemic before relocating to Glasgow. Despite the difficulties of the immigration process, he said he now feels settled and proud to call Glasgow his home. He credits Glasgow Kelvin College with helping him turn a personal interest into a professional pathway. (Image: Newsquest) Ruslan said: 'Photography was already part of my life, but studying at Glasgow Kelvin College gave me the tools to take it seriously. 'It gave me time, structure, feedback and belief. 'That's what college can do.' Ruslan chose Glasgow Kelvin College specifically for its small class sizes and personal support, and singled out lecturer Simon Murphy as a major influence in his work. He said: 'Simon believed in us and took time to understand our ideas. 'He pushed us to submit work to exhibitions and magazines. 'That's how I ended up published in Docu Magazine. 'Without that encouragement, I wouldn't have done it.' In September, Ruslan will begin his degree at the Glasgow School of Art, where he will expand his practice to include design, illustration and video. He plans to continue developing Vaguely Familiar and is already working on a new project about society's changing relationship with photography in the digital age. Ruslan said: 'Opportunity is a green light to keep on dreaming. 'When I got my offer from GSA, it felt like I could finally start expecting something from myself. 'It gave me confidence. 'Studying communication design will give me more tools. 'Photography will always be at the heart of what I do, but I want to understand other ways to tell stories too.' To view Ruslan's latest projects, visit @rusikpix on Instagram.
