The last month has been full-on in the best way; reconnecting with partners, welcoming new faces, running workshops, and getting back into the rhythm of community activities.
Our Conversation Cafés Are Back!
We kicked things off by getting Conversation Cafés up and running again — and it’s been great to see people back together for a chat. Alongside that, our Biscuits ‘n’ Blether sessions started back up too, bringing a warm, relaxed space for conversation, connection, and a cuppa.
What are our Conversation Cafes? We started up conversation café to provide an opportunity for people to practice speaking English outwith ESOL classes. Formed in collaboration with a volunteer with decades experience of English teaching in China, these Conversation Cafes have been going since September and help foster community and integration! It is a great space to meet people and to learn more English in a relaxed environment.
Out and About in the Community
A big part of this month has been getting out to meet people, visit spaces, and strengthen relationships across our local area. We have:
- Visited the YMCA
- Went to Washhouse Gardens and met with Amy who is the care and culture lead
- Visited The Charter, on Tollcross Road during their community café hours and enjoyed some delicious soup and scones! Got given a tour of the space and heard about the great things happening there.
- In Tollcross Park, stopped by SACRO’s community garden and met with the team.
- Met with Josh Henderson from the Health Improvement Team (North West – Possilpark) and gave a tour of our network building.
- Provided a client tour for Bridges a charity which helps refugees/asylum seekers/migrants into meaningful employment.
- Amrit Kaur Bedi, the Equality and Inclusion Lead from Glasgow Kelvin College, gave me a tour of all three Kelvin College campuses: Easterhouse, Haghill, and Springburn! It was so great to see what is happening in these campuses and thinking of ways to collaborate with them in the future!
Every visit helps us understand what’s happening locally, where the opportunities are, and how we can work together better.
This Months Workshops, Events, and Volunteering:
We also packed in a lot of hands-on activity this month:
Pizza Workshop
We ran a pizza workshop and had 7 people come along, it was a brilliant turnout and a really fun (tasty!) session.
Speed Volunteering at Shettleston Job Centre
We took part in a speed volunteer event at Shettleston Job Centre, meeting new people and sharing more about what we do and how to get involved.
Volunteer Open Day
We hosted a Volunteer Open Day with 8 attendees, and it was lovely to meet people interested in supporting TSPN in different ways.
And we’re delighted to say we also welcomed a new volunteer onboard as a Social Media Assistant!
Burns Night Community Meal at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre
One of the highlights of the month was our Burns Night community meal at Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre. We served veggie haggis and roast neeps, enjoyed poetry read by a community member, and had craft activities run by the volunteers.
And yes, we also made clootie dumplings with custard, including a microwave method that absolutely did the job!
A Personal Milestone
On top of everything else, we’re proud to share that Erin completed her REHIS Food Hygiene Certificate with Full marks. 🎉
This is an important step in keeping everything we do safe, professional, and ready to grow.
Thank You
It’s been a busy month filled with community connection, learning, and progress — and we’re really grateful to everyone who’s been part of it, whether you came to a session, hosted a visit, volunteered your time, or helped spread the word.
If you’d like to get involved however that looks whether it be as a volunteer, partner, or customer, keep an eye on our updates or get in touch. We’d love to have you with us.