A Time to Unite

The actions of the Rail, Maritime and Transport worker’s union members this week are a clear sign that the system we have grown to live with over the last few decades clearly does not work.   At a time when the working class public are making the very difficult decision between heating and eating, it is very hard to comprehend the vast profits being made and bonuses being paid to big businesses and CEO’s the length and breadth of the country.

 

The collective voice of many has been silenced into accepting a broken system.  Voter apathy has won against a backdrop of increasingly right wing policies and manifestos.  A system where empty gestures and promises from politicians at Westminster merely serve to keep the status quo, where the rich get richer and the most vulnerable in our societies are marginalised and left to ponder how they will exist from day to day.

 

The clear message handed to the RMT through its members provides a unified voice of collective bargaining behind their trade union.  An incredible 79% of the balloted members took part in the vote and an equally incredible 89% of those voting supported the strike action.  In a time of political spin, there is no clearer mandate to work with – this is not militant action.

 

The public face of the strike action; Mick Lynch has been thrust into view amid a concerted effort by the British media to demonise the work of the Trade Union.   However, the media have completely misjudged the Secretary-General of the Union.  An unflappable portrait of a man steadfast working towards a common goal has been sketched out interview after interview for everyone to see and to stand behind.  The usual outlets and commentators have tried to distract the public from the real issue at hand, labelling Lynch as a Marxist or comparing him to a Thunderbirds Villain. 

 

In reality Mick Lynch follows in the great line of Union Leaders and social reformers produced here in Britain.  From the days of Tom Mann, John McLean, James Larkin and James Connolly to Jimmy Reid, Arthur Scargill and Bob Crow the socialist trade union movement in this country has been at the forefront of pushing for workers’ rights and changing the face of our working environments for the better.  

 

We are at a crossroads in UK politics, there is a serious danger that we will sleepwalk into a far right state.   The threads of this have already been sown with the Westminster Government stripping away our rights to protest and strike, all but closing our borders, deporting those seeking refuge, alienating our closest neighbours and trade markets as well as altering the terms of the human rights bill.  This is not only a Government issue; it lies at the heart of the representatives voted into parliament.   Where we should expect opposition from a Labour party hungry for change we only see malaise and at times the Labour leader turning his back on the founding principles of the party.

 

To use the quote from Bob Crow, “If you fight you won’t always win, but if you don’t fight you will always lose”, each of the union leaders named previously did not always get what the strived to achieve, but they built a movement and a belief that we can achieve better things for ourselves and our colleagues.  On the picket lines up and down the country the Network Rail workers are standing shoulder to shoulder with you and me as well as the spirit of the union activists who fought for better rights throughout the decades.

The Celtic Foundation - They Never Stop

When the football season comes to a close and the players head off on holiday, while journalists create stories about potential transfers, we the fans take stock of what we’ve just enjoyed (or endured) over the previous 10 months.  The progress report for Celtic reads well, very well actually.  The league cup was secured before Christmas and then we were crowned champions of Scotland in May, not too bad for a new manager building a new squad.  The prize for that bumper performance is a return to the champions league group stages and all the incentives that brings.  A triumphant return on the pitch post Covid restrictions shows the significant work that goes on to deliver such success.

The final day of the season was an emotional one, I was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid, so missed out on watching the rampant performance from our new champions.  It was hard to keep the tears from falling as long term club servants Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton took their final steps on the hallowed Celtic Park turf.  I also missed out on the Celtic Foundation badge day, another staple of the Celtic Park calendar.  I had volunteered along with my wife to join the bucket collection around the entrance to the stadium, but sadly I had to miss out on this too.

The funds raised by supporters on days like the Badge Day go a long way in supporting the incredible work carried out at the foundation.  As someone who has taken part in individual fundraising events for the Foundation, I never fully grasped the diverse network of programmes offered by the Celtic Foundation to support those most in need in our local communities.

One of the phrases that became synonymous with our title winning team this season was “We Never Stop”.   The same could be said about the clubs charitable arm, the foundation never stops and never stands still. When the Covid restrictions hit our communities, the team at the Foundation were still pushing to ensure those people in most need of assistance were not forgotten.

I was fortunate enough to attend a Celtic Foundation showcase event earlier this week.  The event was hosted by Gerry McCulloch and supported by Foundation Chief Executive Tony Hamilton and Head of Outcomes Donna Marie Henry, but the real stories of success came from the programme participants.

Over the course of the evening we were given an insight into the incredible work done by the Foundation, supported by donations.  Six speakers shared their personal stories of how the Foundation work has changed their life.   From the Lions Lunch on a Monday providing  support and respite for dementia sufferers and their carers, to Ability Counts, supporting families and introducing their loved ones into an environment where they can flourish.  The portfolio of work is truly heartwarming.

We also heard about the impact the sensory room within the stadium has with supporters and their families.  The collaboration with Down syndrome and autism support groups,  but there were two participants who held the room in their hands while they spoke.  Sharing both of their experiences of mental health issues as well as dealing with drug addiction, these personal stories exposed the void left in funding from local authorities to help people in these situations.  The stories shone a light on the impact the Foundation has in helping empower those within the programmes to take the necessary steps on their recovery.

A truly inspirational evening finished with a unique and moving rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone from the UK Theatre School.  On leaving the showcase event I thought about how those collection boxes dotted around the turnstiles and justgiving pages set up by fundraisers all over the world had helped deliver each of those inspirational stories as well as aid the 20+ individual projects that support people of all ages and ability across many communities.

Skylights - What You Are

Very few things unite fans of different football teams, even more so when those teams are city rivals or the adversaries are both challenging for honours.   That's just part of football and why it  will always make it very special.  On the occasions when some common ground can be found, it will normally be part of the culture and trends that have illuminated the terraces for generations.   From the football fans of the 1960s singing songs from the steps of the vast sweeping terraces, to the modern day Ultras, updating lyrics from chart songs for fan favourites while lighting up the stands with pyro’, noise and colour.   The link between football and music has always been, and that will never change.

As the football season comes to an end, there is a seamless migration from the stadiums to festival fields and concert venues across the country.  The rivalry is paused while the musicians weave their magic on stage and unite a fanatical culture under the strobe lights.  This is where bands like Skylights come in, the diehard Leeds United fans have all the swagger that goes with the casual football culture, and they have the songs to back it up with a heady mix of indie rock anthems bound together with guitar riffs and air punching choruses.

Skylights inaugural album What You Are,  landed on all the usual platforms in May this year through Manchester based 42’s Records and has been climbing up the charts, riding high in the UK top 40 as well as sitting at number 11 in the Vinyl charts.  One listen and it’s easy to see why there is so much love out there for this ten track work of art. The four lads hailing from York have launched an absolutely storming debut release filled with a raw and crisp sound that simply consumes you from the opening chords.

The boisterous intensity delivered through Outlaw, Nothing Left to Say and What You Are combines  seamlessly with stripped back acoustic tracks on the album.  Julia Violinista  adds a touch of magic on violin through her unique Indie/Classical sound for Darkness Falls and Driving Me Away, showing the bands range and maturity.

YRA is the longest song on the album and is an instant classic, you just know this track will take the roof off any venue, it has all the strut and swagger of the very best of Indie music.  Take Me Somewhere produces that unmistakable bass led punk melody, again displaying the versatility of the sound the band produce.

The record is laced with influential sounds throughout, with a nod to bands like Shed Seven, The Cult, Jesus Jones and Primal Scream, but the band stamp their own mark all over the album and keep the sound fresh all the way through.  With Rob Scarisbrick on vocals, Turnbull Smith on guitar, Jonny Scarisbrick on bass and Myles Soley on Drums, the group are ready to expand on their passionate support in the Yorkshire heartlands and introduce themselves to a wider audience.

With the hard work done in the studio it promises to be a busy couple of month for the quartet as they hit the road over the summer with live shows in Dublin, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and their biggest gig to date at Leeds O2 Academy.

Upcoming gigs

18th June – Whelans, Dublin

9th July – O2 Academy, Leeds

29th July – Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh 

30th July – The Tunnels, Aberdeen

Twitter - @SkylightsYRA

Building for a Future

When the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the Scotland and Armenia match on Wednesday night, the curtain came down on the footballing season in Scotland .   Yeah, there are still 2 important matches away to Republic of Ireland and the return match against Armenia, before the players start a well deserved summer break.   However, for us here in Scotland the cathedrals that welcome 40 and 50 thousand fans week in and week out will be echoing to the sound of seagulls, lawnmowers or the beat of a DJ set from Calvin Harris or rocking with Manchester's finest Liam Gallagher.  The goalposts have been put away again for players and coaches to catch their breath.

It's been a strange couple of years, from no football at all, no fans to full capacity amphitheatres for big matches and concerts – it’s hard to comprehend the change or even think about what happened before early spring 2020.  What I do know is that I am sure we all appreciate each other just a wee bit more every day.

My son was in the final few months of primary school when the pandemic hit, the imposed lockdown brought a unexpected final day forward by about 12 weeks.   Our children were affected by the restrictions, with no face to face learning, after school clubs or football training, athletics, music lessons or even just playing with friends.   The next steps to high school is hard enough for our kids, but under restrictions the challenge would be tougher.   It was at this point, just as outdoor activities were being reintroduced that I received an unexpected phone call.

The coach from Baillieston Thistle, a recently formed local football team contacted me and the parents of a number of boys and girls making the move to high school.   His plan was to bring together a group of players to get involved in grassroots football playing 11-a-side football in the Glasgow and District youth football league.

At the first training session a very shy, disjointed group of individuals turned up to Barrachnie Park to be run through their paces.   The first thing I noticed was a photographer taking a picture of a couple of players handing over a donation to Brighter Baillieston Foodbank.  This really struck a chord with me, it made me think about the commemorative plaque in Baillieston Library dedicated to William Keegan, who travelled to Spain in 1936 as part of the Scottish Battalion of the International Brigade.   An act of solidarity with similar people from a similar background looking to make a positive change for those around them.

In the end I left it up to my son to make a decision whether he wanted to join Baillieston Thistle and today, I'm glad he made the decision to get involved with the team.  The two years that have followed since that first training session have not been easy.   More lockdowns and I am sure many many more personal tragedies have affected families across our community, but the camaraderie built not only between the players, but also the coaches, parents and carers has been a real lift for all of us watching from the side-lines whatever the weather.

Two weeks ago their first full season in the league drew to a close.  A playoff match against Castlemilk Boys Club, another closely knit community team in their development league would decide the 3rd division champions.  A quite incredible match filled with goals, great play and drama was played out at the community fields in Greenfield.  Nothing could separate the teams & the match was settled with penalty kicks, a cruel but equally enthralling way to decide any match.  Thankfully, the boys from Baillieston held there nerve winning the penalty shootout 4 goals to 3.

The celebrations amongst the players looked like the frustration of a difficult 2 years had been swept away, the joy, excitement and no doubt relief was written all over the players faces.  Next season will definitely bring new challenges, but the disjointed group who messed around in that first session two years ago have grown in number and in confidence thanks to the dedication of the coaches.

There are a number of age groups set up across the club, including 2007s, 2008s, 2009, 2012, 2013, Amateurs and over 35s.   The power of football in peoples lives cant be underestimated and the addition that makes in the local community can only be an improvement too.

It’s been over 40 years since the Marathon men of Baillieston Juniors won the Scottish Junior Cup at Hampden and paraded it around the community on an open top bus.  With news from the council that a new sports facility will be built at James Lindsay park, there is hope that a community team can find a place in Baillieston again, and we all have a part to play in getting it there.

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Baillieston-Thistle-FC-469078796906822/

Twitter - @BailliestonTAFC