Personal Experience

Gift of Life

26th May 2020 By Clydesider

Words and Photos by Angela Clark “Sit with your daughter and say your goodbyes until she passes.” Those were the heartbreaking words uttered to the Boyle family from Clydebank as their daughter Jamie-lee lay in a coma fighting for her life. A week earlier Jamie-lee the … [Read more...] about Gift of Life

Golden Moments

26th May 2020 By Clydesider Editor

Words and Photos by Charlie Sherry “I hadn’t been out my room for 17 years.” For 28-year-old Stephen Coombe, life before Golden Friendships Club was a lonely and difficult place. Walking through the doors of the Dalmuir-based charity with, what he described as “not much … [Read more...] about Golden Moments

Blooming With Potential

26th May 2020 By Clydesider Editor

Words and Photos by Charlie Sherry If you ever have the good fortune to come across Clydebank man, Johnny Dale, the chances are he’ll be confidently sharing his extensive knowledge of horticulture in one of the community gardens around West Dunbartonshire or Glasgow where he … [Read more...] about Blooming With Potential

The Shanghai Express

19th May 2020 By Clydesider Editor

By Ally Craig Just recently, I have been going to a wee gathering every Wednesday night, with like-minded individuals who share a sort of common purpose. We are all people who have experienced difficulties, to a varying degree, with alcohol and the causes and effects … [Read more...] about The Shanghai Express

Light at the End of the Tunnel

19th May 2020 By Clydesider Editor

By Charlie Sherry Ten years ago I realised my relationship with alcohol had changed from maybe having one too many on a night out, to sneaking up to the local Spar for my carryout at times when I was least likely to meet someone I knew. I had become totally withdrawn, a … [Read more...] about Light at the End of the Tunnel

3 days ago

Vale Memories Wanted by Angela Clark

Do you have a memory of the Vale you would like to see preserved in a book?

If so, Furniture Fix - a social enterprise which is part of Tullochan - would love to hear from you.

Their Vale Stories project aims to bring together two generations with the publication of a new book capturing the memories of the lives of people who worked or lived in the Vale of Leven.

The book will be filled with poems and stories written by older people about their experiences of growing up in the area. The younger people will illustrate the images based on the content they have read.

The organisation is looking for more people to get involved and contribute their memories to the publication.

They are particularly keen to hear from Vale folk who have stories about old buildings they may have been employed in.

Lisa Carr from Tullochan said: “There are all sorts of stories we are really interested in, especially all the landmarks of the town or people that worked in Polaroid or the McDougall factory - which apparently made juice.

“We are based in what was the old torpedo factory, now Lomond Galleries. We have somebody who worked in the factory writing about their experience and we would love to hear more stories like this.”

Money from the sale of the book will go back into helping young people at the social enterprise plus a number of copies will be gifted to local care homes.

If you would like to contribute to the book please contact lisa@tullochan.org or call 07398 204845. ... See MoreSee Less

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4 days ago

Nature on the Hoof by Paul Murdoch

Buzzards - Part 1

Whenever I get a chance to climb a little higher above the hassles of the towns and cities, I always look out for one of my favourite birds of prey - the buzzard. You’ll most probably see it in one of three different situations...

High on a perch, like a telegraph pole or treetop, it will scan its surroundings for prey; down on the ground, hunting for worms and insects or picking at something already dead.
Finally, it’s probably one of the birds most misidentified as an eagle, it’s silhouette dark against the sky, soaring, searching and sometimes hovering like a clumsy kestrel.

So what is the difference between an eagle and buzzard in flight? Apart from an eagle being more than twice the size which, from a distance, is hard to establish, the eagle has a straighter, less fanned tail and its neck and head protrude a bit further from its wings.

I still get confused at times but when I really see an eagle, especially through my binoculars, I usually get that whoaw factor. You’re suddenly aware of the shear size and grandeur of the bird and are just blown away.

I’ve only ever seen a golden eagle once in West Dumbartonshire, and that was a good few years ago now.

Other birds it may be mixed up with are red kites, which have a forked tail and ospreys which have a much longer wing and much more white in their colouration.

Read more here: www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wildlife-and-the-law/wildbird-crime/birdcrime-report-2019/ ... See MoreSee Less

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6 days ago

Can you capture Spring through a lens?

For full entry details visit: clydesider.org/competition/

Good Luck! ... See MoreSee Less

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