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james73

AS it sits on the brink of one of the most exciting times in its history, the East
End of Glasgow faces big challenges.

But shaking off its "sick man of Britain" tag is by far and away its greatest.

The area, which will become a huge sporting focus when Glasgow hosts the 2014
Commonwealth Games in six years' time, has the lowest life expectancy in the
country - just 63 for men in Shettleston.

And it continues to suffer disproportionately from health problems associated
with poverty - smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, depression and obesity.

While poverty and lifestyle have played their part, so too, say the experts, has
the quality of housing.

Large swathes of the city may have been transformed but much of the East
End has lagged behind with many residents still stuck in damp, sub-standard
housing, their rundown communities plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Now there is a new determination to consign poor housing and ill-health to the past.

Health and housing experts say they are already making huge in-roads into
turning it around.

Chris Cunningham is director of Shettleston Housing Association, which runs a
successful private company offering cleaning and recycling services employing
local people.

He said: "I've worked in Shettleston for 25 years and it has changed, and is
continuing to change - you only have to listen to the number of different accents
on the streets - and this is a good thing.

"The positive changes that have taken place in Dennistoun over the last decade
are spreading eastwards. The Commonwealth Games will help this process,
but it was happening anyway. The problems are very real, but the future is positive."

Those on the ground like Chris say it will take changes in approach that puts
communities back in control of their destinies.

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Figures give clear picture of health

• Male life expectancy across the East End is 68.1 years - five years less than
the Scottish average.

• In Shettleston, men can expect to live to just 63.

• Women live, on average to 74 - that's three years less than the national average.

• 30% of the population are officially described as "deprived" and 25% are
unemployed - the average Scottish unemployment rate is just under 5%.

• Mortality rates from cancer and heart disease are all above average.

• 37.5% of people smoke - the national average is 27%.

• In some East End pockets the figure is more than 50%.

• 32% of women smoke while pregnant - that's 8% more than the Scottish average.

• In the last 10 years there were 264 drug deaths in the East End.

• In the last five years there were 420 alcohol-related deaths and every year
almost 2000 residents are admitted to hospital due to problems with alcohol.

• The number of babies born with low birthweight is 62% above the national
average.

• 42% more teenage girls get pregnant than in the rest of Scotland.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

Poverty 'hampers' city's recovery

Glasgow is blighted by "epidemic" levels of drug and alcohol abuse and has the
same number of teenage gangs as London, according to a think tank.

The right-leaning Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) said the city's economic
recovery had been hampered by appalling levels of social deprivation.

Its report predicted that half of all families in Glasgow would be headed by
a lone parent eight years from now.

It praised the work of voluntary groups but said it was "a tale of two cities".

Breakthrough Glasgow is the third in a series of reports on the social
challenges facing Britain's major cities.

It compared social problems in Glasgow with comparable cities in the UK
and concluded that the "eye-catching and welcome regeneration of the
commercial centre masks the parallel existence of social decay".

The CSJ, which was set up by the former Conservative leader Iain Duncan
Smith, pinpointed a severe youth crime problem in the city.

It warned that there were 170 teenage gangs in Glasgow - the same
number as in London.

The proportion of young people not in employment, education or training
was about 18% - 50% more than the Scottish average and roughly twice
that of Manchester.

Glasgow also had the second worst exam pass rate at Standard level in
the whole of Scotland, according to the report.

The proportion of the city's residents claiming incapacity benefit was the
highest of all major UK cities.

It was 50% higher than the Scottish average and double the rate for the UK.

The report's authors admitted theirs was a bleak assessment of Scotland's
largest city.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject:

It's war on the streets

FAMILIES in a Glasgow housing scheme claim they are virtually "prisoners in their
homes" because kids as young as 12 are waging war in the streets.

Over the last few months, gangs of boys have been congregating in Arden after
school and hurling bricks at the No 57 bus to Darnley, fighting and threatening
passers-by.

In the last month, three serious separate incidents on Kyleakin Road have been
reported to police.

The thugs - up to a dozen at a time - have smashed bus windows and, in one
case, two girl passengers were injured.

One 12-year-old boy has been referred to the Children's Panel in connection
with one of the incidents, but no other arrests have taken place.

The trouble is understood to be sparked by gang rivalry and police have increased
patrols in the area. One 68-year-old resident, who did not wish to be named
for fear of being attacked, said: "It is like a warzone out there. From 4-5pm
you dare not go out of your house.

"The police have been around for the last few days and things appear to be
improving, but they can't stick around forever. Once they leave, the kids will
be at it again, or they will just go somewhere the police are not."

It is widely known gangs in Arden have long had problems with those from Priesthill
and Darnley.

Another resident, in his mid-50s, said: "These kids have not had anything to do
for years and in some ways I sympathise with them.

"There are 260 kids signed up to our youth centre, but it is only a Portakabin
and that means they are limited to using it once a week on a rotation.

"People are afraid to stand up to the gangs - what are their parents doing?"

Another resident, 50, added: "It has been going on for a good while. They come
all the time after school, smash up the buses and fight in nearby fields.

"What is now more worrying is that they have started attacking people outside
the shops if they won't buy them a bottle of Buckfast.

"People are scared to go out - we are prisoners in our homes."

Alex Glass, councillor for Greater Pollok, said action was being taken to tackle
the situation, which he admitted had been a recurring problem.

He said: "We don't condone these acts and the police are taking action.

"However, while we need to be firm, we must also recognise the need to involve
young people and tackle these problems."

He agreed Arden residents felt isolated and said police leaflets were being distributed
in an attempt to involve the community.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

Alex Glass · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject:

I was miss quoted

Spent about an hour on the phone with the journalist and he chooses to miss quote me.

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I had a dream today

ALEX G @ flickr

poodiecat · Tofu hot dog & mustard Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 373

Scary · Black Pudding supper Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 539

Alex Glass · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:38 pm Post subject:

Thanks Poodiecat and Scary.

I shouldn't complain. I don't often get mentioned in the Press and do try to avoid it if I can.

I should be glad that my name was spelt correctly.
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I had a dream today

ALEX G @ flickr

james73 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:00 pm Post subject:

24hr burger bid slated as ‘unhealthy’

PLANS to sell Big Macs round-the-clock have sparked a warning about healthy
eating from a Glasgow councillor.

Patricia Gibson claims a bid by McDonald's to open 24 hours will lead to drunks
congregating near houses by the Darnley branch.

The company also wants to open through the night at its premises in Helen
Street, Govan, after its Springburn Road outlet got the go-ahead to do the
same last month.

Only the drive-through sections in Darnley and Govan would be open from 11pm.

But Mrs Gibson has objected to the Darnley plan, which is in her council ward,
saying it would encourage unhealthy eating.

The SNP councillor said: "Glasgow City Council needs to be more circumspect
about granting licences to vendors that sell unhealthy food with little nutritional
value well into the small hours.

"If this application is successful it will attract youths in the early hours and
at weekends - no doubt the worse for having taken excessive alcohol - creating
noise and litter in the area.

"Glasgow City Council is doing all it can to promote healthy eating. No one can
stop those who wish to from eating unhealthy food, but we can stop short of
encouraging it.

"Granting this late licence would encourage unhealthy eating and contradict the
healthy eating policies of the council."

McDonald's has revamped its menu in recent years and introduced salads
and fruit after criticism of the nutritional value of its food.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

Stuball · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

The Govan McDs did open 24hrs for a while years ago
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FLICKR GALLERY

james73 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

I agree with some of the comments on the ET page - if people want to eat a burger
at 3 in the morning I don't see what business it is of some councillor.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...