We have been summing up 2024 – 2025 in Byres Hub. Firstly in numbers: 

 An infographic showing the numbers of events, connections and cups of tea in Byres Hub

And secondly, on the connections with people, especially at the end of the academic year which was filled with joyous festivals and opportunities to get out there and talk to members of the public about what we do. The Byres Hub bunting made by U3A Knitting and Quilting group and individually decorated at our Community Day and School barbecue has been well used already! 

Scottish Refugee Festival 

In June, we hosted several activities as part of The Scottish Refugee Festival including an ALISS in Wowland drop-in with members of the Redcross VOICES Network, ‘The Importance of Peer Support’ a training event with the Mental Health Foundation’s team of core volunteers, a workshop with a Kurdish Womans group and an Eritrean Coffee Ceremony which was also part of Glasgow Science Festival with UNESCO Chair: Refugee Integration through Education, Languages and the Arts. It was a really special event to witness and be part of.  

Alison Phipps wrote about the event in The National (22nd June): 

"The Unesco RIELA team at the University of Glasgow embodied the values of Glasgow as a Unesco Learning City and brought the rituals of the Eritrean Coffee Ceremony to an open circle of around 150 people over the day, introducing the peace-making principle for families and communities who live in the rhythms of this beautiful mode of coffee-making. 

"Glasgow was unveiled as a Unesco Learning City in December 2024 in recognition of outstanding achievements in lifelong learning. The only city in Scotland bestowed this honour to date. 

The ceremony was a model of life-long learning in the Byres Community Hub at the University of Glasgow - everyone sharing and learning from stories and languages, embodying the principles of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. In the circle were, it seemed, all the languages, and all the courage, and all the ways of tea and coffee drinking in the world - from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Italy, China, Iraq, Yemen, Germany." 

A woman is sitting on the floor in Byres Hub with coffee laid out on a rug in front of her

If you have an idea for public events in Byres Hub, please get in touch with us byreshub@glasgow.ac.uk. At the moment, Fridays are the days where we have most capacity in the main exhibition area and meeting spaces. 

Make Music Day – Visit West End 

On Saturday 21st June, we welcomed ‘The Havering’ ceilidh band to Curling Pond Place outside the Clarice Pears building as part of Visit West End’s Make Music Day.  

A band with three musicians playing outside the Clarice Pears building

The BIGGER Partick Picnic

We were delighted to attend the BIGGER Partick Picnic in Mansefield Park on Saturday 28th June, a free event delivered by Partick Housing Association, Partick Community Council and The Annexe Community Hub supported by Every Stage event management. A celebration of Partick marking 850 years of Glasgow and the 50th anniversary of Partick Housing Association, the day featured live music and entertainment, face painting, workshops, circus skills, and even a skipping challenge!   

As part of the community marketplace, Byres Hub representatives Callum and Jas got to chat to local residents and visitors about research at the School of Health and Wellbeing, opportunities for collaboration and the spaces available for groups at the Clarice Pears Building. We also shared our “7 Days of Self Care” resources developed together with COPE Scotland. 

Our stall doubled up as an arts and crafts station, with volunteers from the Queers Make Glasgow collective helping attendees to customise and decorate their new Byres Hub tote bags, create friendship bracelets and learn about stitching techniques.   

Communiversity, a partnership project between the University of Glasgow and The Annexe exploring fun and easy ways for people in Partick to move more, was also represented.  

There was a big turnout on the day, with beautiful weather and a brilliantly lively atmosphere with something for everyone – overall, a hugely successful event made possible by friends of the Hub.  

A park with people sitting on deckchairs and a stage with a musician on it

Barmulloch Community Development Centre (BCDC) Community in the Park  

On Saturday 9th August at BCDC’s 20th Community in the Park event, Lorraine Waddell was joined at her Byres Hub stand by volunteers Jas Bedi and student Shaofen Xu.  They shared information about Byres Hub, self-care and BSL resources and the upcoming Explorathon Festival at the ARC and Clarice Pears in September. Jas said: "We had a great deal of interest, from all age groups and all kinds of backgrounds. We spent a lot of time explaining the background to the whole principle of self-care scorecards and had questions about how to access resources. The weather could have been better, but it didn't dampen our spirits. Thoroughly enjoyed it.” 

Byres Hub stall outside with bunting decoration

Make Do at Platform

Lorraine and Heather Waddell, Public Health were also out championing Byres Hub, BSL and knitting at a Make Do event at Platform in Easterhouse with Creative Climate Future Glasgow on 30th August, the second time Lorraine has attended these monthly events at Platform, The Bridge Cafe Bar and library areas, celebrating local resources and exchanging skills.

BSL Café 

Our BSL Café has been a wonderful success, bringing together members of the Deaf community, BSL learners, and allies for an afternoon of connection, learning, and fun. Our Café creates a relaxed space where anyone can learn some basic BSL, meet new people, and share learning. The Café gives learners the chance to practice BSL through sign and facial expression with our teacher Carly. Our grant has given us the chance to continue with further Cafés starting on Wednesday 24th September.

 

First published: 16 September 2025

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