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It doesn’t matter if you’ve never done anything like this before – the course is suitable for beginners and will show you how to research women’s history in your local area. It will also include fact finding visits to local museums and archives. Who knows, you might uncover a new Clydebank heroine!

The course starts Wednesday 6th October, 12.30-2.30pm, at The Hub Community Centre. It will run for 10 weeks and is free of charge as long as you have an Individual Learning Account. If you don’t already have an ILA, we can help you register for one.

If you would like to find out more about the course, or would like help with ILA registration for the course, then why not come along to our free taster session:

Wednesday 22nd September, 12.30-2.30pm

The Hub Community Centre
Kilbowie Road
Clydebank

This course is run by Glasgow Women’s Library in partnership with DACE at Glasgow University with support from: West Dunbartonshire Council Community Learning and Development; Clydebank Library; and Clydebank Museum.

Glasgow Women’s Library will have an information stall and there will be a showing of The F Word. This lively, provocative video was developed by Pilton video and the F Word girl’s group in partnership with Glasgow Women’s Library and it charts the journeys of a group of culturally diverse young women who explore the history of feminism and what it means to them and others in their communities.

There will be a wide range of organisations there to inform and inspire you so if you live in the Argyle area, come along and find out more.

For more information contact Lorna Ahlquist on 01369 830 877 or take a look at the Engender newsletter (.pdf).

- involved in Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp?
- active in the socialist and feminists movements between 1972-1990?
- active in the North-East of Scotland around the same time?

We are currently gathering oral histories to feature as part of an International Women’s Day 2011 event in Aberdeen. The event will also showcase campaign materials, minutes, badges and other artefacts, photographs, personal letters and diaries. This exciting exhibition will become part of a permanent collection in the GWL Archives.

Greenham Common Banner

We will be recording oral histories in the North-East of Scotland from July 2010 onwards, and accepting donations of relevant materials towards the end of 2010 (unfortunately no earlier than this, due to our imminent move to the Mitchell Library).

If you would like to contribute to the essential preservation of this important history, please contact Morag Smith, National Lifelong Learning Development Worker by email: morag.smith@womenslibrary.org.uk or telephone: 0141 552 8345.

All contributions will be subject to the conditions of Glasgow Women’s Library oral history copyright clearance and deposit policy. It will be necessary for all contributors to complete an oral history copyright clearance and deposit form.

Morning session in the Jeffrey Room

Over 120 women were inspired to take One Small Step and participate in our one day conference at the Mitchell Library on Tuesday 23rd March 2010. Delegates of all ages and backgrounds came from across Scotland, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Alloa, Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Fife and Stirling and participated in our day of talks and workshops aimed at inspiring women to participate in and develop walks in their local area.

During the morning session Adele Patrick and Morag Smith from GWL spoke about how encouraging women to take small steps can lead to giant leaps in health, learning and well-being and Jessica Lindhof of Paths for All talked about the life-changing possibilities for women and women’s groups who decide to take up walking. Lifelong Learning Assistant Laura Dolan launched GWL’s new training DVD (One Small Step) in which two women discover the Women Make History project and start their journeys towards becoming a Tour Guide and a Women’s History Detective. The film, produced by volunteers at GWL, gives an insight into what it means to be a volunteer tour guide. Organisations including Walk Glasgow, Living Steets, Paths for All and Strathclyde Police offered information and advice at the conference marketplace and delegates also had the opportunity to try out GWL’s new Garnethill women’s heritage walk.

Delegates preview GWL's new Garnethill Women's Heritage Walk

The day also featured inspirational workshops, including “Making it Happen” from GP Jenny lim on overcoming the obstacles to walking, Janet Brereton from Seeing Sense on making walks more accessible for women with disabilities and Rosie Wylie, community ranger from Heritage Scotland, on developing themed walks. Women from the Dundee Women’s Trail Group and Wigtown Women’s Walk Group shared their expertise on developing women’s heritage walks and GWL staff also shared their experience and offered advice on developing themed walks, walks for BME women and using walk development as a way of developing women’s literacy skills.

Below are some comments and ideas from delegates:

“I would love to help reconnect women especially pregnant women, with their nature and environment through walking to improve fitness for childbirth…”,

“This workshop has inspired me to not be afraid of change..”

“This workshop has inspired me to talk to my friend…about doing a project with women and literacy and history in South Edinburgh..”

“I liked..meeting new people from different backgrounds and realising we have lots in common..”

“All of this links people to place, to environment, to community, to history and to self. it’s so simple but so revolutionary. Just walk.”

Our sponsors and partners in this event, Paths for All, Mitchell library staff and the many volunteers, facilitators, staff members and delegates all contributed to making this day an inspirational experience for everyone who attended.

GWL’s One Small Step DVD will soon be available for viewing on the Women Make History section of our website. There are also limited copies available for organisations who are working with women’s groups. Workshops on developing walks for women are available across Scotland through GWL’s National Lifelong Learning programme. For more information please contact us.

The inaugural Wigtown Women's Walk

The walk, which celebrates the women of Wigtown past and present has been developed by the group over the last year. One of the original inspirations for it’s development was GWL’s own West End Women’s Heritage Walk and a talk given by volunteers from GWL’s Women Make History group. The launch was a unique event, attended by over 40 women from Wigtown and was based on the recreation of a tea party held in the town 170 years ago to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. 30 “nymphs” from Wigtown who had “survived the frosts of 40 winters” were invited to the original event. The afternoon included displays, and talks from members of the walk group and talks on the GWL archive and GWL’s National Lifelong Learning programme.
GWL will be supporting the group in promoting the walk within the local community by running workshops at the town’s community festival in July. A self-guided booklet version of the walk is being developed by the group and will be available for anyone who wants to explore the walk on their own.

She Settles in the Shields at DIWC

Morag and Syma led a session introducing GWL’s mobile exhibition She Settles in the Shields. This exhibition tells the untold stories of migrant women in Pollokshields. Told in their own words, the women reveal their experiences of life in their traditional homelands, together with their reasons for leaving, their arrival and first impressions of Scotland and Pollokshields. It also provides an intimate insight into family, intergenerational differences, and, on a more light-hearted note, of food, fashion, relaxation and celebration.

Oral history session at DIWC

At a further oral history session, women from the Bezor group told and recorded their own stories of migrating from their homelands to Dundee. They brought in photographs, certificates and artefacts ranging from kettles to wedding dresses and shared their memories with others. The stories included a women who was one of the first female lawyers in India and an impromptu demonstration of a traditional wedding ceremony. Women of all ages and cultures attended the session.

She Settles in the Shields and follow-up oral history sessions are available to women’s groups across Scotland as part of Glasgow Women’s Library National Lifelong Learning Programme. For more information contact Morag Smith 0141 552 8345 or e-mail info@womenslibrary.org.uk

One Small Step is a free national event for women across Scotland, hosted by Glasgow Women’s Library and Paths For All.

This event offers an informative and inspirational day for those who want to find out more about developing walks for women. The aim of the day is to inspire the development of new and existing walking groups; and to encourage the involvement of women of all ages and backgrounds, particularly women from BME and other hard-to-reach communities.

Walking is increasingly being recognised as an inclusive and cost effective way to increase confidence and social contacts and improve physical and mental health.

Glasgow Women’s Library have organised a number of successful women’s heritage walks in Glasgow and now support groups across Scotland in developing women’s heritage walks. They also offer a unique lifelong learning programme to women in Glasgow and across Scotland.

Paths For All is the national charity promoting walking for health and the development of a multi-use path network in Scotland. It is the leading national organisation promoting the health benefits of walking and supporting people in walking for health.

10am-4pm, Tuesday 23rd March 2010, Mitchell Library, Glasgow

If you are interested in this event, please download the forms below. Once you have completed the Booking Form and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, please send it to info@womenslibrary.org.uk. Or you can send it by post to 81 Parnie Street, Glasgow, G1 5HW. If you would like any more information about the event, please call us on 0141 552 8345.

Places are limited, so book soon to avoid disappointment!

Download: One Small Step Conference Information

Download: One Small Step Booking Form

Download: Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Date: Wednesday 3rd February 12noon-2pm

Venue: Eden Court Theatre, Inverness

Download: W@W Women’s Work in the Highlands programme