In this episode of A Blether With..., Michael heads to the Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre to chat with Stephanie, Elizabeth and Phil about the centre’s 30-year history and the role it continues to play at the heart of the community.

They look back at how the centre began in 1996, and how it has evolved from a traditional community centre into a space shaped by the needs of local people.

Stephanie, Elizabeth and Phil talk about some of the challenges the centre has faced over the years, from changes in funding to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and how the team adapted to continue supporting the community.

They also discuss the wide range of activities and support available today, from the community pantry, café and cooking classes to family activities, digital inclusion, benefits and cost-of-living support.

Finally, they look at the centre’s 30th anniversary celebrations, including a memory wall, time capsule and special events, and share what they hope the next chapter holds for Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre.

A huge thank you to South Lanarkshire Libraries Lending Voices Initiative for providing the podcast equipment and helping make this episode possible.

In this episode of A Blether With..., Michael chats with Lizzie MacDonald, from the Highbacks community garden in Burnhill, about how the project has grown from a small community clean-up effort during Covid lockdown into a thriving local space led by and for local people.

Lizzy talks about her passion for creating positive change in the community, building opportunities for young people, and helping bring people together through projects like the men’s wellbeing group and youth activism work.

She also shares her hopes for the future of the Highbacks — keeping it community-led, free to access, and a welcoming place for everyone.

Highbacks Community Garden on Facebook: Highbacks Community Garden

A huge thank you to South Lanarkshire Libraries’ Lending Voices initiative for providing the podcast equipment and helping make this episode possible.

In this special episode of A Blether With…, Michael Shanks hands over the microphone to the pupils of Burgh Primary School - and no question is off limits.

Turning the usual format on its head, the pupils take on the role of interviewers, putting their local MP in the hot seat and asking about everything from life at Westminster to whether he ever gets nervous speaking in Parliament — and even his go-to lunch order. Their thoughtful questions, alongside a few light-hearted ones, create an engaging and insightful conversation about politics, public life and the importance of young people having their voices heard..

🎙️ Listen now to hear what happens when the next generation takes charge of the conversation.