In this edition of Your Govanhill, we get to know the face behind Kofi Kade – a Sri Lankan-inspired sandwich shop on Cathcart Road. We chat with founder Rukshan Weeraratne who shares the unexpected journey behind the business, his culinary roots, and his favourite Southside hangouts.

Roma community artist Marie Balogova, an ordinary woman with a genetic eye defect, held her first ever solo exhibition on Saturday 21 marking mark Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Her exhibition titled ‘Her, who sees differently’ explores themes of identity, faith and inner world through abstract paintings. This is an insight into the event through photography and the words of the artist herself.

As corporate advertising continues to dominate our public spaces, one local writer explores its hidden harms – from junk food to greenwashing – and asks whether places like Govanhill could reclaim the streets for people, not profit and if grassroots resistance could offer a way forward.

The rise of far right influence has caused alarm to many in diverse communities like Govanhill and can risk undermining social cohesion, inclusion and harmony. In this opinion piece, published on World Refugee Day, Devon McCole explores what we can do to stop it and protect those most vulnerable.

As part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist Sadia Sikander shares the inspiration behind their powerful exhibitions. Sadia’s Unwritten Milestones captures the hidden struggles of asylum seekers in limbo, using portraiture to reflect on resilience, mental health, and the urgent need for change.

In Live in Art, recently shown at the CCA as part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist and curator Syeda Sadaf Zaida brought together diverse voices to explore identity, memory, and resilience. Co-created with 12 artists, Syeda’s reflects on her dual journey as both artist and curator for an exhibition rooted in storytelling, emotion, and care.

Glasgow is among the UK’s top performing councils for climate action, according to new national data but local leaders in Govanhill question whether the benefits are actually reaching the city’s most deprived communities and are calling for more to be done.

Usually one person wears the crown of Greater Govanhill Style Icon but this time, we’re doing things differently. The streets of Govanhill are bursting with pretty prints, cool colours and faces rooted in many cultures. On a sunny afternoon, we captured a fashion parade full of creativity, confidence and community.

From the salt shores of Lake Urmia to the streets of Govanhill, one resident shares their journey across continents. Along the way, they discovered unexpected joys in Glasgow’s most diverse neighbourhood – from familiar flavours to lasting friendships.

Govanhill Park has been at the heart of the community for over a century. It’s a key local space, shaped by history, restored through redevelopment and brought to life each year by the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival.

How can we respond to rolling coverage of injustice without turning away? In Govanhill, campaigners and independent publications explored this question, offering insight into grassroots activism, the BDS movement and the vital role of community-led media.

Greater Govanhill writers Sadia Sikander, Tabassum Niamat and Pinar Aksu took home both Winner and Runner Up at the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards 2025 — a celebration of independent journalism and those “who make the change at the grassroots level”.

Glasgow City Council has been accused of “moral” and “bureaucratic” failure over delays to a memorial for victims of the Covid-19 pandemic which is sitting in storage at taxpayers expense, The Ferret reveals.

For Jill, a disability rights campaigner from Glasgow, the internet isn’t just a tool – it’s a lifeline. Through social media, she’s built a movement for accessible toilets across the UK, showing how digital platforms can break down barriers and amplify the voices too often left unheard.

Passed down through generations, this family recipe for Cacen Cymraeg – Welsh cakes – is more than just a treat. It’s a link to language, memory, and home. In this piece, one local shares how baking became their way of preserving heritage and passing it on, one cake at a time.

Tributes have poured in for Tallat Haq, honouring her legacy of community service and quiet activism. In her memory, a tree will also be planted by Govanhill Baths Community Trust following the passing of the beloved Al-Khair branch manager.

Two Greater Govanhill articles have been shortlisted for Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards, celebrating powerful, responsible coverage of refugee and asylum issues.

Despite council claims of success, a Pollokshields resident shares a ground-level view of overflowing bins, missed collections, and broken promises — raising questions about whether Glasgow’s bin hub pilot is ready for citywide rollout.

With Scotland’s rent cap scrapped last month, Govanhill residents run the risk of being hit with unaffordable rent hikes — some as high as 100%. As protections vanish, housing campaigners warn of a deepening crisis and urge tenants to organise for rent controls and community stability.

Community sponsorship, a grassroots initiative led by the community and supported by Reset UK, works alongside refugee families to resettle them into their new homes, from accessing safe accommodation, navigating local services, registering with a GP, to helping children settle into school.