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In today's episode, Fay introduces Layla Sadr Hashemi and Ume Chauhdry, who share their experiences with the project Thistles and Dandelions, designed to connect ethnic minority women with Glasgow’s cultural heritage. This initiative by Empower Women for Change has been transformative, fostering a sense of belonging among participants.
Layla, originally from Iran, and Ume, from Pakistan, discuss their initial struggles with isolation, language barriers, and cultural differences upon arriving in Glasgow. Discovering EWfC provided them a supportive community and opportunities for personal and professional growth through workshops and training.
Thistles and Dandelions, one of EWfC’s significant projects, ran throughout 2023, engaging women with Glasgow's heritage beyond just observation. Layla and Ume also describe their involvement with the David Livingstone Birthplace, learning skills in curating, conservation, and exhibition planning, which enhanced their confidence and sense of community.
Highlights:
- Symbolism of the thistle and its representation of Scottish history and resilience.
- Layla and Ume discuss the specific challenges that immigrants face when adapting to life in Glasgow.
- Emphasis on the importance of community support in helping new Scots feel welcomed and empowered.
Key Moments:
- 00:00:00 - 00:01:00 — Introduction to the Thistles and Dandelions Project: Discussion on the project's symbolism and objectives.
- 00:05:15 - 00:06:30 — Challenges Faced by New Scots: Layla and Ume discuss language barriers and cultural integration.
- 00:12:45 - 00:14:00 — Empowerment Through Community Support
- 00:20:30 - 00:22:00 — Personal Stories of Overcoming Adversity: Layla and Ume share personal stories of resilience.
- 00:28:15 - 00:30:00 — Future Vision for the Project: Plans for expanding the project's reach and impact
Learn more:
- You can find out more about Empower Women for Change on their website
- Learn about the Thistles & Dandelion project on their project blog
- Follow Glasgow City Heritage Trust on social media: @GlasgowHeritage #IfGlasgowsWallsCouldTalk
- Produced by Inner Ear (innerear.co.uk) for Glasgow City Heritage Trust
- Sponsored by Tunnock's (tunnock.co.uk)
Creators & Guests
What is If Glasgow’s Walls Could Talk?
A podcast by Glasgow City Heritage Trust which focuses on the relationships, stories and shared memories that exist between Glasgow’s historic buildings and the city's communities. Presented by Glasgow City Heritage Trust’s Director Niall Murphy and journalist Fay Young, this series features guests discussing with Niall and Fay a specific area, type of building or aspect of Glasgow’s heritage, not only from a historical and architectural point of view, but also from the perspective of the community; drawing on the guests’ personal experiences, thoughts, knowledge and memories.
Thistle is actually a Scottish flower, and it represents Scottish history and culture. It has positive connection and a sign of resilience, strength, and pride. And dandelion is a very resilient flower. It can grow anywhere in the world, and it's fragile like, women, come from all over the world, and they are asylum seekers and refugee and maybe somebody bright, and they are fragile in this new environment. Thistle represent Scotland and dandelion represent the women they come, in this, country.
Niall Murphy:Hello everyone and welcome to If Glasgow's Walls Could Talk. I'm Niall Murphy.
Fay Young:And I'm Fay Young. It's really interesting how buildings can embody emotion. And with this thistles and dandelions interview with Layla and Ume, it was really interesting how they responded to the buildings around them, in the David Livingstone project, the Empower Women project that took them inside the museum. But also, especially as they walked around the city, Layla talked about the comfort she got from looking at at these grand Glasgow buildings. And I I wonder what you feel about that, Neil, that, you know, that a a sort of emotional response to a building.
Niall Murphy:I think that's very interesting, and I think it's key. It's about looking for ways to find your way, you know, find some niche that can potentially become your home. So I think buildings can serve a role in that. I'm I'm kind of I'm very interested in the role that buildings play in memory and association. So I think there is potentially something very interesting there.
Fay Young:Yes. It's a really interesting conversation. Welcome to you both, Layla and Ume. We have such a lot to talk about about your work, but let's start perhaps with you telling us a little bit about yourselves and how you come to be here.
Ume Chauhdry:My name is Ume Chaudhry, and I came to Glasgow from Pakistan in 1994 after my marriage. My
Ume Chauhdry:parent-in-law living here since 1960s . I have Master degree in Persian language and literature. I speak 4 languages, Urdu, Punjabi, English, and Persian. I left behind my family, my ambition, my culture, my study, and my friends to come here.
Ume Chauhdry:Here, I end up leaving my ill laws, and, my hope was to do my study, learn new things, integrate in society. But all this fade away when most Asian women, when they come here and, in laws show them the kitchen, and that is and they say, that is your new life. Good luck. So they don't care about isolation, stress, depression, only communication through in-laws, and you have to obey the orders. So after lots of struggle, me and my husband managed to get our own place.
Ume Chauhdry:I started to improve my English, and I study at Open University, IT and informational technology. I used to do, voluntary with Amna, the Muslim Resource Center helpline. But every week, I used to, meet my friend, and she was one of the staff in empower women. And, actually, she was, a volunteer coordinator for the Thistle and Dandelion project. She She said, if you are struggling to find job, why you don't join empower women for change, a heritage museum project while searching for job?
Ume Chauhdry:I said I am not interested in past history, heritage, and museum because these things are not too boring for me. I'm a coding person, but she insisted, please come on induction day. If you like, fine. Otherwise, trophies. My friends are very dear to me because I love them, so I always give them respect and value.
Ume Chauhdry:I said, okay. If you insist, I will come. So I went to introduce, Sunday in February, and it was a merchant house building. I entered the building, and we gathered, and, everybody was new to each other. So when the project voluntary coordinator give us little bit introduction about merchant house, the building, so I found out the building had been used as a slave merchant business in 18th Century, and it was a tobacco as well.
Ume Chauhdry:They were using, for tobacco business and for slavery. Then, immediately, one point come to my mind, how time change. Now Empowered Women for Change has two room occupied to help global and ethic minority group, especially asylum seeker, refugee. And that building and empower women for change touched my heart, and I decided to join the project. Now I will hand it to Layla.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. I arrived in Glasgow more than 8 years ago, through my husband's visa student. In my country, I studied master of art in Farsi, language and literature. I used to work, in a magazine as an editor, and a short story writer. Also, I taught at university as a visiting lecturer and a teacher at a secondary school.
Layla Sadr Hashem:When I came here, I realised that, I cannot do anything with my, degree. So I had to start from the beginning. I
Layla Sadr Hashem:studied ESOL 3 years, then, I changed my field, and I studied 3 years art and design at Kelvin College, which was very, very good experience.
Fay Young:Both bringing different stories and a lot of, change in your lives. What was it like when you arrived in Glasgow coming from very, very different cultures and backgrounds? How how did the city look and feel to you?
Ume Chauhdry:It felt to me it was very cold. So so I have to wear lots of clothes. And another thing is it it was very peaceful. And when I used to go out, everybody was welcoming and hello, and they were talking about, oh, weather is nice. Oh, weather is too bad or it's raining all the time.
Ume Chauhdry:And people were very friendly, because I was new. Sometime, I asked the way, and they were giving me direction. So usually, I was just staying at home or In the kitchen? Going for yes. In the kitchen.
Ume Chauhdry:And and then little bit going for shopping. And I used to go with my husband. He was very good, and he was showing me all the places. And we went to, Loch Lomond first time. I just love it because I always loved the, natural beauty.
Ume Chauhdry:And then we went to Edinburgh, and we went to Helensburgh. Helensburgh actually was my favorite and, and different places. Not much because he was doing job, and we used to go on weekend. And we used to go to work with different park, like, Kelvin Park or Botanic Garden. So it was good, but, mostly, I was just at home.
Ume Chauhdry:And, but people was nice. People are nice, and this was my experience. Very friendly. And I used to go to I I I'm just now going to mosque, but before, I used to go to mosque as well.
Fay Young:You did speak English. Is that right? When yeah.
Ume Chauhdry:Yes. I used to speak very little English, but because we have one subject in English in school and college, so I did understand. But I didn't understand the, Scottish accent. That's when one day, I was out, and they would say, give us a cup of coffee. So I asked my husband what that means.
Ume Chauhdry:So they said, give us a cup of coffee. So I said, alright. So they have different, little bit different accents, so it was very difficult to understand. But sometime, my husband was with me, and he was translating and explaining, right, because he's born part of here, so he knew everything. So he was helping me out.
Fay Young:You had your own translator. Yes. Yes. At first. And what about you, Layla?
Fay Young:When when you arrived here in Glasgow, how did it feel?
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. My experience is, different, from Ume. When I lived in Iran, I used to think immigration is something easy. Like, we put our staff in a luggage, and we go somewhere with lots of opportunities, and we live peacefully. But the reality was completely different for me.
Layla Sadr Hashem:From the first days, I faced difficulties, and, yeah, from simple things like getting on the bus to complicated things. I face cultural, and language barriers. Especially language barrier, makes people more isolated. You know that, learning another language, when you are old, is not something easy, But, I think immigration has also a positive side. The positive side with, which I connected my self was, my, familiarity with a new culture and new traditions, as well as its civil architecture and heritage.
Layla Sadr Hashem:I think it was indeed unique and exceptional to me. As I stated, at first, I was isolated with no friends, no family. So when I went to the town, I would look on historical buildings with embedded sculptures. They were completely impressive. I used to even stay for a while, reflecting on the design and beauty, of those buildings, even though residents might take it take them, for granted.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. But, it was amazing for me.
Fay Young:So that that that's that's a really interesting two 2 sides of of your experience, the the the isolation and and yet the excitement, perhaps, of seeing a new environment and one so different from from where you'd come from as well. So for you both, was there a turning point in terms of just getting a a rhythm and a natural sort of sense of being in the city?
Layla Sadr Hashem:How does Empower Women for Change feature in this story for you? I first saw the ad on Instagram without knowing what it was exactly. I registered, then, I received an email, that my application, was successful. Then, I was invited for the introduction session, at, Empower Women For Change office after being isolated for a long time, especially following the pandemic. I came to meet with new people and lovely community.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Empowerment for Change, is an, organization led by women only and, was established by Asmaa Abdullah in 2015 to help minority ethnic women integrate and thrive as well as find a meaning in their life. The organization, really proved, successful in its program, to support the increasing need of, diverse, women, towards integration and positive engagement As, it is meant to empower women, its project and services are mainly dedicated to promoting its community through, boosting confidence, active participation, and full engagement. Also, Asma, the CEO of the organization, does her best to improve the minority's well-being, mental health, learning English, physical health, and so on.
Ume Chauhdry:I want to add further about their list of projects, community engagement project, where they, women go out and, do different things, activities, art and craft, or cycling, or other food security project, which is I I'm responsible. See, recently, me and Layla. So I I I'm responsible to document all all the food security and commands of people and how how many are benefiting and what kind of food comes. So Nusco talent project is linked with, Glasgow City College, and, they are organizing for them the ESoL classes, sewing classes, and cooking classes, and then accountancy, and, me, myself, like, new voluntary courses, which I do every Thursday. And household hardship fund, they did last year and who have difficulty to support their family and buy things.
Ume Chauhdry:So they give them water on maybe direct sending money some money to their bank. And to empower in creative project is art and craft teaching milestone is recently finished, and, Layla was, I think, a member of this voluntary with this project, and they did most of their activities in Goma. Inspired women project is same. They have workshops and different kind of and then Thistle and Dandelion Residence Project, that we did last year. And, one thing I I'm just admiring about CEO Asmaa Abdullah, she is saying I treat my staff and voluntary as a family.
Ume Chauhdry:I just love it love this sentence, and I decided to do voluntary in this, organization. And she's really actually proved this because I saw her, if the staff are voluntary busy. The she cleaned the place herself. She's throwing the rubbish, and she's asking everybody, are you alright? You need anything?
Ume Chauhdry:And if there is extra food, she she said, if you need it, you just take it. And is this she's just a lovely woman, and that's why everybody stick to, like her children. So if they say something in anger and anything, we just think as a mother mother, she's talking to children. That's a great
Fay Young:image of an organization that works because of the leadership at the top inspiring throughout from the bottom to the top. It it's how the best places work, I think. So tell us more about Thistles and dandelions then.
Layla Sadr Hashem:The thistles and dandelion, the project lasted 10 months. The volunteers, took part, in monthly heritage skills workshop, and the project had collaboration with David Livingstone in Birthplace Museum. At the museum, the professionals introduced some workshops and sessions such as, object handling, collections care, and, visitor services. The aim of the of this project was to support, the volunteers to build, different skills, to see themselves within Scottish heritage, stories, collections, and item. In addition, the volunteers, increased their knowledge about Scottish heritage sector.
Layla Sadr Hashem:We also developed some skills in mindfulness, confidence building, personal development, and so on. The project, itself gave me new insights regarding Scotland heritage. And now, even, I could see the story behind the collections, at museums. Even when I go, to museum, I feel, I am connected, to the items and collections, and I have nostalgic really nostalgic feelings toward them. Maybe Ume might want to explain more.
Ume Chauhdry:Yes. Thank you, Layla. So I wanted to explain about the name Thistle and Dandelion. And the, the name was been selected by Empower Women for two staff members, like Fizek and his project volunteer coordinator and Salma, another senior staff member. The reason to choose the thistle thistle is actually a Scottish flower, and it represents Scottish history and culture.
Ume Chauhdry:That's why it's, it has positive connection and a sign of resilience, strength, and pride. And dandelion is a very resilient flower. It can grow anywhere in the world, and it's fragile. Like, women, come from all over the world, and they are asylum seeker and refugee and maybe somebody bright, and they are fragile in this new, environment. So they they choose actually represent, thistle represent Scotland, and dandelion represent the women.
Ume Chauhdry:They come in this, country. We visit different historical places like art gallery, Goma Museum. We did fun art workshop and, Burrell Collection. And we went to Burrell Collection. I was inspired because it was remind me my own country, the characters and the objects.
Ume Chauhdry:And, I decided to compare them, 18th century objects and characters, to my country. Just now, they are still exist. So that's why I was quite interested. And they did lots of workshop. Like, we went to Glasgow Women Library, and we didn't know about this library at all.
Ume Chauhdry:I, it was new to me. So, it was, we did art and craft workshop. We did speech therapy workshop, and we did storytelling with Anna Lehr from Glasgow Museum. And we went to Hidden Garden, Tramway, and visit an air fabric exhibition we saw and was quite interested to us. And we did, visit to Hunterian Museum as well. So this unique museum, like, we see I wanted to, talk about little bit about David Livingstone Museum. So David Livingstone Museum birth place is only independent museum in Scotland that directed the preserving the legacy of David Livingstone
Ume Chauhdry:and reexamine his work with the complex and painful reality of slavery and 19th century European attitude toward African people and community group. So, David Livingstone fight for this, slavery, and he wanted to free and change the attitude of British and European people. And he struggled about this a lot, and he got enemy as well, but he didn't give up. So that that's why the David Livingstone Museum attract me.
Fay Young:Yeah. So which objects or artifacts had this connection for you?
Ume Chauhdry:So I don't I wanted to compare his childhood life and, his character his wife characters and objects. He grew up in a a Scottish family environment of personal like, they have poor. They they did hard work, and they because of poverty, they were prevent for education. And David Livingstone born, in March 1813, , Blanchard, Scotland. His parent was very poor, and he was living with his brother and sister and with his parents in a small single room at the top of tennement building that is the museum, just now, the David Livingstone Museum, for workers of court.
Ume Chauhdry:And there were 6 to 8 families living there with their children in small, building. It was a cotton factory, that time, and they was working there. And they were working 6 AM to 8 PM. And David Livingstone family has small room there, and this whole house was in this small room. And they have kitchen kitchen in their bedroom, bathroom, everything in this small room.
Ume Chauhdry:And I was wondering how they were living there. And they were using children as, labour, and, they were working in cotton mill. So I was wondering when I saw this and their story, I was wondering, it is still exist in our country. Yes. Not in Pakistan, in India, Bangladesh, Silica.
Ume Chauhdry:They are still using child labour. And even UK biggest brand, they have factories in these countries, and the very little children, salary is very little and less than 1 pound, and they have to do hard work to feed their family. Another thing is that they are very good. Their hands are very good in especially, they are used in carpet factories. So this was, comparing from 18th century, child labor to just now, and and it's just going on.
Ume Chauhdry:And other, I compared with David Livingstone, wife. She actually born in 1821 in South Africa. Her father was Robert Moffett and Scottish missionary. And David met her father, and they married in 19th January 1845 . She was experienced traveller, and she knows several languages. And she helped David in Africa a lot with his machinery work. But because David want her to be safe and her children to be recognised as a Scottish, he he sent her and her his children to Scotland. And now her life
Ume Chauhdry:as a bride in Scotland was similar with our Asian women who comes here. And, her in laws didn't accept her, and it was very difficult for her to socialize in Scottish society due to her different English accent. She didn't like climate.
Ume Chauhdry:That's why I compared our life to her because she was in same situation in 18th century. More or less, we face same problems. She has house and everything there, and she went back to Africa without telling her in laws.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. And when you go to the David, Livingstone Museum, the environment is very, very nostalgic. And as Ume said, I remember that we had that iron in our home. When I was very young, I remember that my mom put the iron on on oven. When it got, very, very hot, my mom used to, like, iron our uniform when I wanted to go to school.
Layla Sadr Hashem:It was working without any electricity.
Fay Young:It's interesting to hear you both say that because my granny in in Ireland, in fact, until she died, the iron was was exactly as you describe. It was heated on the stove. So your stories are connecting, from the David Livingstone Foundation or Museum rather. You're telling stories that connect across so much of the world and your own personal connections as well. It's it's really fascinating.
Fay Young:So what, has arisen from that? Are you doing more of that kind of work? Do you feel differently about other museums and collections?
Ume Chauhdry:Yes. It was absolutely unique museum because it reminds us to our country and, we feel happy and, especially, slavery, child labor. I was quite upset and sad, but but they they were doing, different workshop shop with us. So they knew, what we will feel and how we will feel. So they did mindful and well-being session, art and craft session, and photography.
Ume Chauhdry:Then they engage us to to be very happy, excited, and do something. So, it was very good for us, and it was, absolutely you unique museum because before I used to go with my husband to art gallery and museum, we just, walking around and, looking something, reading something, and that's all. But this museum speak to us and every object, especially in living room. And okay. Some ladies was from Africa, and they were very interested and engaged in African objects and characters.
Ume Chauhdry:And we engage actually, me and Layla was quite interested in David Livingstone's bathroom. And, it was very good because some poor people, live, in Pakistan like this or in Iran or in a very small place and very, very big family, and they don't have enough money to buy big houses. But, I was so shocked, how, same time the, this building was a factory and living for a 5 family and was very hard. Most interesting and amazing thing for me to say that leaving Livingstone, working from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock in this factory, and then he studied from Glasgow University. And he was walking every day from Blantyre to Glasgow, University.
Ume Chauhdry:That time, winter was full of snow, and I was amazed how he did that. It was quite amazing. And other thing is his wife life and his, actually, I inspired with his mother because his religious training and other training was quite influenced on David Livingstone character and personality. So, she was raising 6, 7 children and doing everything for them. I remember my parents.
Ume Chauhdry:I have 6 brother and sister. And my mother, how she was teasing us, we were not a middle class in lower middle class, but we were all educated. And now our life become better, like David Livingstone, brother and sister, and his life changed, and then they moved from that building. And, like, we moved from our house and bought bigger house. So it was quite interesting, and I just love this museum.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. He had amazing character, really.
Fay Young:So you both have responded very personally to what you learned. And and it is very striking, this connection between the past and the present and how some things just don't change. Can you tell us a little bit about how what you've gained from this experience, how how it is part of the continuing influence of Empower Women. And the experience you've gained from this, how it reinforces your own self confidence and connection with the city. Glasgow is such a great multicultural city, but the skills and talents of ethnic minority people are not always fully put to good use.
Fay Young:Do you feel that something like Thistles and Dandelions and Empower Women for Change indeed, can help to change the balance of
Fay Young:that?
Ume Chauhdry:I can say that because, when we came here and we I was living in the house and looking after my kids, and, I didn't, go out quite often. But since I joined this project, I met lots of lady from all over the world, and I made friendship. And, usually, I didn't like to speak to people, in front of people, and I had lack of confidence. Even I was I used to do study, but when, come to the presentation, I said no because, I just scared to speak at front of people. But, since I, did the tour guide and met different kind of professional people, and they were doing workshop.
Ume Chauhdry:And, speech therapy was quite helpful for me when they organise in women library. So, I got more confidence. I'm not a same person now. Now I am quite confident, and now I develop heritage skills through searching about object and handling object, and that was quite good. Actually, well-being workshops reduce my stress and depression.
Ume Chauhdry:And another amazing thing is because, I knew IT and information technology, but I developed new digital skill use search method and about object writing short reports and writing below. That improves my digital skill, improved as well.
Layla Sadr Hashem:As you mentioned, exactly, the same for me. I gained, confidence, because I was isolated completely, especially during coronavirus. And then when we, like, went to the introduction session at the first, like, session, we I met lovely women, and I made friends even. And during these 10 months, I gained self confidence, and even the project gave me insight to see, more deeply when I go to museums, different museums. Now I can, see the story behind collection, and, it gave me, very deep insight regarding Scotland heritage, Scottish heritage.
Layla Sadr Hashem:And, now I more, like, feel Glasgow or Scotland is like my home, really, my home.
Fay Young:Yeah. That's that's quite a remarkable outcome from this, that you feel you feel at home in the city now.
Ume Chauhdry:Yeah. Yes. Me too like this. I just enjoy now because I know the places. I know how to go there, and I meet my friends.
Ume Chauhdry:And, actually, we were not just, doing our project. We were solving each other problem, listening to, each other the stories, and encourage them to come forward and do things. And you can do it. Like, our tour guide, I said, I don't want to do How I will speak to 35 people? Then staff or and, my, another friends, who were doing well.
Ume Chauhdry:No. You can do it. Do it. You have to do it. You can do it.
Ume Chauhdry:So so it was just encouraging each other, and we got, develop new skills in heritage through community engagement, working with industry professional, actually, they were very good to improve our ability to integrate in society and just, and make friends and our stress level. And they look after us, very well, and our travel expensive paid. And if somebody need to pick up children, they make sure they, finished right on time so they can go, and they were very flexible, and they were very helpful. And, they look looked after a lot. And if we had stress and depression and they speak individually, everybody, and if they want to refer to other organization, they did.
Ume Chauhdry:So after project, I was sad to leave actually Empower Women, so I decided to stay. So I started to volunteer with them. So I'm assistant IT officer in empower women, and now I'm doing the food security documentation as well. And then, I got a chance, like other women to go to city college. So I like this, voluntary training course.
Ume Chauhdry:And, now I got chance in, GOMA Library to do the digital poll, voluntary. So looking forward, because they are applying for funding for another heritage project. So I'm looking forward or very keen to do that as well.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. We get together regularly, and, also, we are working, as volunteers as, Ume stated at the office. In these days, Hasma has some projects to boost well-being and, mental and physical health of the minority women. At the moment in the office, I'm doing research regarding a minority's physical health as we have planned to boost women's strength and involve them to do more exercise and be, more active physically.
Ume Chauhdry:Thank you, Layla. As you mentioned, I remember you we were doing before Ramadan the, yoga, classes and therapy, and this is another chance to meet all the team of Thistle and Dandelion project to meet each other and doing some Yeah. Something useful and, mindfulness for it is good for our mindfulness.
Fay Young:What you're describing is so positive. One of the questions that we like to put to guests is, are there reasons for hope in the dark time that we often feel we're living in? And what you're describing seemed to me to give lots of reasons for hope. But what do you feel?
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. For me, I try to find, opportunities to develop new skills and learn something new as I only find meaning, in my life when I do some, positive things, in my community. Even, if it is very small, do something and help someone and make their, life easier. Yeah. This, make me happy.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Also, my my effort to help minority like, progress and, flourish, especially regarding their mental health and physical health. This can, like Mhmm. Make me happy.
Ume Chauhdry:Yes. It's same like Layla said. Everybody was saying, oh, you find the job of the I said, no. I'm doing the voluntary while, trying to get the job. And this voluntary, actually, in our religion is, ongoing charity to help others.
Ume Chauhdry:And, if I know, like, IT, and so I can teach them there, so I feel happy and, relax. Okay? I I have some knowledge, and I'm giving them. And when I hear their story and I empathise with them and that is very good. I feel so much happy and, relax.
Ume Chauhdry:Okay. I am going there and doing useful things and, helping other women, especially, they came from Africa or Middle East or all over the place, different countries. And, they they have their own stories and some left husbands and children there and came here. Some left parents, and it was quite sad and stressful for them. So we are living here, so, we're helping them as much as we can.
Ume Chauhdry:So they feel like, they are
Fay Young:at home. That that's so heartwarming to hear what you have to say. And, unbelievably, we've reached nearly reached the end of our conversation. So the the last question is one that we ask everybody, and that is, what is your favorite building in Glasgow?
Ume Chauhdry:My favourite building was, quite interesting because, it was the end of project we visit is a transport museum. I visit before 2, 3 time every year, so with my children. But this time was quite different because our staff member, Vera and Ruby, he was, with us. So we went there, and, they were explaining very nicely. And because we become friend and we did so naughty things, and we went to ship, and we was just ringing the bell.
Ume Chauhdry:And somebody said, stop ringing the bell. That was too much. So then we were sitting in the old subway train and was we were discussing about why Edinburgh don't have the subway. They said they there was a plague in, I think, 18th century, and there was a lots of bodies that buried underground. So they can't and there's a mountain area.
Ume Chauhdry:They can't make subway. That's where maybe Trump. And then, we were talking about ghosts. So and we were so scared, and we just ran away from South Beach. And then, I, it was amazing.
Ume Chauhdry:I saw the, Pakistani van and was so decorated, and there was a poetry like we have in, Pakistan in truck and buses and van. They are all decorated, and they have different poetry and different phrases in there. So that was quite interesting. And we explore every object in-depth, And the staff member explained very well. That's why I I just love this building.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Yeah. To answer this question, I want to admit something. To be honest, when I was teenager and in my twenties, unfortunately, I was not keen to go to museums. I didn't see any point in looking, at or reflecting on old collections and items in in museums. I always was looking forward.
Layla Sadr Hashem:But when I got old, little by little and, I also when I moved to Glasgow, my views changed. At the beginning, when I travelled to the city center and, the area around, I used to feel the outstanding symmetrical buildings were talking to me, especially when I came to know, that, you know, that some of buildings, in the town, were built during slavery era, by some slave trade merchants. Also to add, that over the years, I came to recognise, more and more the beauty and creativity of historical landmark museum collections. Also, I would say, visited lots of attraction and museum through the Thistle and Dandelions project. I could see now and feel the story behind those historical buildings and museum collections.
Layla Sadr Hashem:It really gave me deep insight, and now, I got more impressed by Glasgow environment, historical landmark, cultural attraction. And, now I think Glasgow maintains nostalgia for the past and also, excitement for the future. Yeah. I got impressed by all styles here, like Gothic, Victorian, Art Nouveau, and art deco style, symmetrical, decorative, trim, stained glass, embedded sculpture. All those design really draw my attention.
Layla Sadr Hashem:But, if I want to pick just one buildings, I would say that a C and symmetry behind it, Necropolis. I always think, how would, the cathedral was built at that time when architects had limited resources and materials, but they, produced the architectural masterpiece and a phenomenon design, I think.
Fay Young:Two very different answers and both so interesting and taking us into both spaces and the context as well. Thank you so much. And thank you both really for a tremendous insight into your own lives, but also your own lives in in Glasgow. And you've been very generous in sharing those experiences. And I might just add, when you were talking about thistles and dandelions, as a gardener, I was thinking, well, traditionally thistles and dandelions have both been regarded as weeds.
Fay Young:But with the new interest in creating wilder, more natural gardens, they are both regarded now as great sources of of of, wildlife. You know, they're they're rich in in seed and nourishment, which seems to me a a great description of what you've been sharing with us today. Thank you both so much.
Ume Chauhdry:Thank you so much. You were so lovely. You gave us chance to explain and tell our tell us our story. Yeah. Exactly.
Layla Sadr Hashem:Thank you so much.
Katharine Neil:Glasgow City Heritage Trust is an independent charity and grant funder that promotes the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of Glasgow's historic built environment. Do you want to know more? Have a look at our website atglasgowheritage.org.uk and follow us on social media at Glasgow Heritage. This podcast was produced by Inner Ear for Glasgow City Heritage Trust and is sponsored by Tunnock's.