Welcome to the Bridgeton Community Learning campus

welcome to the bridgeton community learning campus

Based in the heart of Glasgow's east end, the Centre is a focal point for local people, businesses and the third sector organisations. We provide a welcoming and flexible space designed to meet the needs of our community. For the people of Bridgeton and surrounding communities, this is YOUR Centre.

FIND US AT:
68 DALE STREET
BRIDGETON
GLASGOW
G40 4TL
TEL: 0141 556 4275

mission statement

The mission of the Bridgeton Community Learning Campus is to ensure that all residents of Bridgeton and its environs enjoy a high quality of life, fulfilling their potential in terms of education and training, good health, employment, recreation and wellbeing, in a clean and safe environment with ready access to well co-ordinated support services.

opening times

Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm
Evenings:
The BCLC is open for a range of pre-booked activities. See our timetable for details.
Weekends
The BCLC welcomes booking for private functions and corporate hires. See our booking forms for details.

a venue for all ocCasions

The Centre is an inclusive and welcoming venue, where people matter. We pride ourselves on being an anchor organisation for our community, where we endeavour to work with and support local people, community groups and organisations. Please feel free to drop in at any time, and one of our helpful staff will give you a tour of the building and discuss the services we offer.

room hire

We offer a broad range of flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for hire. Our adaptable building and outside spaces are designed to accommodate just about every occasion, from small meetings to corporate and community events. The space is also available for private functions.

Our very competitive hire rates reflect our commitment to working with and supporting our community.

For repeat hires, special room rates can apply, providing a cost-effective solution for those seeking to secure long term bookings.

Monthly programme

Our programme and timetable is updated monthly and can be found below. Any special events and classes can also be found on our Facebook page @Bridgeton Community Learning Campus where you can message us for more information.

gala day august 2024

Our 18th annual Gala Day was held on Thursday 8th August and this popular fixture continues to be keenly anticipated by the local community. Each year we strive to make the event bigger and better and this year was no exception. As usual we had the big (stomach churning!) funfair rides for the older kids and young adults, and smaller rides for the under 8's and toddlers. There were 3 huge inflatables, a caricaturist, the balloon lady, owl magic, the local Police and Fire Service as well as Mounted Police. Free burgers, hotdogs, soft drinks and sweets were provided by Baltic Street Adventure Playground and inside the big hall we had 15 stands selling everything from cakes to hand made jewellery. We had music courtesy of East End Community Radio DJ's and live music from a Patsy Cline tribute act. The whole day was another roaring success and wouldn't have been possible without the help of numerous volunteers, community partners and the funding we receive. Even the weather held out despite dire warnings of torrential rain! Countdown starts now for August 2025......!!

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR

The inflatable bouncy castles and slides were very popular with the younger visitors and we were exhausted just watching them run up and down over and over again!

BALLOON MAGIC

Our balloon lady worked non-stop producing balloon designs of all shapes and sizes, from pet poodles to flowers and everything in between. Absolutely fascinating and very much in demand!

MINI POLICE PERSONNEL

The newest recruits to Police Scotland we hope (give it a few years, so circa 2040). Our mini officers had fun dressing up and engaging with the force representatives who came out to support us on the day.

Strength & Balance Class
Every Tuesday 10am -
11am

If you feel age is having an impact on your mobility, or you simply want to loosen those limbs, a Glasgow Life coach will teach you how to improve your strength & balance.

Chair Yoga Class
Every Thursday 9.30am - 10.30am

Enjoy the benefits yoga has on physical, mental and social wellbeing, with minimum effort!

English for speakers of other languages (esol)
ON tuesday, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY MORNINGS

In partnership with the Glasgow ESOL Volunteer Forum, teaching at levels Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced, Classes are for adults (18+) and are free but registration is necessary via glasgowesolregister.wea.org.uk

knitting class
Tuesday: 11am - 1pm

Can you purl & stitch? If not, come along to our knitting class and learn basic knitting skills and meet new friends.

Introduction to ict
MondayS & THURSDAYS
9.30am - 11.30am

Need help with your CV?
Want to learn how to search for jobs online?
Want to learn Microsoft Office skills?
Come along to our drop-in classes. No need to book in advance.

sewing class
Monday: 12pm - 2pm

Want to learn how to take up a hem or reduce that dress size? Come along and join our vibrant Sewing Group.

training rooms and ict suite

Our ICT room is served by 13 internet connected PCs. With printing facilities, a central desk and large wall-mounted TV monitor, the ICT room provides the perfect space for meetings and training events.

NEW CRAFTING CLASS

BCLC are now taking registrations for a new Crafting Class which will be delivered in conjunction with The Friends of The Pipe Factory and Glasgow City Council. Starting on the 7th August and running for 4 x 4 week blocks, textile artists Annie Ferguson and Vicky Randlo will demonstrate a range of techniques including heat transfer and sewing to make a range of items such as bunting, tote bags, cushion covers and trinket purses.Spaces are strictly limited to 8 persons per 4 week block so if you are interested in this fantastic opportunity to learn with professional artists please email our Learning Officer Anne Crowe on anne.crowe@bclc.org.uk
Classes will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 1pm - 3pm.
All classes at BCLC are Free.

REGULAR EVENTS

Regular weekly and monthly events taking place at the BCLC

ALL ABILITIES CLUB

The Halliday Foundation Presents “ALL ABILITIES CLUB” in partnership with *Bridgeton Community Learning Campus*
The club is completely FREE to attend and will take place every Tuesday from 12pm - 3pm from the 2nd of April 2024.
Soup & Sandwiches will be provided. Are you a Carer / Support Worker looking for a club to take your client to? Or are you looking for somewhere to attend. Then look no further - The club is open for anyone and everyone to attend.

Please share with your friends, family, carers and any support organisations.
Let's Party and dance the day away.

PLEASE BOOK YOUR SPACE BY USING THE LINK BELOW
https://buytickets.at/hallidayfoundationthrivepro.../1157493
Any questions . . please email chris.halliday@thehallidayfoundation.org.uk

a full house

Maybe it's the dreich weather, or maybe word got out that Lesley & Anne duetted last week on karaoke, but whatever the reason it's almost a full house at the All Abilities club.

dancing queens

Strutting their stuff and sing- a-longs, everyone was in fine voice.

alice & caty

Lesley caught two of our centre regulars perfectly on camera. Alice our 102 year old (you heard us right!) is clearly finding something hilarious.....Caty on the other hand looks shocked :)

COME DINE WITH US

We are hosting a series of community meals at BCLC, our very own version of Come Dine With Us, delivered by The Halliday Foundation.

The evenings include a 3 course meal, soft drinks and entertainment. Below are a list of dates for 2024 which we will also advertise on our Social Media pages when booking is open. Spaces are limited to 40 people, so keep an eye on our Facebook page as we would love to see friends old and new at one of our events.

Thursday 4th April
Thursday 2nd May
Thursday 6th June
Thursday 1st August
Thursday 5th September
Thursday 3rd October
Thursday 7th NovemberThursday 5th December

The first three community meals have taken place and were a great success as you will see from some of the pictures, we even had some people busting moves on the dancefloor!

Our theme for June is a day at the seaside, so roll up for a nice fish tea!

These community events are only possible due to the generosity of our funders and we are extremely grateful to them so we'd love to say a huge thank you for helping to make this possible!

THE MENS GROUP

Meeting every Monday afternoon is our men's group. So if you want to get out of the house and meet some new pals or catch up with some old pals come along and have a cuppa with plenty of biscuits, you'll definitely hear a funny story or three and hopefully leave with a smile on your face! If you prefer to be more active there are always some tasks needing doing, especially in the garden! So if you like wielding a strimmer, lawnmower or even a paintbrush or if you just like tinkering and fixing things please let us know what your special skills are!

the bclc community garden

Things are definitely happening in our garden as you will see from the pictures below, and we are always looking for volunteers to come and join us. For more information contact Anne Crowe our Learning Officer & Volunteer Co-ordinator.

taking shape

Our new volunteer Evelyn with her guide Janet. Evelyn is remarkable, despite being registered blind she helped us plant up our pots and we are looking forward to a lovely display of Verbena, Lobelia and Snap Dragon in the coming weeks.

hard at work

It's all worth it, we promise you!

LESLEY, OUR CENTRE MANAGER MEETING THE LATEST VOLUNTEER

Lesley is particularly excited about our strawberry plants. From just two plants sown last year we now have over 30 strawberry plants and some are already starting to flower......which means we should have a good crop for Wimbledon!

LAURA'S FLOWER DESIGN

Our volunteer Laura has designed a flower bed which is now in full bloom and looks just beautiful. The gorgeous array of flowers is attracting lots of pollinators and smells wonderful.

gladioli

Some beautiful gladioli looking down from a lofty height!

PANSIES & ALYSSUM

Lovely pansies in a spilled pot design, which the bees just love, and the alyssum is a lovely delicate edible flower.

FOXGLOVE

Beautiful yellow foxglove looking splendid in the sunshine, but despite the beautiful looks this plant is quite toxic so wear gloves when handling!

TREE PLANTING

A big thank you to the Wheatley Group's North East Neighbourhood's Environment Team for their support, donation and planting of fruit & Acer trees in our community garden. These will add a big splash of colour to our community garden next spring, and for years to come. Thanks to Seonad Foy, Mark Rae, Paul McKenzie, Barry McGregor and the fantastic Tree Surgeons Barry & Paul from the Wheatley Group. A special thanks to the BCLC Men's Group who ably assisted in the planting of the trees.

positively budding

A year on from being a sapling we would like to introduce you to Buddy our apple blossom. Aren't they just lovely!

An interesting fact, trees are gender neutral but the flowers and seeds they produce are either male or female!

it's looking ace

..and this little one is our very pretty Acer tree, next year this will have beautiful red leaves. and will look quite magnificent. A touch of Japan in our community garden.

past events & NEWS

Some of the events and activities that have taken place at the centre in 2024 and beyond.

CELTIC CONNECTIONS Family Ceilidh Concert

We were lucky enough to have an afternoon Ceilidh presented by Glasgow Life, with Celine Donoghue and friends. We had just over 50 local residents in attendance who enjoyed a fun filled afternoon of tunes, dancing and laughter, along with soup and sandwiches, tea, coffee and biscuits it made a dull January afternoon lively bringing the community young and old together for a special treat provided by Glasgow Life.

Local History Group

As massive thank you to Peter Mortimer, local historian, who provided a talk to our local history group. Peter shared his outstanding knowledge of how Bridgeton has evolved through the years. The group were unanimous in their praise for Peter, as he took our members a trip down memory lane. It was a fascinating experience, learning how many of the local streets were named after prominent industrialists who helped shape Bridgeton to become the industrial heartbeat of Glasgow. Thank you Peter.

Umbrella Murals

You may remember the boards around the umbrella when it was getting renovated, well they now have pride of place on the centre walls of the BCLC. Thanks to Hobs Repo for the support in securing the boards to the walls as a gift to us, also thanks to Clyde Gateway for their continued support to the centre but a special mention to the children from Riverbank Primary, Dalmarnock Primary and St Anne's Primary for the amazing art work which will be on display in the community for years to come.

graffiti artist

James 'Hell Bound' Sinclair is the acclaimed graffiti artist who has just completed our Community Garden wall mural. James is a Kilmarnock based artist, with a portfolio in a wide range of private and community organisations across Scotland. James is available for similar projects. Click on his business card below to get full contact details.

Our graffiti wall

We are delighted to reveal our latest addition to the Centre - our graffiti wall!

THANK YOU!!

Thank you to the many people who help make BCLC the fantastic community resource that it is today. Your painting, gardening, crocheting, knitting and DIY skills are appreciated and valued immensely. We couldn't do it without you so a MASSIVE THANK YOU from all of us! If you are interested in volunteering at the BCLC on a regular basis or as part of a corporate responsibility initiative you can download the form from the website or contact Anne Crowe who's details you will find in our 'Meet the Team' section below.

our qbe painting volunteers

A massive thanks to the volunteers from QBE Insurance, who kindly donated their time to paint our multi-purpose room. The room is once again looking splendid, all thanks to the team from QBE - Carol Faulds, Jo Doyle, Karen Mulholland, Ashley Newton and Adrian Higgins. As well having a keen eye for 'cutting in', they were such a bunch of lovely people. The staff and Centre users cannot thank them enough. Thanks also to Cathy Jones from Volunteering Matters for setting up the volunteering event.

meet our Volunteers

The BCLC is grateful for the ongoing support of our dedicated volunteers

volunteering at the bclc

As a community organisation, we always seek to develop the skills and experience of local people. Our volunteers come

from a range of backgrounds, all bringing their own unique contribution to the organisation.
Whilst we actively encourage people to offer their services, we are currently at capacity for volunteering roles, and we will not be recruiting in the immediate future. However, as the services we provide evolve, this can quickly change. As such, please watch this space for news of new volunteering opportunities.

MEET THE TEAM

BCLC is run by a team of 3 full time and 3 part-time staff members, most of them are well known faces in the community, and as well as working at the centre many of them are active volunteers for other organisations in their spare time.

LESLEY WARD
CENTRE MANAGER

Lesley has enjoyed a number of roles at the BCLC, from volunteer to Manager, and everything in between! She puts her success down to being organised, and a leader, with a passion for the centre and the community it serves.

Anne Crowe
Learning Officer

Anne is our newest recruit, however she has been involved with BCLC for a number of years having volunteered and done some sessional work with us in the past, her passion now is for community work and she is delighted to have been given the opportunity to return to BCLC.

john 'toby' flannigan -
facilities officer

A well known face around Glasgow, 'Toby' is our full time Facilities Officer. He brings with him a range of skills he has honed over the years, including his legendary radio voice!

Ann mccormack -
housekeeper

Anne has long been associated with the Centre through her work and volunteering roles. As well as her prowess for keeping the Centre spick and span, Anne is our resident bingo caller for the FAB Bingo sessions every Sunday!

jac skeoch
Facilities officer

Jac is our longest serving Facilities Officer. As someone who frequented the Centre in her teens, history is now repeating itself with Jac's children now regular attenders at the Centre.

KIRSTEN KENNEDY
Facilities officer

A recent addition to our facilities staff, Kirsten has a long standing connection with the Centre. She has practically grown up in the place! Kirsten utilises her creative skills to great effect when decorating the Centre for all our seasonal activities.

where to find us...

We are accessible by good local transport links.

Bridgeton Community Learning Campus (BCLC)

Welcome to the Bridgeton Community Learning campus