Bellies full of veggie haggis, neeps, and tatties, accompanied by a surprise tray of Moussaka, filled our Conversation Café on Monday with laughter and conversations. We're off to a great start this week! Today's article is a warm invitation to our Community Meals. Despite last week's battering by Storm Jocelyn, Peer-Writer Cat very kindly joined us on a whim for a community meal and penned this delightful piece.
Every week MILK hosts many different people, from all over the world, to a variety of workshops, gatherings and all sorts of activities, right in the heart of Govanhill, Glasgow. This leads to dozens of fascinating conversations and insights. And what subject can unite a diverse array of humans more than food!
This blog is a way of giving voice to some really interesting people, whose perspective you might not hear much ordinarily, or whose words might get drowned out by all the noise from media either social or mainstream. The articles we present here will be the result of ongoing collective efforts from old Scots, new Scots and individuals from various migrant backgrounds. This collaborative writing and editing process is ongoing, flexible and open to change, as we explore the best ways to write together and highlight the importance of centring and valuing migrant voices. All of us at MILK are continually enriched by what we hear and learn from others here and this food blog is a way for bringing those conversations to a wider audience. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Dreich nights, full bellies
Written by Cat
There couldn’t have been a cosier space to come in out of the rain than MILK on Tuesday night. The fairy lights were on, the tables were set and a hearty ribollita (shoutout to Chef Laura) was waiting on the stove. This was the setting for the first of five free community meals that are going to run weekly on Tuesdays between 5 and 7 pm until February 20th.
Early worries about folks being put off by Storm Jocelyn were soon quashed as a steady stream of people arrived to a warm welcome, a generous portion of bean stew, and a huge wedge of focaccia. With funding from the Winter Wellbeing Fund, these meals are hoping to provide some respite to community members facing increasingly high living costs amid another stormy Scottish winter. The social benefits of such an offering became clear as the air filled with chatter and people pulled up chairs next to friends and strangers alike.
MILK is an established, well-loved presence in the community and it was impossible to differentiate between familiar faces and first-timers as people came through the door. Some brought pals, others came by themselves and left filled with conversation and laughter. MILK in many ways feels like an extension of a good friend's living room; full of warm lights, wee ones playing, and offers to help with the dishes.
Folks continued to pop in over the next couple of hours, sometimes nipping back out again to grab a friend. Pots of mint and green tea were set down and I drank mine slowly, enjoying the company. Eventually, coats were gathered up and goodbyes were said, along with mentions of book swaps and upcoming film nights. With full bellies and glowing cheeks, it was time to head home.
It is that time of year when feelings of anxiety and isolation can be at their most acute. That combined with a prolonged period of political bleakness and months of witnessing genocide through our phone screens, means that this January will be a heavy one for many. By creating a space where anyone can turn up and be amongst the community while eating a tasty dinner, MILK is providing some much-needed breathing space for people to recharge and tend to their souls as much as their bodies. It is in these places where we can fuel ourselves to keep going, back out, into the storm.
Today’s article was written by Cat, a youth and community worker from the Highlands who has recently moved back to Glasgow after living and working on the Isle of Mull. They are a member of the Peer-Writing Project.