Kilbarchan Group’s Big Walk this year was to take part in an Invisible Cities (IC) walk in Govan (part of Glasgow). This included a visit to the new Health Innovation Hub. Govan, once the “undisputed” shipbuilding capital of the world, is now experiencing a regeneration and has a great deal of heritage and culture to explore and enjoy.
Having previously joined 2 IC walks through NWR via zoom during lockdown we thought we were in for an interesting time but initially (anyway) we were disappointed. Our ‘Big Walk’ was really straight along one busy road with the walk leader reading to us from a typed script which was often hard to hear above the traffic. However we did pass this mural of Mary Barbour a local heroine who’s campaigning and life long work to gain better living conditions, civil rights including fairer treatment by landlords is now celebrated. (There is also a piece of public art – wonderful statue dedicated to her – in Govan). The mural below was commissioned in 2025 to commemorate 50 years of the local Housing Association.
However, at the end of the walk we visited the new Health Innovation Hub in the University of Glasgow’s Riverside Innovation District (GRID) beside the river Clyde where hot drinks and cakes were provided. From this point the day improved greatly as we chatted with some of the other walkers, discovering some were from charities based in Govan and also some medical staff from Glasgow University. We were given a tour of the building which offers flexible lab and office space for life science and health businesses, with a cafe and collaboration area for the local community. The building features centralised gases for the labs, waste disposal and advanced environmental sustainability measures.
We met Sim Man see opposite
(who can quickly become Sim Woman by swopping some strategic parts). Used for training medical students, all their interactions can be recorded and assessed. Although he was not “plugged in” we were assured he cries, moans and calls out saying he’s in pain. Sim woman we thought would be more stoic.
Chatting with some of the other walkers we discovered that some were from local charities in Govan and also medical staff from Glasgow University.
Some of our group are now hoping to get involved with a PPIE – Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement project that is being carried out in this building. We are also hoping to arrange a further visit for the rest of the our members and may invite some other groups along too. All in all it was a very interesting Big Walk.