Woven Together – Dundee’s Slavery Connections

Woven Together Dundee is a community-based research project exploring Black and ethnic minority history in Dundee.


For this special live event as part of Black History Month, some of the project volunteers will discuss the stories they have uncovered about the city’s links to slavery.

Run in association with the Abertay Historical Society, the event will be held in Lecture Theatre 2, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee on Wednesday 12th October at 6.30pm.

The event is free to attend and full details including booking are available at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/woven-together-dundees-slavery-connections-tickets-403567339777



Paper and cardboard facilities at Riverside Recycling Centre #dundeewestend


Since the reopening of the Riverside Recycling Centre after the initial COVID lockdowns, we have had complaints about the lack of both paper and cardboard facilities.

We have repeatedly raised this and have now had this welcome update from the council’s Waste Services Manager :

“I can confirm that paper and carboard can now be placed in the same skip for recycling, as per our new contractual arrangements that were reported to committee last year 

We have been on site today and reminded the attendants of this. 

We previously provided small chain lift skips for separate paper recycling but as part of our efficiency improvements we have replaced these with new small hook lift skips for paper/cardboard. 

These can be serviced by the same skip lorry that does the larger skips and negates the need for two different skip trucks to service the site. 

We will have the signage updated shortly to reflect this as well.”




Getting things done – Roseangle #dundeewestend


We have raised issues about repeated flooding at the south end of Roseangle, often flooding across the road, onto the pavement and flooding basements in the adjacent flats.    

Issues we have highlighted that are within the locus of both Scottish Water and the City Council include drain capacity and cleaning on the street drains and road edges.    Given the downhill incline in Roseangle, unfortunately significant quantities of rainwater builds up at the south end of the street in heavy rain.

As we also get flooding issues at other locations in the West End as well, we thought it useful to post this update from the council’s Roads Maintenance Partnership Manager :

“I can confirm that road gullies across Dundee and Broughty Ferry are periodically inspected and the Road Maintenance Partnership continue to undertake their cyclical gully maintenance programme in the area. 

The Road Maintenance Partnership in conjunction with the City Engineers are currently reviewing areas of potential flooding hotspots in the city in order to prioritise and potentially increase the number of gully cleans in high risk areas.   Subsequently the number of gully cleans in low-risk areas would be reduced.

If any specific problems with the adopted road drainage system are identified by property owners, they can report this to Dundee City Council via the “Report a road or pavement defect” link available at www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/city-development/roads-maintenance or by contacting the Dundee City Council Customer Services team on 434000. 

Please note that very intense storm events, similar to those experienced recently in Dundee and Broughty Ferry put the drainage systems, including the sewer network and road drains, under significant pressure and result in them being overwhelmed.  

This can have the unfortunate consequence of flooding that is beyond the control of Scottish Water and Dundee City Council. The complex nature of flooding across Scotland, with many agencies responsible for different aspects of the sewerage and drainage systems in our communities, means that a partnership approach is vital for reducing the risk of flooding. 

Scottish Water and Dundee City Council continue to work together to understand areas most affected and consider measures that can be introduced to reduce the surface water flood risk during these intense rainfall events.”




Dundee Community Music Festival

With thanks to Ed Muirhead of Face the Music here’s information from him about the community music festival next Saturday 8th October – featuring a variety of local musicians, choirs and bands.


It is running from 3pm to 9pm in the University of Dundee Chaplaincy Centre – and promises to be a great celebration with music of all kinds.

There’s sets from Tayside Makaton Choir and The Noteables choir – who will also both collaborate with a unique performance. There’s bagpipes, a folk duo and a performance from a school trad music group.

Plus, there’s songwriters circles showcasing popular artists taking turns singing their songs. And to round off the night, established Dundee band The Cundeez and new young band illiterate will each perform an acoustic set too.

If you can help spread the word, that would be great. To make it as inclusive and accessible as possible, entry by donation – with all proceeds going towards performers and enabling more community music in Dundee.

Further details are available at https://facemusic.co.uk/gigs/ – and on Facebook at :

www.facebook.com/FaceMusicUK



Getting things done – Rosefield Place and Bankmill Road #dundeewestend


Over a long period we have raised issues around the mess in Rosefield Place and the path to Bankmill Road – mainly around keeping the communal bins in Rosefield Place tidier – some of these are council but some private/commercial – and the graffiti along the path.

We have had assurances about the bins (see photo) – although this needs very regular attention given on-going fly-tipping here and on the graffiti on the wall along the path to Bankmill Road, we have been given the following assurance from our local environment manager :

“I have been in touch with colleagues and we should see some action here in / around 15 days or so to paint over the graffitied wall.”