Purple portaloo outside Glasgow's SWG3 puts spotlight on IBD

Glasgow Times

05-06-2025

Installed outside SWG3 in Glasgow, the reimagined festival toilet is part of an immersive campaign by the Catherine McEwan Foundation to raise awareness of Crohn's disease and colitis.
The campaign, delivered in partnership with creative agency MadeBrave, uses the familiar setting of a portable toilet to highlight the daily realities of life with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
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(Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation)
(Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) The new purple installation transforms the humble portaloo into a mini-cinema.
Once inside, visitors are immersed in a powerful short film that features real stories from people living with IBD, as well as messages of support from high-profile names such as Glasgow DJ George Bowie, singer-songwriters Callum Beattie and Robyn Red, and Britpop band Starsailor.
Derek McEwan, founder of the Catherine McEwan Foundation, said: "IBD is a battle for those who live with it, as their families.
"My mum lived with severe Crohn's for most of her life.
"I grew up in waiting rooms.
"She never once complained, but I saw how hard it was."
(Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) (Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) IBD affects more than 500,000 people in the UK and includes often invisible conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Scotland has one of the highest rates in the world, with 1 in 100 people affected.
The condition includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both chronic and often invisible illnesses that can lead to fatigue, chronic pain, weight loss, anxiety, and life-altering treatments like long-term medication or surgery.
Derek said: "Even things that are meant to be fun, like going to a music festival, can become a source of stress.
"Many people with IBD just don't go.
"The fear of flare-ups, access to toilets, the planning is exhausting.
"We created this space to help people stop, think, and understand.
"For some, a festival loo is something to avoid.
"For others, it's the reason they miss out entirely."
(Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) (Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation)Lesley Lee, 49, from Stepps, was one of the first children in Scotland to be diagnosed with Crohn's disease.
She is all too familiar with the impact IBD can have on everyday life.
Lesley said: 'You don't just wake up and leave the house - you plan where every toilet is.
"I've skipped events, left festivals early, not because I didn't want to be there, but because I knew the facilities wouldn't be good enough.'
'It's not about sympathy.
"It's about awareness.
"It's about knowing what to do if someone's struggling.
"This campaign gets people talking – in a way, that's visual, public and real.'
Edinburgh singer Callum Beattie has also lent his voice to the campaign, highlighting the struggles people with the condition can face.
He said: "Do you know what really sucks?
"There are people who want to be at the festival but they're stuck inside yet again.
"Not because they didn't want to be at the festival, but because of Crohn's and colitis – their body just says no."
(Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) (Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation) (Image: The Catherine McEwan Foundation)
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This isn't the first time the Catherine McEwan Foundation has made headlines with bold awareness efforts.
Last year, the charity unveiled a giant toilet roll billboard in Glasgow city centre — another striking campaign developed with MadeBrave.
The foundation continues to fund research, raise awareness, and provide practical support for individuals and families affected by IBD across Scotland.
More information about the charity's efforts is available on the Catherine McEwan Foundation website.