Crossing Together Toddlers was formed in March 2024 following the project being approached by two local new parents who felt there was a need for a group locally in Bourtreehill. Both mums are now lead participants along with our Mission Pioneer in running the weekly sessions on Tuesday mornings for 2 hours at the Relief Mission Centre. The group quickly reached capacity of 40 babies/toddlers who attend with a least one adult per child. The sessions are free to ensure it is accessible to all.
Description
At Crossing Together Toddlers we aim to provide a fun, warm, safe, welcoming and accessible space for babies and toddlers to come along with their grown-ups from Bourtreehill and the surrounding areas of Irvine. In setting up the group we initially looked at accessing funding to purchase equipment and toys however a toddler group in Troon had recently folded and they gifted us items that meant we could launch the group immediately. The group is free of charge to families to access and weekly snacks and craft materials are provided through donations and fundraising. It is important for us to maintain a no charge policy to maximise accessibility due to the cost of living crisis and our locality being significantly impacted with regards poverty. Weekly snacks provided are balanced with items like fruit, toast and juice/water being provided for the children and a warm drink and biscuits for the grown-ups. As well as the weekly sessions we want to provide the families with new experiences that can include their older children and partners which will extend the community spirit that is being built in and around the group already. These new experiences include family fun days, parties, trips and days out locally and further afield.
Many of the families who attend the group rarely travel outwith Irvine and it would be great to improve the health and wellbeing through a summer trip to a farm park, which would provide a new experience by seeing the animals we sing about and read about at our weekly song and story time. A Christmas Party with entertainment, hospitality and a visit from Santa would also encourage positive mental health during the festive time that brings much stress with extra financial outgoing in winter. A weekend family fun day using the local park space would enable us to include working parents and older children and through hospitality/food and fun activities create a positive aspect to a park area that carries much saddness in the community and encourage resislience and new owership of the local space.
For Crossing Together to provide these experiences at no cost to the families in our locality we would be applying for the PB Locality Funding to help meet these costs as well as doing additional fundraising and seeking donations.
Examples of costings to provide such experiences are:-
Farm park admission (approx 80 people includes under 2s free) = £625
Childrens Party Entertainer = £125
Gifting from Santa (approx 40 gifts) = £120
Hospitality Party/Funday = £130
Additional costings for items like craft materials and additional hospitality would be sought through donations and fundraising.
Location: Bourtreehill is an area of Irvine where various services and clubs have closed down including the local library that had family sessions and age concern community hub limiting the spaces people can come together to build support networks and increase positive personal mental health and wellbeing.
Proposed on behalf of: Crossing Together, Relief Mission Centre, Bourtreehill
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