Choices Community Shop is a community food project set up by volunteers in the community to provide food with dignity to those in need. The funding will be used to help reduce the impact of poverty within the community based on individual needs. Our Community Shop has capacity to support approximately 100 households per week but with over 400 registered, many have to wait. This grant will allow for more households to be able to get support when they need it by getting access as required.

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.

We would like to have an afternoon tea for our members. All funds raised would go towards this. An award of £750 would be greatly appreciated.

From March to late September our cricket members, 13 years + to the adults prepare our cricket wickets for our games by scarifying, spiking, rolling, grass cutting as well as thatch and weed removal. As the season goes on we need to regrow, repair, reseed, fertilise and cultivate these cricket wickets, using our cricket covers for heat, germination and rain protection. This allows us to recycle, reuse the current wickets and cricket square as our ongoing Green Initiative.

Formed in 2022 and constituted earlier this year, we are a group of volunteers who survey the core path network in Eglinton Country Park and identify problem areas affecting accessibility. We primarily improve paths where there is flooding and cut back branches and bushes along borders to help make paths accessible for all park users.

The Vennel Friends Irvine Discovery Group are based at the Vennel Gardens Engagement Hub. The group has been active since May 2023 and has 15 registered members. The group offers a social setting with the opportunity for participants to complete the Discovery Award, comprising of the bronze, silver and gold levels. The Group aims to enhance the lives of all those over 50 years of age and to provide an incentive, through personal challenges, to lead a happy, healthy, and active life.