Our goal is to continue providing community lunches and providing catering services, working in partnership with other local groups and  bringing all members of our local community together regularly with a focus on alleviating poverty, reducing social isolation and enhancing mental health and well-being. 

Our community group offers  free  lunches,or takes small donations, to all residents within Irvine, many of whom are affected by poverty, poor mental health, and social isolation and these lunches provide a vital lifeline, offering not only nourishment but also a sense of belonging and connection. These meals foster social interaction, breaking the cycle of isolation and helping improve their mental well-being.

In addition to the lunches, having a trained chef as a volunteer the group now offers an external catering service to partner organisations at cost which generates income, enhancing the sustainability of the group and allowing the group to continue supporting the community. Volunteers who help run the lunches and catering service will receive essential training in areas such as REHIS (food safety), hospitality, barista skills, first aid, and customer service. These skills not only equip volunteers to support the efforts but also enhance their employability and confidence, empowering them to make a meaningful difference in their community and benefiting them in other areas of their lives.

In order to achieve this the money provided would help with running costs for the lunches and provide external training for volunteers.

Breakdown:

Running Costs, including food and caretakers costs                         £500.00

Training and admin costs                                                                   £500.00

Total applied for                                                                                £1000.00

The Marymass Flower Show, including the garden and community garden competitions, is held yearly in the Irvine Volunteer Rooms to promote the showing of horticulturally arts and crafts exhibits.

The funding will help us cover the costs associated with the flower show which are increasing every year, this includes hall lets, insurance, judges’ fees and awards. To make the follower show more accessible, we will also be running some talks and demonstrations giving an introduction to horticulture, with a view to getting more people involved with the flower show. The flower show itself is a well-attended event that helps build community spirit with those who take part and have a shared interest.

If we are successful in getting the funding, we hope that the flower show and surrounding interest creates a better knowledge of the natural environment and how to protect it. Growing flowers, having a knowledge of invasive species and community growing initiatives are at the heart of what the horticultural society does, and the funding will help increase public awareness of this.

Hall lets - £500

Insurance £90

Medals for school members and school children - £75

Teas for judges, queens Marys and chaperones - £140

Payment to speakers i.e Talks to all age groups RE. horticulture - £200

TOTAL - £1000

When we started out, we found out that the fidget muffs were expensive for the nursing homes and hospitals to buy. After consulting with nurses on the wards at Woodland View and local nursing homes, we decided there was a need for a group to make these for the nursing home and hospitals. We make the fidget aprons/ muffs/ blankets for Woodland View and local nursing homes and donate them free of charge.

The sewing group provides a place for volunteers to work together on a project, reducing social isolation, improving skills and bringing people together to help others in the community. 

Wool (various) - £400 100g ball, £3.58 200g ball, £9.99 300g ball, £11.60

Material (various) - £600 £34.18 per metre £6.99 per metre £25.36 per metre

If successful, we will use the funding to buy a new shed for our community garden. The last shed was destroyed by vandals a number of months ago and we have been unable to undertake any work in the community garden as we don't have anywhere to store tools and other resources. 

Trindlemoss use the shed whilst working on the garden, they will learn about gardening skills and the new shed will give us space to keep tools in. They learn about how to grow vegetables, grow flowers and generally take care of a garden.

Children from Castlepark primary will come over and take part in the community garden learning the same skills. 

Volunteers from the centre take part in ad hoc garden maintenance to help tackle social isolation, improving their mental wellbeing and bringing the community together.

New shed - £880 (Keter Factor 8ft x 6ft from B&Q)

Interior design and decoration of display ares.

Design and fitting of information panel..

provision of spotlights, installation of audio facility and appropriate electrical works.