The Canny Crafters Group is a local sewing and craft group open to all, offering support in crochet, sewing and the art of repurposing old materials into new, creative projects. Based at the Redburn Centre, the group works in partnership with the friends f redburn community group and has been active for around a year. What began with just 4 members has grown to a ful group of 12 participants and two dedicated volunteers. Together htey have created a variety of handmade items, including Christmas wreaths, hand knitted goods and crochet crats and they plan to hot stalls at local events selling their handmade goods to help sustain the group and ensure its continued success.

The group fosters creativity and skill deelopment while offering a warm, commujnity focused atmosphere and for the members attending it has many benefits, including learning new skills, making new friends, and promoting mental well being. It provides a creative outlet, cost free access and a supportive environment where the members can recieve guidance on personal or group projects, enhancing a sense of belonging.

The group would like to apply for the cost of tickets to be able to attend 2 Creative Craft shows at the SECC to see differnt types of crafting and get ide4as for thier own group and also to buy resources such as wool and fbric for future projects.

Breakdown of Costs

Creative Craft Show Tickets March 2025 x 14 £168

Creative Craft Show Tickets Xmas 2025 x 14 £168

Resources such as wool, fabric, patterns etc £350

Total 686

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)

In conjunction with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and North Ayrshire Council Music Services, Music@Wellwood would organise a Vocal Masterclass with staff from the RCS who can provide guidance, technical advice and possible progression pathways into music for the young people taking part which may include encouragement to join local choirs. 

Opportunities such as this have proven to strengthen access to music within North Ayrshire with young musicians supporting community groups and continuing to work within the community and schools promoting music as a career path and as an important educational tool which can continue to be a lifetime benefit. 

In addition to an afternoon Masterclass in the Wellwood Burns Centre & Museum, the young people would be invited to attend an evening performance in Wellwood. 

Provision of the afternoon Masterclass would cost £350.    Attendance of 10 young people (approx. number) at the evening performance in Wellwood would be £100.

Afternoon refreshments for the young people attending the afternoon Masterclass £25.  Any costs associated with the use of the Wellwood Burns Centre & Music would be met by Music@Wellwood.

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