Barnardo's Stronger Families provides support across North Ayrshire to Kinship families. We have funding in place for core staff to facilitate groups, sessions and activities however we require funding to provide for resources, refreshments and if we wish to work with local artists. We worked with local artists recently on graffiti projects and creative arts groups with young people and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Those young people recommended that other young people and adults get to experience groups/sessions similar to those that they took part in. Benefits of creative arts sessions are socialisation, reducing isolation, positive communication, learning new skills and discovering artisitic talents. It can build confdence and self-esteem. For Kinship carers it will allow them to take some time for themselves, relax, spend time with other people in a similar situation to them and to build up positive peer relationships and supportive networks. For Kinship families to take part in sessions together, it will allow them to spend quality time as a family, having fun, communicating, supporting each other and relaxing together. Barnardo's will provide the staffing and promotional materials for these sessions.

Costs for 10 sessions:

Venue hire - £150 (2 hours per session)

Refreshments - £100

Creative arts resources - £450

Local artist time - £300

All our group members take part in volunteering opportunities throughout the local community and help foster community spirit. Most of the group have now completed the bronze level of the award and are now working towards their silver award.

Through the Hobbies and Interests aspect of the award participants are encouraged to engage in and develop new skills, hobbies and to remain socially active. This social activity helps to reduce social isolation and improves the physical and mental wellbeing of participants.  We would like to apply for support to help us provide opportunities for our group to experience a series of new and exciting workshop activities that would contribute to lifelong learning and promote positive wellbeing. These workshops would meet the needs and interests of group members and include arts and crafts, mindfulness and meditation, relaxation techniques, outdoor learning activities and other wellbeing tools.

 Honey Bee Cottage Wellbeing Workshops @ £160 per session x 6 sessions = £1000 

£450 new uniforms

£150 practice drum pads

£150 practice chanters

£250 towards hall rental 

As a charity, the Irvine and District Pipe Band rely on funding and fundraisers to ensure we can continue our wonderful and (we think) conscice teaching of Scottish music throughout the Irvine and District area.

We would like funding to contribute towards the costs of running the club which helps young people and adults alike. For younger members, it takes them off the streets, teaches them how to look after their physcial and mental wellbeing. It also teaches them discipline and how to conduct themselves in the community. 

The club is open Monday to Friday and has a membership fee of £4 per session or £10 to attend 5 nights in one week. We would like to keep this cost as low as possible for families so it's accessible to young people, so by getting this funding will help us subsidise the costs. 

Taking part in the club helps improve members health and wellbeing through exercise and building relationships between members. The funding will also help towards the cost of living crisis for members as it will reduce the costs of taking part in this activity which is invaluable to members of the Vineburgh and Redburn neighbourhoods. 

Ring hire - £360 Insurance - £640

TOTAL - £1000

Our aim is to ensure every family in our school community has a safe place to meet for support and to provide a healthy meal or snack to combat the cost of living crisis.

We aim to promote health and wellbeing by running after school workshops for our families. The workshops will run over a 6 month period from January 2025 - June 2025. Each workshop will run for around an hour and a healthy snack or light meal will also be provided. 

We have collated responses from our parents and children which highlighted the following:

• parents want to feel more included in the school environment and with their child's learning
• children would like their parent/caregiver to have more involvement with their learning and for the learning to be ‘more fun’
• families would like to meet for support (from each other and from professionals)
• families would like to be more active
• children would like to learn how to cook healthy meals
• parents and children expressed an interest in attending a regular after-school club

We feel our plan for an after-school family hub would help meet the needs highlighted, we would be able to support family learning in a fun and engaging way. As well as providing a healthy snack or light meal, to help families during the current cost of living crisis.

We would work with the local community builder, the NHS, Local charities and Parent Council Volunteers to ensure a wide range of needs are met. Each ‘workshop’ at our new Family hub would have a theme, such as:

• Homework Help/ Supported Study (supporting family learning)
• Health and Wellbeing (promoting physical and mental wellbeing)

• Equality and Equity (outside agency delivering a workshop on this, with fun family games)
• Health and Fitness (physical games and activities for all ages and abilities)
• Cooking Healthy meals on a budget (community cook-a-long)
• Caring for our Community (community litter picks)

We would use the money secured from the bid to get our ‘Family Hub’ up and running.  Our predicted expenditure is £40 to buy equipment such as plates, cutlery and cooking utensils. Then a further £40 per session (for 24 sessions) to purchase the ingredients for the included healthy meal/snack.

Our project for the School is to promote outdoor relaxation and wellness within the community. We currently have tables and benches for the senior end.

This space gives the children somewhere to sit and relax. This has also proved beneficial in allowing the seniors within our community to share any worries or concerns they may have. As there is always an adult within the vicinity this be can reacted to appropriately to ensure they get proper support.

We now want to Mirror this in the infant area to give every child the chance to have a safe relaxing space to promote wellness across our community.  We are also looking to add umbrellas to the senior end tables and benches. In addition adding umbrellas to the new infant end benches; this would help keep the children safer on the warmer days. 

Some of the positive feedback from the children from the infant and senior end.

• Colourful

• Restful 

• Fun

• Great for chatting in privacy away from class

• Durable

• Chill out area

• Comfortable

• Nice to read books

Junior 3 seated bench -£ 299.99

Grounds Fixtures - £ 17.45

Fitted by NAC - £ 300.00

Umbrellas  & Stand X6 -£371.88

Total - £989.32