We would like to apply for funding to help us provide social events, a Christmas lunch and party and free lunch clubs throughout the year. 

Christmas Lunch and party £200 

Lunch Club £500

Entertainer fees for 4 special events £300 

As well as GVAA members the association encourages community participation with many young people who are engaged in projects in the allotment.  Some of the projects currently running are growing and harvesting produce for the Wee Pantry and Solace Cafe and young people involved in learning how to prepare areas for growing, how to sow, care and harvest produce. A primary and indispensable piece of equipment would be the installation of portable power stations in the allotment which would be used to energise various tools essential for gardening tasks. Portable power stations would ensure we have have the necessary electricity on demand. The members currently take the rechargeable batteries home to re-energise which often means that communial tools required by the members and young people are not always available to complete the task.  A portable power station capability would not only enhance efficiency but also provide the flexibility to maneuver and operate equipment throughout the plot without being tethered to fixed power sources.  The portable power stations would be charged from two solar panels thus reducing the carbon footprint of members travelling to and from the allotment to collect and deliver charged batteries and the personal costs to members associated with fuel and energy.

2 x portable power stations = Ecoflow River 2 Max + 110W portable solar panel =£1000 (GVAA will meet the costs beyond this amount)

We have been operating our Community Larder since Nov 2020, initially as a foodbank during the pandemic, but now aligned with NAC`s Community Larder model, where customers pay £4, for a selection of items and a variety of free short dated/best before items. Unfortunately, over the last 12 months, we have seen how the rising costs have impacted on our funding, where money doesn’t stretch as far as it once did and since the cost of living crisis started, we have seen the numbers of people attending our Community Larder steadily increase. We are now seeing more families attending, as well as more people who are working.  Local businesses have been great here, where we work in partnership with ASDA, Bookers, Co-op and Irvine`s Bakery, who supply us with a combination, of either free short dated/best before items, or items at discounted prices, but during the winter months the donations of fruit and vegetables falls off quite sharply.

Evidence shows that there are significant health benefits to eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables daily, particularly in the case of young people and the elderly.

Estimated Costs:

Provision of fruit and vegetables for 26 weeks - 52 larder sessions @ £25 - Total £1,300.

Any funding received will help to purchase overheads, ensuring that we can deliver the best She Shed possible, whilst supporting mental health and wellbeing. This will enable us to continue to provide a safe space, with the opportunity for our members to get involved in group activities.   

- Crafting materials £350

- Branded items £50

- Food and drink £100

- Mindfulness class £150

- Room Hire £350

Following the reduction in Streetscene's budget, there are a number of maintenance issues that need to be addressed by the community.  This application will give us a budget to arrange these works in conjunction with other local groups.  A few months ago, the Dalry Community Development Hub organised responsibility for maintaining planters in Dalry with various local groups.  They received funding and were able to purchase plants, both annual and perennial, from Gateside nursery.  We would like to do something similar in Kilbirnie.  Whilst Dalry had only 9 planters to arrange, there are more areas in Kilbirnie needing work:

9x planters in car park beside Salvation Army

5x planters outside old folks houses in Main Street at the Cross

5x planters between BBQ Hut and Easties on Bridge Street

1x flowerbed at foot of the path outside Kilbirnie Library

1x flowerbed at the top of Bank Street / Glasgow Street

As well as these flowerbeds, other works needing done includes weeding along kerbs and property boundaries on pavement side; clearing vegetation from public paths, such as the Cat's Lane

Dalry Community Garden has been established for four years, providing a safe and welcoming space for visitors and volunteers.

We host various, accessible to all events throughout the year supporting local groups and organisations helping to bring our community together. As we have no permanent facilities we need to provide a toiilet for our volunteers and visitors.

Funding will allow us to provide a serviced portable toilet unit for a further year.

Cost for a serviced toilet unit for one year is £1560

Our Sunshine on Beith (Summer 2025) will have a weather theme, and we will be presenting Ola Gjeilo's inspirational Sunrise Mass, for choir and strings.  We would like this grant to fund the purchase of choral sheet music, and contribute to the cost of professional musicians.

Sunrise Mass cost:  £400

Sunshine on Leith (Proclaimers) choral music arrangement:  £100

Professional Soloists £250 each = £500