We have created an inclusive environment for all involved in our group. Whilst completeing the challenges involved in the awards our group give back to the community through chosen volunteering opportunities. Our group has provided a social lifeline for many members and it gives us the chance to visit different places throughout Scotland and connect with local history. This is turn positively impacts the health and wellbeing of our group memebers to help promote an active and healthy lifestyle by offering challenges that both stimulate and motivate. We have been able to access free opportunities and museums through the national trust this has not impacted our members finanically. However, we would love to be able to go further afield and access new experiences together as a group. This money would allow us us to continue to provide an inclusive environment for all our members by covering the costs and allowing equal access to aopportunities wavering financial limitations. We hope to use this money to continue to work together as a group providing key support and care to each other with the benefit of sharing new and exciting experiences togther. 

We hope to access different places such as Dumfries house, this is a place where many of our members have wanted to visit but due to financial limitations, we have been unable to do so. We would also like to go over to Millport to share a day trip together and celebrating completeing different parts of our discovery awards and have an end trip bedore the group break up for summer. 

We would also like to celebrate burns day as many of our group have an interest in the local history of burns and his poetry. We would like to come together and share this day as a group. We would also like to support or local community pantomime and attend this together; this will allow us the confidence to attend in the evening and increase our social inclusion as well as experiencing the nostaligia of a Christmas pantomime. 

As a group we have really gelled, and we enjoy spending time togethe. The friendships that have formed through the Discovery award have spilled into the private lives of our members who regularly meet up out with the group environment creating a bigger support network for everyone involved. This award group has opened social opportunties for all involved having such a positive effect on the mental health and wellbeing of the group 

Dumfries House £260

Pantomime £120

Millport Ferry £65

Millport Lunch £200

Burns supper/Location and Food £325

North Ayrshire Healing Hearts Bereavement Support Group is a peer support bereavement group for community members who have experienced the death of someone they loved.

The group was established in January 2024 after an initial CRUSE pilot scheme. The 25 members did not want to lose the group and the support it offered, so Healing Hearts was formed. The group is completely self funded and has expanded now to 4 groups running in North Ayrshire taking their total to over 50 members.

The group support people physically and mentally they address issues such as social isolation, addiction and improve the members well-being and health, meeting up weekly and for social events.

The project brings people struggling with the loss of a loved one together invarious locations in North Ayrshire enabling them to supoort each other. All of the group is constituted and all of the members who run it are volunteers. They offer befriending, mentoring and sign posting to various services locally for example Money Matters, Counselling and CHAP.

The group receives referrals come from Social Work, GPs, dentists, Community link workers, Police , libraries and other organisations in Ayrshires.

We woulike to request money for the below-

50 Christmas Lunches @ £15 each = £750

Bingo Machine £150

2 Boxes Markers £24.99 each =  £50

Bingo Books £30 for 600

hall hire  £13.50  2 hour hire                                 13.50

qualified coach  £80  90 minute hire                       80.00

food @ £5 per child 20 per session                      100.00

8 weekly sessions to cover various age groups. total £893.50

Initially formed in May 2024, we are in the process on gaining more members to form a much-needed Community Shed in Kilwinning. Currently we have 21 members. We are currently trying to establish a Shed where community members can meet up with others, work on projects, and share creative skills and interests. This can be to work on a projects that may include woodworking, gardening, art, computing, or whatever our members would like. It will be a member led organisation aiming to provide whatever tools we can in order to help maintain community spirit, overcome social isolation, and improve the health and wellbeing of our members. Some of our members are retired and may experience loneliness. Even if they can visit the Community Shed just for a cup of tea it could help them greatly. We currently have the offer of the temporary use of a hall until we move to a permanent location. In order to get us started, we are keen to start working on small projects such as wooden planters and bird boxes, hence the need for some tools and materials. We have some members that interested in model making, therefore some model making kits would be great to get our members started. We would also like to provide the opportunity for socialising, therefore the board games would be a vital part in that. We are also keen to organise a visit to another well established Shed such as Dalbeattie Mens Shed, in order to research the potential for the development of our own Shed. We are looking for funding to cover the costs of a Minibus hire and fuel costs for the visit. As we are a new organisation, we have limited funds to get started, therefore we need some assistance in getting us off the ground. The funding would assist us in the purchase of the following:

Woodwork Tools (Hammers/Saws/Screwdrivers, etc): £330 Materials/Wood: £300 Model making kits: £100

Board Games: £70 Minibus Hire/Fuel: £200 Total: £1000

The continued support of Corsehill retirement club allows the elderly to access different opportunities outwith their local environment. One of which has been our very successful day trips to the theatre along with a meal. This can be the highlight of our participants year and we hope to continue to provide this service. The impact that these trips have on our group is wonderful and many members comment on how this gives them something to look forward and appreciate their freedom in going to different places. This has an overall positive impact on the individuals health and wellbeing. If we were successful in receiveing this funding it would enable us to provide this support and plan more trips out for our members. We hope this money can help reduce the cost of living and take away financial pressures that a trip may have on individuals. Receiving this grant would ensure that all our members were ablle to attend the trip regardless of affordablility. This in turns ensures that everyone has equal access to opportunities that we provide ensuring that our members have opportunities to socialise outwith our usual environment. This in turn improves the health and wellbeing of our members through making sure we have multiple different activities that can help stimulate their social circle.

Day trip to the theatre with a meal and transport

Theatre tickets - £450

Transport to Theatre - £450

Refreshments - £100

Our community will soon have access to a range of workshops designed to teach mindfulness approaches for coping with daily struggles, stresses, social barriers, and poor mental well-being. Our directors are qualified holistic therapists that can provide, drum healing, sound healing, reiki, massage, reflexology, therapuetic art.  Also we hold qualifications in education and social services with a vast range of work experience that has built our knowledge of the challenges that many face within our area.

The workshops will be open to everyone, providing a safe and supportive environment where individuals are acknowledged and listened to. Participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills, connect with others who share similar interests, and, where possible, link up with local community hubs and centers to access additional services and support. This initiative is designed to prevent social isolation by encouraging healthy daily routines and giving people a reason to engage with their community.

A sense of purpose will help those struggling to realize their potential and build confidence to contribute to their community. For individuals or families living alone, in poverty, or facing social, emotional, or mental challenges, these services and activities will enhance well-being, enabling them to better care for themselves and their families, and take pride in their local area. Collaborating with other services and local groups will foster a positive community spirit and promote a better understanding of self-care, healthy lifestyles, and a positive outlook for both themselves and their neighbours.

Therapeutic art will also be a key component of the initiative, helping individuals better understand their thoughts and emotions. This creative outlet can significantly improve mental health by offering a safe space to express stress and anxiety while introducing accessible skills that can be practiced at home.

Community members will have access to sessions and holistic therapies designed to promote calmness, relaxation, and stress relief. These sessions will be available to everyone and can be accessed in venue with in Kilwinning or within the comfort of their own homes. By offering home-based sessions, we ensure that even those who find it difficult to socialize or leave their homes can benefit, helping to build relationships and trust. Over time, we hope these individuals will feel safe and supported enough to break down barriers and integrate more fully into the social circles within the community.

We are applying for funding for the following resources to allow us to facilitate our sessions in Kilwinning -

15 cushions-  £100

10 blankets -  £100

4 children’s weighted blankets- £60

10 lightweight drums with beater - £150

Percussion instruments- £200

2 Ear defenders adult and child’s- £30

2 x Activity Parachute - £30

Therapeutic art resources - £80

Sensory resources- £150

2x reclining chairs - £60

Herbal Tea resources- £40

The group ls looking to order 25 litter pickers to re stock the groups collection of litter pickers that get loaned to groups or to borrow for groups at Kilwinning sports club.  or organised nights by groups like the scouts and guides etc. 

This will restock the groups supplies that are shared out across the community. This also allows the long term loan to individuals to adopt a spot.   

The Group operates with the support of North Ayrshire Council and Klwinning Community Events. 

North Ayrshire Tandem Cycling (NATC) is a local group set up in August 2023 that allows Vision Impaired people to enjoy cycling with the support of a Fully Sighted, Fully Trained Pilot. We currently have 11 members who are Vision Impaired and 15 fully Sighted members. We enjoy weekly organised outings. NATC is a new project that has had a phenomenal response from the local community including donations of tandems and people volunteering to Pilot tandems for Vision Impaired people. This has benefited members by improving their mental and physical health. It allows Vision Impaired people to meet other people with Visual Impairments and helps Sighted Pilots understand some of the impacts of Vision Impairment. Members are also improving their physical fitness as well as their mental health. NATC intends to run regular events to recruit new members both Sighted and Vision impaired as well as raise awareness of Vision Impairment. The aim is for NATC to grow and support more Vision Impaired people. NATC has liaised with another Tandem Cycling Club in Glasgow which has been successfully running for several years learning from their experiences and advice. NATC would like to purchase Spare parts for our Tandems, ie, Tubes, Cables and Tyres. We also want to have our Tandems serviced to make them safe for Vi's to ride.

A family funday in McGavin Park promoting all that the park has to offer. Activities and family fun with music on stage, children's entertainers and try it sessions from local groups and KA Leisure.  £1000 asked for contribution to costs.  Public Liabity Insurance

Stage Hire £550

contribution to entertainers £300

2 children's entertainers for seperate shows. £550 

the wider event costs are First aid £300

public Liability £200

portallo hire £300

stewards £700

hire of rides and inflatables £10000

We meet once weekly and incur no costs from the hall, we currently have pallettes of watercolour paints and brushes that were left over from the summer program so we are very limited in our learning choices. We would greatly benefit from having a supply of resources including sketch books and different meduims to fully get the benefits from this course and our development and understanding of this creative group. We are aiming to put on a display of all our learning/work next summer once we have a good range of finished pieces to display and we are very excited about this considering on one has any experience in the Arts.

We would also like to go on a field trip to the kelvin grove art gallery in the new year, this will be an insirational trip and we will begin to explore different ways to express ourselfs which will hopefully be shown in our art work.

breakdown of costs are;-The range for supplies costings,

Watercoulor & acrylic  brushes pack of 50: £8.99 x 2 - £17.98

A3 sketch books: £10 x 10 - £100

A4 sketch books: £5 x 10 - £50

Paint by number resources: £5 x 19 - £95

roll of tracing paper: £57

drawing made simple kit/ pencils: £3 x 10 - £30

A3 card: £9.99 x 5 - £49.95

Canvas's set: £20 x 10 - £200

Acrylic paint set graduate set 48: £39.99 x 5 - £199.95

Artiste Watercolour paint set 24: £19.98 x 10 - £199.80

Total £999.68