We spend a significant amount of the nursery day in our outdoor garden and forest area.  We are focussed on giving our children the best experience at our nursery and so the skill sets the children develop outside and the opportunities for different ways to play here are a large part of their learning at WKEYC.  Being able to use our outdoor space so well, builds the children's confidence and resilience to playing outside in all weathers.  In order to provide this we always consider both the children and staff's well being and how best to cater for their comfort.  

Therefore we are asking for some smaller items that will make a big difference to their time in the garden.  We are hoping for mobile hand wash stations for warm handwashing outside which is key to children's health and wellbeing; tarpaulins for shelter and ground cover with a tougher tarpolin required as this needs to be robust enough in the stormier weather;  facilities for hot drinks for staff and children to allow them to cintinue for longer outside and feel happier doing so; hand and feet warmers for staff (children are catered for already) and portable seating for staff to take five minutes whilst out in the garden - the children have these facilities in their log chairs. 

Although small these items will have a direct impact on everyone's mental and physical health.  Staff will feel valued and appreciated in their workplace as we try our best to keep them warm and dry and everyone will benefit from being outdoors, learning in a different environment.  This is proven to aid in their overall health and promote other ways to learn.  In some cases, this will also provide an element of play they may not receive at home promoting equal opportunites for our children.

Below are the items we would love to be able to provide for our  children and staff. 

Insulated Mobile Hand wash station x 3 (£204) = £612

Tarpaulin (3m x 4m) for groundsheet = £11.99

Tarpaulin (waterproof and storm proof) for shelter = £75.36

Travel Chairs x 4 (£10) = £40

Hot drink dispenser x 3 (£24.99) = £74.97

Travel mugs for staff x 8 (£9.88) = £79.04

Warm insoles for wellies ( £5.98 for 2 pairs) = £23.92

Hand warmers (40 pk) = £26.49

Total £943.77

There is a document attached with the links to the products we are looking at. As these are live links prices may have varied (especially on Amazon) from when we have looked at these - we will endeavour to purchase as close to these prices as possible. 

Our proposed project will support the more vulnerable people in the community during the winter months, those  at risk of increased social isolation, loneliness and depression.  

Largs has a higher percentage of elderly and a higher percentage of people less mobile.   Giving them that life line in winter to connect with people encourages them out of the house to be part of daily life in the community.  The social interaction promotes a sense of belonging and safety for those more vulnerable in the winter months.

This will also showcase local establishments who support poor mobility by easy access, encouraging others to spread the word of local residents involved in community life.  We believe that poor mobility should not mean poor involvement.

We propose to meet fortnightly during 6 months of winter.  12  events for an estimated 10 residents  at each.  £8 towards each lunch is £80 x 12 = £960. 

Purchase of replacement motifs

Project is to purchase 3 motifs to feature in the centre of the village's Main Street.  This is where the Yuletide Parade passes through and the public follow to visit other events and traders' premises.

The new motifs will replace old, malfunctioning motifs and will enhance the atmosphere in the village to encourage residents and visitors to mingle together in an enhanced atmosphere.

Blachere Illuminations have quoted £321 each for these motifs, including fitting of wall-mounted brackets to maximise display values, as per attached quote.

The Millport Town Hall charity was formed by the community of the Isle of Cumbrae to improve the welfare of islanders by providing space and activities to address anxiety, stress and social isolation, particularly in our more vulnerable community members. We're transforming our previously derelict Town Hall into a vibrant, self-sustaining Community Hub, Arts & Culture and Heritage/Conservation centre that will deliver social events, self-help groups, creative and performing arts, indoor sports and volunteering opportunities for the whole community.

We're preparing for Millport Town Hall to open to the community in 2025. A key facility will be the kitchen, which reaches across the ground floor with access to all spaces and which will be available for community groups and event organisers to use. We’re seeking funding to support installing a large fridge freezer.    

The cost is £1199 - the balance of £199 is coming from local fundraising.

We also support people in the community with their food growing by supplying seeds, containers, compost, fertiliser and friendly help and advice. Every year we need to keep our supplies up of compost, fertiliser, seeds, plants, tools as we expand our work. We have been developing our garden by building terraces and new growing areas and this year will be another busy time as we move onto a new area of the garden to develop. By voting for our project you will support us in expanding our food-growing space and garden infrastructure. Our garden was previously an overgrown derelict space and our volunteers have done a tremendous job so far in making it a productive and joyful space. 

We also require a new colour printer so that we can print our signage, save money on leaflets and posters, growing instructions for people we are working with and to draw more people into our projects. As we are keen environmentalists we want to switch to an eco printer. 

Printer and supply of ink and paper £300

Gardening supplies £700

Thank you for your support  and please come and join us Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30-1:30

The Craufurd Simson Park charity will be developing a piece of land acquired from the council for an outdoor play park for use by the residents in West Kilbride.  

In order to develop the park, the children will be invited to contribute to their vision of the park at an event. The event will provide an afternoon of fun, to build community awareness about the project and to make sure that the children are able to play a role in developing the park and feel included in the development.

The event will be hosted in the space the park will be built on (subject to the relevant approvals and insurance).

The event is aimed to be fun for the children, build community spirit, and gather the input we need for the next big step.  We hope that this will build excitement give the children something to look forward to.

We will provide entertainment for the children and an area for the children to build their vision for the park and choose the equipment they would want.

The park will ultimately deliver the proven health and wellbeing benefits of an open space with play equipment for children to engage in physical activity, build social skills and feel part of a community.

Funding for the park will be sought through other funding avenues once the land is transferred through a Community Asset Transfer.

This initiative is championed by the Community Roots and orgnaisation well established in the West Kilbride community. Community Roots is set up to help people live their best healthiest lives with food security and outlets that improve mental and physical well-being. Community Roots runs the Village Larder, SHED & a community garden.

Largs Events’ objective is to bring events to the town that will bring pleasure for the residents and their families, whilst also increasing footfall to a popular “seaside town” which following the pandemic and consequential “Cost of Living” crisis, has seen a changing and declining landscape of choice and facilities. Increasing awareness of the available choices is key to creating a friendly and enjoyable experience to residents and visitors alike. We have managed to increase our events by use of a local partnership to facilitate markets with specific “topics” and these have proved popular. One of our foundation Events is the annual “Yuletide Night” which has always been popular, and we would like to carry this on. Last year the night cost Largs Events £3,422.00 as we continued our long-term objective of “Social Inclusiveness” and everything “Free”, and indeed all our events are wherever possible free, and across all genders and ages. As a committee we decided to refrain from approaching the troubled businesses last year because of the financial situation and will try to do that until a more appropriate time. This year we have been advised by NAC that the erection\dismantling of the Lights will need to be paid for and we are actively pursuing funding for this in order to ensure Yuletide actually happens. We have already obtained funding to buy new lights as the existing one are failing and beyond their best and hope to have this in place for this year.

Our Yuletide night is a night for all the family and we would like to ensure there is something there for all family members and here is where we are asking for help. We usually try to have an area for live entertainment ranging from choirs to some local entertainers, this we have in the past been unable to make best use of due to lack of funds and would like to ask for a sum of £1000 to hire the stage area, to accommodate the local singers, but to make better use of, we can get hire some more “established” musicians to come to Largs and people can enjoy them, again foc. Any spare funds could also be used to add extra entertainment to the event, but without current costings we cannot say at this stage.

Our normal Fundraising activities will continue with the hope of building on the last couple of years successful events, whilst maintaining our desire to make Largs a town we can all be very proud of.