We come from all backgrounds and walk of life, but we have a common goal, a determination to gain independance, to strive for success both in the group and in our personal lives and build our confidence in learning new skills, making meaningful connections and building our confidence. The DISC Award is an adaptation of the over 50's Discovery Award where we will try new things through the "hobbies & interestes" section, give back to the local community through "service in the community" and explore new people and places through our "journey of discovery". 

What started as a weekly cooking group is now a planned and structured environment of which we have big plans for. We currently meet within the Ardrossan Youth Centre and would like to aim our first project towards helping the young people who use the centre. 

With this, we would like to upcycle the unused telephone box within the centre grounds and make this a well being space for the centre. Allowing us and the young people to have a space to seek information, access fidget toys and just have a quiet space to calm down or reflect if they want. 

We would also like to go on quarterly trips as part of our award, giving people the opportunity to explore new places and cultures. 

Depending on circumstances, not everyone is in the habit of eating a nutritious breakfast. We would love to be able to offer a small bite to eat at the start of our sessions to make sure everyones starting off with a full tummy. 

Although the group only started in January, so much progress has already been made. We would like to continue to grow and this grant would help us make a good start. 

Cricket Machine with materials (Glass in telephone box) - £319

3D Printer & materials (to make fidgets) - £243

Breakfast items for 1 year (Bread, tea/coffee, milk, butter - £562

Baby sensory classes promote communication and language skills in babies.  The sessions are lead by a person qualified in childcare and specialising in Baby sensory activities.

The cost is £100 per session 

Start Little Grow Big partners with North Ayrshire Food bank, The Three Towns Growers, The Argyle Centre, West Coast Furniture Bank and The Criminal Justice Team to build a community garden within Ardrossan that addresses food insecurity and strengthen community resilience. By encouraging collective action and skill-sharing, the project nurtures individuals, promotes learning, and empowers all Three Towns residents to grow and enjoy nutritious food. Diversity of skills and experience is valued, making the spaces open to everyone and aimed at improving community wellbeing. This proposal will create three self-sustaining community gardens, one in each town. These gardens use permaculture principles to provide fruit, vegetables, and therapeutic gardening for those without gardens, directly addressing food insecurity and supporting community wellbeing. The project aims to build community ownership locally and promote both formal and informal education in food production. It will focus on hands-on learning, risk assessment, and sharing peer-led expertise, valuing practical experience. The project is committed to organic-only growing, supporting natural pollinators, and avoiding pesticides and artificial growth enhancers. Efforts will also repurpose materials and explore upcycling. The initiative will engage a diverse range of cultural groups, including New Scots from Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and long-standing communities in the Three Towns. Their involvement will combine traditional and modern cultivation practices, enriching local food production. The project is dedicated to fostering collective action and empowerment within the community. The project's long-term benefits are significant. It will empower the community by building ownership of growing spaces, providing fresh produce for community larders, and offering opportunities for exercise and mindfulness. The project has encouraged wider community engagement around food access and provision. It has also promoted biodiversity and pollinators, reduced carbon footprints, and provided volunteering opportunities that boost self-confidence and wellness. This project has built solidarity and a common cause among the Three Towns communities. By creating these spaces, we aim to start conversations with community members about issues they may face. The community campaigner has facilitated a mutual aid style of group work with and for individuals. The project has had a positive impact on the community as it involves 30-40 individuals in its development. An estimated 250 people will benefit from the produce, while 150 will have the opportunity to engage in activities such as storytelling and educational sessions at the project sites. This initiative aims to create spaces where people can relax, actively participate in their community, and engage in gardening based on a "do what you can" ethos. Partnerships with other organizations will facilitate directing participants to the project and providing on-site services. The Three Towns project aims to foster community ownership and sustainable practices through the promotion of organic cultivation. Participants will be encouraged to grow their own produce, regardless of their living situation. This initiative not only focuses on food growth but also on personal development and community collaboration. By involving diverse individuals with various skills, the project will thrive, offering valuable experiences and knowledge about nutritious food and healthier lifestyle choices to all residents of The Three Towns. 

Breakdown of costs 

Water Butts 4X _£160 Compost Bins 2x = £260 PPE- Gloves (Riggers Quality) 15x= £75 Protective eyewear £150 Water Containers 6x =£60 Seed Various £200 Topsoil and compost £95

We are a yoga and support group who have been going for almost 20 years.  Many of our members and now into their 70's and 80's but  are still actively involved in yoga practice.  Yoga helps enormously with strength, balance and flexibility as well as mindfulness. This is important in our advancing years.  We have social outings such as  coffee meetups, lunch or an outing to combat the feeling of loneliness and isolation incurred when people have ailing partners or indeed become widowed. Being sensory impaired also causes much loneliness and isolation.We have one member who is registered blind and several who are registgered as hearing impaired.  We would love to arrange a theatre trip early in 2026 to help conbat winter blues.

theatre tickets 25x30 = £750

Bus home  from Ayr = £250

Total   =  £1000

The group was set up after 3 men in their 40s got back into their teenage hobby of painting warhammer miniatures during the Covid Lockdown and reconnected on social media.  Each of them suffered from social anxiety and found reintegrating extremely difficult. Now in our 2nd year we have gone from 9 members in our first week to 40 regular members, with an average of 20 attending each week. Our fortnightly group quickly became weekly due to demand and has become a very busy and lively social gathering. Our members build miniature models, paint them at our painting station, and play games including Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, Killteam and Warcry.

Many of our members are new to the games when they first begin attending and do not have their own equipment and we have been extremely pleased to be able to provide all of the required equipment to allow people to play and attend who may not have the financial means to purchase their own equipment. However as the group continues to grow so does the demand for equipment.  At our AGM our members expressed an interest in trying new games alongside the regular Warhammer games and we now have a list of requests which we would love to be able to provide for our members to play.

The Games we would like to provide include: Humblewood Tales, Pathfinder adventure, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic The Gathering, Azul, Everdell, Destinies, Cascadia, Ticket to Ride, Mysterium, Arkham Horror, Masters of the Universe, Dominion, Star Realms, Hero Realms, Fallout, Aliens, Catan, Bristol 1350, Salem 1692, Deadwood 1876 Total Cost £849

Providing these games would open the group up to more people who may not enjoy Wargames but would love a social group to sit and relax while playing a fun game. We also provide free refreshments so would like to apply for £150 towards drinks and snacks for our members to help ensure nobody goes home hungry.

We would like to apply for a funding amount of £1000. If successful in our application, this would enable us to provide a summer bus outing for the residents, with the remainder being used towards funding our annual lunch and party, which is attended by approximately 30 residents. These events have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of residents and provide an opportunity to take part in activities that might not be available to people due to mobility or cost of living ussues.

The cost of the bus would be £480 and the remaining £520 would be used towards the cost of lunch and live entertainment for our party.

• Bus Hire - £480
• Lunch x 30 - £450
• Entertainment fee - £70 

Feedback from community groups and events indicates a strong desire for a program catering to this age group, especially given the challenges posed by Hayocks' geographic location and the rising cost of living. Our association currently operates a weekly Hayocks Youth Café  on a Thursday 6-8pm for kids aged 11 plus in partnership with NAC Community Development and the National Lottery. With this funding, we would be able to initiate a similar program for younger kids and utilise the same equipment.

The primary beneficiaries will be children aged 7-11 living in the Hayocks area. This group includes those from families experiencing financial hardship, as well as children who may lack access to after-school clubs or other social spaces. The café will also indirectly support parents and carers, providing free food and drinks. In a safe environment. The café will be entirely free to attend. No fees, subscriptions, or charges for food, activities, or materials will be applied

Our goal is to promote equality and break down barriers for local children, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to socialise, try new activities, build confidence, and make new friendships without financial strain.

By supporting this age group and focusing on well-being through the provision of a consistent, structured environment for positive weekly activities, we can build rapport with the kids, facilitate early intervention, instil pride in our community, and help deter boredom and antisocial behaviour.

Activities will be supervised by trained staff and volunteers, who will ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive atmosphere. Ranging from team sports, gaming, and creative arts to self-care, ensuring that every child can find something that interests them and fosters confidence among peers.

. Expected Outcomes

• Social Benefits: Increased opportunities for friendship, teamwork, and positive interaction.
• Emotional Wellbeing: Improved self-esteem, resilience, and sense of community belonging.
• Reduced Screen Time: More time spent in active, creative pursuits.
• Economic Support for Families: Reduced pressure on household budgets and greater access to enrichment activities.
• Equality and Inclusion: All children, regardless of income, can participate equally.

Specialist Activity Facilitator costs-  £20ph x 2 hours = £40 X 12 weekly sessions = £480  12 weekly sessions Food provision - £43.33 @ £1.44 x 30 kids = £520  Total £1000

We wish to build a community/memorial garden in a vacant area of land within the community recreation ground. The garden will include a memorial wall and will be a profound way to acknowledge and honour the life of a loved one, a historical event, or a significant achievement. These plaques will also play a crucial role in preserving history and act as a bridge between the past and the present, providing a tangible link to our heritage. By commemorating individuals or events, they help us understand our local roots and the journey taken.

The garden will also serve as a space for personal reflection and for educating the public about the person or event being commemorated whilst being a general meeting place for community members.  Our community Partners Ardrossan Community Sports Hub will add a page to their website and we will direct people to it, the page will include a bio for every plaque on the wall. The design/planning and building of the garden will involve both the Local Communtiy Shed, AWR Extra Time Crew, AWR CIC, and Ardrossan Communtiy Sports Hub. We will also partner with The Three Town Growers who will provide asisstance with planting.

We will charge an additional amount to cost of plaque and that will be used to maintain and improve the garden. It will also improve joint working as the Community Shed and AWR/ACSH Extra Time Crew will maintian the garden/

Cost:

Wood for seating/plant beds/boundary  £900, lean to wood & roof sheeting £ 450, stone base £200, plants £150, solar lighting £100, total £1,800.00