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

Purpose of Funding:

1. Health and Wellbeing:  Organise weekly movement-based activity sessions such as baby yoga, toddler music and dance sessions and outdoor nature walks to support physical activity and mental wellbeing for both parents and children.  Provide healthy snacks and refreshments to encourage nutrition education and community mealtimes.

2.  Community Building:  Host monthly "stay and play" sessions with rotaing themes to build connections among local families.  Creating a welcoming and supportive environment that reduces isolation and strengthens community ties, particularly for new or struggling parents.

3.  Cost of Living Support:  Run a "swap shop" for clothes, toys and essentials to support sustainable living and reduce financial pressure on families.  Offer free to all group sessions, ensuring economic hardship is never a barrier to participation.

4.  Green Projects:  Launch a "Mini Gardener" initiative where toddlers and parents can grow herbs and veg learning about sustainability and food growing.  Using eco-friendly materials for crafts and encourage recycling and waste reduction during all activities.

This funding will help create a nurturing space where parents and toddlers can connect, grow and thrive together.  The activities will not only address immediate needs caused by the cost-of-living crisis but also foster long-term wellbeing, resillience and environmental responsibility.

Estimated Costs:

Facilitators (wellbeing activities)  4 sessions - yoga, music & movement, mindfullness) £200

Craft & Green project initiative - eco-friendly supplies for crafts, mini gardening (compost, seeds, pots and gardening tools) £150

Healthy snack & refreshments 48 week sessions fruit, crackers, drinks, cups and plates £480

Swap shop set up - bins, signage, clothing rails £70

Toys and sensory play resources £100

The project will see 60 apple, pear and plum trees planted in Holm Green. The public will be free to pick the fruit each year for their own use. This project is part of a wider movement of planting community orchards across the local area. The trees will cost approximately £2300. We are seeking £1000 from the Participatory Budgeting fund.

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

The Committee aim to keep this a free event in line with the rising cost of living struggles which are evidenced in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation figures, with Stevenston sitting in the top 10% most deprived decile.

Our aims is to work in partnership with local organisations to provide free fun activities on the night like face painting, glitter tattoos, badge-making, arts & crafts, large outdoor games, retro gaming and much more however, we would like to invite in other businesses to bring something different to the event. This includes the hire of a snow machine, providing free food & and live entertainment. We are also lucky to have the appearance of Santa, where young people will get to visit him and receive a free small token gift in the form of a selection box.

We also host 2 competitions on the run up to the event. These include a Christmas Card Competition and a Window display competition. (Prizes are generously donated by local businesses) The Christmas Card Competition is an opportunity to get our young people at primary school involved. The top three cards will be professionally printed and gifted to the successful young people. We will also make additional prints to sell on the night for those interested. This sale helps kick start the fundraising for the following years event. The window display is an opportunity to encourage community engagement and participation. A friendly competition between businesses and neighbours to get people into the festive spirit and help create community cheer.

With the help of North Ayrshire Council in the past the display of the lights costings have been covered, however, with budget cuts this now falls into the hands of Stevenston Lights Volunteers to source. Alongside the cost of living crisis, businesses and individuals are no longer in a position to sponsor like they once did, as they face rising costs also. So we need to reach out to funders like you to request assistance.

 This event is a year long commitment to plan and implement and requires £8,000 - £10,000 each year to host. We are applying in advance for our 2026 switch on event to help kick start our fundraising efforts.

We are applying for the following resources to be considered for funding:

£500 - money to buy ingredients for free food distribution

£150 - Santa's Grotto inflatable

£350 - Live entertainment delvered by Irvine Beat FM

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

Chatty Chalkers intend to run classes in the Argyle Centre (rent sponsored by SeaSalt Streets) to teach adults and children how to paint murals via the Oculus Quest, build and install 3D wire sculptures, create and paint moulded ornaments and how to construct sand structures and pictures. Chatty Chalkers have experience in delivering projects having successfully produced a series of pop-up events featuring pavement chalk drawing, sand art and sculptures and stone and shell painting. The pop-up events are advertised on social media two days before and the location  disclosed. They often draw up to 30 participants at their free events. 

Chatty Chalkers will offer, free and open to all, kids and adult art workshops, both indoor and outdoor. The participants will be taught mural structure and painting, basic sand art and 3D forming, simple plaster  moulding and how to form and strengthen wire figures. 

In order to facilitate the classes/workshops, Chatty Chalkers require the following equipment and materials. 

Oculus Quest & power bank £220.00. Stepladders and spray paint £80.00. Masonry paint, brushes,dust sheets, overalls, warning tape etc. £196.00. Chicken wire, foam blocks and cutter, UV resin £175.00. Expanding foam and gun, miscellaneous acrylic and water colour paints, pens and pencils etc. £175.00. TOTAL incl postage = £875.00.

The Dementia Project provides one-to-one befriending for people living with dementia, offering companionship at home and support to access their local community. It also gives unpaid carers vital respite through our carers’ peer support.

In addition, our Dementia Wellbeing Cafes in Saltcoats and Irvine provide a welcoming space where people with dementia and their loved ones/unpaid carer can come together to enjoy social activities, entertainment, chair yoga, or simply connect over a game of pool, a cuppa, and a chat. The cafes play a key role in tackling social isolation while supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Both the befriending service and the cafés are free, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to anyone attending. A dedicated volunteer fundraising committee organises events to raise funds for days out for people living with dementia, their unpaid carers, and volunteers.

Any funding received would help us keep the cafés free and support the delivery of activities, themed events, and entertainment, ensuring they remain a fun and inclusive spaces for all.