We are Saltcoats Walking Group, we meet every Thursday between 11am and 1pm, rain or shine. It gives people a chance to explore their local area and meet new faces, Everyone is welcome and everyone is respected and supports each other. It gives people out of the house and is something they enjoy each week. We welcone new members with open arms. Our aim is to reduce social isolation locally and to support physical and mental good health. This happens as the group gets to know each other and creates a space for a sense of community and belonging. 

The funding we are applyinf for would go towards

• cost of weekly refreshments and snacks, £150
• upkeep of walking equipment eg, well stocked first aid kit, flasks, emergency waterproofs,  £100
• cost of travel further afield and seasonal trips eg, summer trip to Millport and Christmas lunch together £400
• up to date to training for current leaders and new leaders eg. walking leader training, first aid training, £150
• cost of publicity for promoting the group to the wider community £100

We would like to establish a sewing group where people can learn skills for life and hobbies for well-being and fun. There would be no cost except to ask for a donation, if possible, for the food bank in Ardeer Community Centre.

Being part of such a group can encourage self reliance, reduce social isolation and be of benefit to all who participate.

In learning to sew and mend items of clothing, we can reduce waste and promote sustainability, in our community thereby avoiding waste.

In cold weather, we can provide a warm space. All equipment, including sewing machines, will be available for use at the classes, free of charge. Fabric and thread for projects will be provided as well as tea/coffee and biscuits.

Health & Well-being will be enhanced from social inter-action, learning new skills will build confidence and satisfaction will be achieved as we support the production of items for gifts and home use.  We will promote reducing waste by encouraging simple mending skills. 

By bringing people together to learn at Ardeer Community Centre, we hope to further promote the centre as a hub of  our community, encouraging all to engage in learning through fun.

The Three Towns Discovery Award Group is aimed at all people over 50 years of age, to help promote an active and healthy lifestyle by offering challenges to both stimulate and motivate.

The Discovery Award is a personal challenge, through a programme of your chosen leisure activities with no exam at the end. You need no special qualifications, just a willingness to have a go and the determination to do the very best that you personally achieve. 

As part of this, we bring in other services to educate and draw awareness to local and national topics that impact us and the wider community. We aim to help combat social isloation and lonliness in the community by hosting open events like coffee mornings for those who are not able to join the group for various reasons. 

We are applying for money to help towards the cost of a group trip, buy resources to continue making crafts that we sell to help generate a small income and  donate monies to local charities and host an Easter coffee morning for all Discovery Award Groups (Irvine, GV, Kilwinning & Ukranian Group) and the wider community. 

We are asking for the following costs to be considered:

1. Edinburgh Bus Trip Tour (x10) = £ 230

2. Lunch on Trip (x10) = £200

3. Resin Kit = £70

4. Multicoloured Felt Fabric Rolls (x3) = £30

5. 3D Printer = £230

6. Coffee Morning Supplies (Including, coffee, tea, milk, sandwiches, cakes & decorations) = £240

We would like to apply for funds to cover the admission for local activities, some further afield such as the theatre.

£500 to cover admission costs for trips to place such as theatre, cinema, bowling etc for  a group of 12 per trip over the course of one year.

£500 to cover food, including lunches, tea and coffee and a meal out for members. 

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

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.

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

This free group is all about being supportive and encouraging to one another.  Building camaraderie and helping participants reconnect with others and themselves.

• Reducing loneliness and isolation
• Reducing low mood and depression
• Increasing a sense of purpose, community and belonging
• Increasing a sense of routine, structure and self-worth  
• Promoting health and wellbeing - time together in a safe and trusting space to connect and open up to peers 
• Providing peer support for mental health - checking in with each other - "Is there anyone struggling today?"
• Free access to snooker and pool - removing financial barriers

It is proposed that the funding grant, if successful, would be spent as follows:

• Cost of weekly room hire for a year (£360)
• Cost of weekly refreshments/food provision per group – teas, coffees, juice, biscuits and fruit (£100)
• Cost of additional quarterly healthy activities and travel out with the community centre (e.g. archery, bowling) (£250)
• Cost of promoting the group and recruiting more group participants - to reach more local men who are struggling and isolated (£40)

Many thanks for your time and kind consideration.