Through creative activities, wellbeing classes and positive social connections, the She Shed strives to achieve a sense of belonging, where women feel valued, supported and better equipt for life's challenges. We want to build confidence and resilience in women, helping them to step out of their comfort zone, meet new people and try new things. 

Funding will allow us to stay at no cost to our members, keeping us inclusive for all by removing financial barriers to participation. As a result, we can strengthen the growth and sustainability of our group, ensuring that it continues to be a supportive and welcoming place. 

Breakdown of project costs:

- Branding/advertisement £200 

- Food, drink and catering suppplies £100

- Mindfulness and relaxation activities £300

- Art and craft supplies £400

We meet at kilbirnie loch every Thursday evening between April and October to paddle on the loch . In winter we move indoors to Garnock community campus pool , where members learn life saving skills in the water , and how to keep themselves safe in the water . We have week about for youths and adults . 

The club provides the boats , kayaks , paddle boards and life jackets to members , thus ensuring there is no barriers to anyone despite cost . 

All members are encouraged and supported to do training to become coaches and can find support to build on their experiences. 

We have a family friendly atmosphere that encourages newcomers to try out new activities with support and experience of other members .  

There is opportunities to go on camping trips , and days away at different locations. these are great for building confidence in people of all ages .  The club is great for mental health , keeping fit , and allowing people to socialise in a safe and suppprtive environment.  We hoping to use our funding for maintenance to our boats and possibly replace some older ones . The boats will be roughly £200 each to repay and update .  we have no running costs , or building rentals to consider .   

We are a voluntary group with a parent run committee.  We support 3-5 year olds in early learning and childcare, and our aim is to provide a warm, welcoming environment where all families feel valued and supported.  We try to keep the costs down for families of the children attending the nursery.  

We are applying for funding to purchase outdoor clothing and equipment for the children.  Outdoor learning plays a large role in early years now and it has many benefits.  Some of these benefits include physical activity, promotes mental health and emotional wellbeing as reduces stress and boosts confidence, improves focus, social skills and relationships are developed and also a connection to nature and sustainability.  Outdoor learning supports childrens health and wellbeing in many powerful ways.

Funding for clothing and equipment to encourage outdoor learning would ensure: 

• equal access to clothing for all children 
• every child can participate in outdoor learning and play, regardless of family ability to afford appropriate clothing 
• promotes inclusion and fairness 
• encourages outdoor play in all weather - can go outside safely and comfortable in the great Scottish weather! 
• enhances learning opportunities 
• supports mental and physical health 
• protects childs own clothes

Costs

£850 - Outdoor clothing such as waterproof trousers, jackets, gloves, hats and wellies

£150 Cable Drum play equipment 

Our club was established in 1860 and currently has just over 100 full playing members as well as a number of associate members. We aim to Build community spirit and Promote Health and well being by inviting various groups and individuals along to Open days. Kilbirnie has limited and ever decreasing community assets. The Club needs to stay viable and we believe that these events could be for the greater good of all parties, potentially increasing our membership and engaging the wider community.

Equipment required ; Bowls Gatherers x 4 £320. Umpires Kit £200. Score boards £240 Markers £100. Matts £100 Score cards £10. Tea, coffee and biscuits £30

For our Christmas event on Saturday 28th November 2026, we believe every child deserves the chance to experience the magic of visiting Santa. That's why we want to make it free and inclusive for all, ensuring no child from Kilbirnie and Glengarnock misses out due to financial pressures. This would include free presents from Santa, face painting, prizes for treasure hunt and providing light up wands for the parade. Estimated cost £1000

We have organised various free events for the public, including community litter picks, habitat creation for ground-nesting bees, spring bulb planting and willow weaving courses.  These events provide opportunities for like-minded individuals to socialise while improving the ecology of the park and facilities for park visitors. Our Wellbeing in Nature Day in June, supported by local organisations, featured nature walks, guided meditation, and mindfulness activities, promoting the potential of Lochshore Park to positively impact individual and community health. Since our last application, we have experienced significant growth, doubled our membership and increased our Facebook following ten-fold to over three hundred. Over the past year, we have established productive partnerships with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Ayrshire Nectar Network, and TCV. In each case we have relied on their expertise to support our projects. 

With a Proportional Budgeting grant, we would invest in support for our members and part fund projects which further attract the public to participate in outdoor activities. We have already completed a woodland walk with picnic area, a yoga/meditation area overlooking the loch and we aspire to install a bird hide. Funding would allow our group would visit the Loch Lomond Faerie Trail in Luss, with the aim of drawing inspiration for the development of our own fairy trail within our Enchanted Forest; enhance our Wellbeing in Nature Day next year with the inclusion of musical groups, and help acquire a small trailer and hire a quad bike to help with transport of bulky material round the park.

Group visit (hire of minibus, entry and snack) £400

Wellbeing in Nature Day Music £200

Hire of quad bike with tow bar (£50 per day) £100

Second hand trailer (£400)

We are looking at suppling fresh meat parcels with a value of £20 per pack, including things like mince,chicken, bacon and sausages. We hace on average about 50 members that use our pantry every week. 50 packs at £20 would cost £1000. We would be using a local butcher keeping our business local and cutting down on transportation costs and fuel emissions.

Growing and cultivating our own produce at home presents challenges for some families in terms of cost of equipment, the time required to tend to the plants, lack of space and knowledge.

With the wealth of skills and experience GVAA members can offer there is a desire to pass this onto the young people of the Garnock Valley.

GVAA members are in the process of erecting a polytunnel on site which will be available to be exclusively used by young people. We aim to increase their awareness of where their food comes from, promote skills in gardening and horticulture, increase their knowledge of their environment and encourage teamwork.

The project will be led by a member of GVAA and it is aimed that by passing on their knowledge, skills and experience to the young people taking part in the project, that it may lead to pathways in volunteering, and further training or employment in horticulture.

The additiional benefit of working outside and in the environment is well documented to improve mental health.

In order for the polytunnel to be complete and equipped for growing the following equipment is required. It is intended that the young people will be involved with getting the polytunnel ready for the next growing season.

Raised beds and shelving =£400                                                 

 Lightweight strimmer x 2= £300                                                   

Strimmer helmet & visor x 2 = £40                                                  

Bosch water pump and rechargeable battery = £150                 

Gloves = £60                                                                                   

  Seeds and plants = £50