We are applying for £1000 to cover the essential costs of musical instruments, repairs, and accessories such as replacement strings, drumsticks, reeds, and other small but vital items that ensure instruments can be played and maintained. Having reliable instruments in good condition is crucial for our members, particularly those who cannot afford to buy or repair their own.

This funding will directly benefit a wide range of people in our community, from younger adults taking their first steps into music to elderly people looking to reconnect with a passion; LMC is for those who want a positive and creative outlet. By removing barriers to participation, we make sure that everyone—regardless of experience, age, or financial means—feels empowered to take part and grow in confidence.

We believe this idea deserves to be funded because music has a powerful impact on wellbeing, community spirit, and self-expression. By supporting LMC you’ll be helping us to give more people the chance to learn, collaborate, and find joy in making music together. With this investment, we can continue building an inclusive space where creativity flourishes, friendships form, and the next generation of musicians feel encouraged and inspired.

The previous year has taught me that we will likely spend at least £500 this next year in replacement strings and reeds (which range in costs depending on the instrument, but can cost £20 per set).

Im also aware of a few individuals who are saving to buy a second hand instrument to join us, and with funding I will insist the club pay for those to assist greater inclusivity. This means that the club owns the instruments and that others can play them. A recent example of this was our purchase of a mandolin for £100, which several Regulars enjoy learning. Going forward, I aim to provide more brass instruments, including a trumpet, which a few would-be members have enquired about. A quick scan of Ebay tells me that I will likely need to commit at least £100 to this.

Firth of Clyde Coastal Rowing Club is a community-based rowing club founded in 2012. We are based at Largs Yacht Haven and row two self-built St Ayles skiffs, 'Saltire' and 'Thistle'. We strongly adhere to The Scottish Coastal Rowing Association (SCRA) ethos of community spirit and inclusiveness. We provide an outlet for people of a wide age range (youngest currently 14 yrs, oldest >80 yrs) to partake in outdoor exercise in a socially beneficial, friendly environment. We are a welcoming and inclusive club, and no previous rowing experience is needed to join, and we have a particularly strong youth membership. We believe participation in Coastal Rowing is wholly beneficial to our membership's physical and mental health. Additionally, we have participated in environmental monitoring of micro-plastics in our seas locally, results being collated by the SCRA.

If we are successful in our bid, the funds will help us secure a desperately needed all-weather gazebo style shelter for attending rowing, fundraising and recruitment events. We try to attend as many events of this nature throughout the season, where our gazebo is used both as a welcoming area for existing and new members, as well as a storage location for any equipment we might need during the event we are attending. Depending on the event, we also sell home-made baking and sell raffle tickets from the gazebo, all of which proceeds enable us to donate monies to various charities across the season. At our own Foccrs regatta recently, we raised nearly £500 which we donated to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation which is a charity close to our hearts and is committed to creating a circular economy, designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and regenerate nature. Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties of the Scottish weather, our previous gazebo is now beyond repair and we need to invest in something much more robust and longer lasting to help us continue our participation in the events mentioned previously. A funding award from the Locality PB would help us enormously in this respect and be hugely appreciated by all concerned.  

https://www.gazeboshop.co.uk/product/metal-gazebos/aluminium-extreme-50-hex-series/3m-x-6m-aluminium-extreme-50-hex-gazebo/

 

We are applying for compost, plants, and seeds for both our community garden and for local households who are supported to grow their own food. 

Our community garden has already transformed from an overgrown space into a thriving hub where food, nature, and wellbeing come together. Fresh produce grown here is shared with local families and the Village Larder, helping to reduce food waste and provide affordable food. The garden is also a place where people of all ages and backgrounds learn sustainable growing practices such as no-dig, food forestry, and polyculture. These methods enrich soil, cut emissions, and create more resilient growing systems. This funding will allow us to maintain and expand our growing. Compost is essential for healthy soil, seeds and plants are the basis of our crops, and biodiversity-friendly plants ensure we can work with nature rather than against it. At the same time, we will continue to support Village Larder customers and other households by providing compost, seeds, and starter plants to help them grow food at home. 

• £350 for compost – to improve soil in the garden and provide small amounts to households.

• £450 for plants, plug-plants, seeds, seed potatoes and containers/materials to build containers- to replenish the community garden and for giving beginner growers and households a confident start.

• £100 for biodiversity plants – pollinator-friendly flowers and companion plants

For this fund, we encourage and support those with lesser mobility to socialise outdoors either with a picnic in nature or within a local establishment. The aim is to have intergenerational interaction supporting a sense of being involved and connected to all of the community, without being segregated by mobility or age.  Meeting fortnightly we incentivise increased mobility and socialisation by contributing once per month towards a lunch within a local establishment or provide a picnic in nature. Request £80 per month; our average attendance is 10 people and the suggested contribution is £8pp towards their meal. (£80 x 12 months = £960). When more people arrive, the contribution is reduced or the additional cost is supported by other YES contributions.

YES Your Entire Self cic runs 3 weekly groups of Mindful Living for a Healthier Community, Chill n Do Social Club and Wheel and Walk Club.  Each group on a weekly basis can have attendance of between 10-30 people.  We run free Forest Therapy sessions for the Community to support overall Health and host additional Forest Therapy events for those with less mobility.  We promote nature as a tool for wellbeing. We have an annual 12 week course to support recovery for Women of Domestic Abuse.  We hold Wellbeing and Self Care Days for Families of Loved Ones with Addictions as well as Self Empowerment Days for those with Addictions.    We collaborate with Hope (CLASP) Harbour Ayrshire, NA Mental Health Nurses, Link Workers, Drum4Life, EmpowerMe, Forest Therapy Practitioners, NA Social Services, NA Community Hubs as well as NA Recovery College and Douglas Park. In any one week we can support between 40-70 people, all having a positive ripple effect on family members and friends with NA communities.

YES set up as a cic 3 years ago with one weekly group and one Mindfulness course.  We have since grown in demand each year, building up a reputation for positive outcomes and professional services.  All our volunteers and facilitators have lived experience of self empowered wellbeing and overcoming life challenges.  2026 we will continue to grow due to the current collaboration requests from other Ayrshire Third sector establishments and Social Services.  We continue to raise the voices of the unheard and unseen within our communities.

We currently develop and maintain 13 major gardens and green spaces in West Kilbride which vary in size from a field to small seated areas. By joining the Scottish Garden's scheme we will be advertised nationally and locally on their social media platforms and in their printed material.  This will attract visitors to our village and increase footfall for our local businesses and studios thus supporting the economy of our area.

We will also produce and sell a small booklet and map for £5. The money collected will be shared with between the Community Gardens and the Ayrshire Hospice.

Design costs - £250

Printing cost for 500 high quality gloss leaflets - £90

Project Aims

• Pay the £595 ‘change of use’ fee to North Ayrshire Council to secure the derelict land donated to Largs Green Futures.
• Purchase and install a clear corrugated plastic roof to protect groups from wet weather and harness rainwater.  This will provide a sensory, educational experience demonstrating how rainwater can support sustainable crop growth.
• Buy clear perspex to visually enhance the fence barrier and provide opportunities for the community to create seasonal, themed and freestyle art, creating a space where the community can visualise changing seasons, explore plot-to-plate cooking, and express themselves freely in a safe environment.

 

Impact

Paying the £595 'Change of Use' fee will secure long-term access to a safe, sensory, and therapeutic community space, bringing benefits to every demographic within our community. Children and young people gain hands-on learning experiences in sustainability and healthy eating, while older adults find an accessible, sheltered and welcoming environment to connect, share knowledge, and engage in meaningful activities that support wellbeing. Families can participate in workshops developing environmental stewardship, cultivating pride in their neighbourhood and learning practical skills to reduce carbon footprints, save money, and enjoy fresh, home-grown produce.

In securing this space long-term, we future-proof not only our project, but our whole community—building resilience, nurturing wellbeing, and inspiring environmental responsibility across all ages and abilities.

Total Budget: £1,000

• Change of Use Fee (North Ayrshire Council): £595
• Corrugated Roofing (Outdoor Kitchen Shelter): £305
• Perspex (Boundary Fence Enhancement): £100

Total: £1,000

We would like to supply our members with two free shops in the winter months as well as provide a free ticket to a soup and sandwich event taking place in February/March 2026. We would like to provide more soup making vegetables in the winter months and a bigger supply of fresh produce.

30 members approx in one week = 60 free shops  at £4 = £240

30 members approx in one week X  £5 Ticket to soup and sandwich event = £150

30 members approx in one week X soup pack at approx. £1.50 = £45 X 4 months January to April = £180

Provision of homemade meals from a local supplier for trial period of three months at £2 per meal = £420

4  short handled shovels   4 x 15             Total   60

1 battery operated strimmer   180

1 battery operated lawn mower 260

hand shovels                              100

loppers and shears                     60                      

ergomatic hand tools                  120

Many of our members our older and we have need of new and safer tools for them.  Some had been donated and a few have broken while in use.  We need to make sure our members have good quality new tools as they do a lot of work volunteering in our garden and well as using them for their own gardening.  We would like our volunteers to find strimming and mowing the garden easier with a battery operated strimmer and mower. Several people have arthritic hands and the ergomatic tools should make gardening easier for them.

 

ergomatic sets of easy grip tools for arthritis sufferers  120

Many of our members are older and many tools have been donated or aren just old and are no longer fit for purpose. Some have broken while using them.  We take the safey of our members seriously. We want our members to have better, safer or to use tools and a more modern battery operated lawn mower and strimmer.  This will be easier for our volunteers to use and be more ecological.

                           

We're looking for funding to continue the Skills development of the membership, as they progress their skills their increasing the types of items they are making, are more complex & the Quality is improving all the time. Which gives the members a great sense of achievement. The funding will help to purchase more Materials form the local Builders Merchant.

150 Fence Boards x 60 145 Planed Pine x 30 47x50 Fence Rail x 30 45x45 Planed Pine x 20 PVA Glue x 2

We are aiming to raise awareness of the natural environment & how we can protect it by showcasing the range of perennials we can grow in our temperate climate. Not just flowers but foliage plants, grasses & ferns all thrive here. These plants provide food & shelter for insects & wildlife, as well as colour & movement to soften the harsh concreate & grey pavers.

Whilst we are aiming to grow plants from seeds, & cuttings, many species can take some time to establish; this funding request is for initial plant purchases to begin the pathway. We want to highlight to the community how even an awkward plain walkway can promote life & nourish the environment. These plants will self -seed & can be used for cuttings & divisions in the future to further populate the communal areas around the walkway.

The planting will take a naturalistic approach, repeated in blocks along the length of the walkway. Each perennial block will cost £333.40 which includes a discount from the nursery. Total = £1000.20 

We have three blocks of perennials along the length of the walkway, each in slightly different colour tones. The benefits of being in nature are well documented & will bring a soothing element to start & finish the busy school day.