The aim is to support volunteers who are part of the Irvine 'Adopt a Flowerbed' scheme.

Our budget friendly community café serves as an important gathering spot, fostering connections and local initiatives. Enhancing its appeal with eye-catching signage and outdoor seating can attract more customers and dog walkers & create a welcoming atmosphere for residents to relax and socialise, ultimately strengthening community interaction and togetherness.

We are part of the Project Art Group, we meet weekly at Cranberry Moss Community Centre. The group has 24 active members, with a waiting list of others eager to join. Our members come from a wide range of backgrounds, bringing together people who might never have met in everyday life. The group has created a strong sense of community and belonging. It has helped reduce isolation, given members a sense of purpose, and provided a supportive environment where friendships have flourished.

To support those with lesser mobility to gather in establishments where intergenerational socialising is the norm. This supports physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and a sense of belonging to all of the community, not being segregated by age nor mobility.

A pilot Free Junior Hayocks Youth Café. The Junior Youth café will aim to address local challenges of child/food poverty, anti-social behaviour, excessive screen time, and social isolation. By offering a safe, welcoming, and cost-free food, we group will support families struggling with the cost of living, promote equality, and provide opportunities for socialising activities, and confidence building for kids. Our aim – to create lasting benefits for children, families, and our wider community.

The Arran Friendship Club meets twice each month to provide a safe and friendly meeting space for those suffering memory issues, their carers or those who are feeling isolated or lonely. Our membership is predominantly in the 70 to 90+ years age group for whom maintaining social contracts in a rural community can be hard. Our meetings reduce social isolation and foster relationships by providing a communal lunch, speakers, and activities that promote mental and physical wellbeing.

We are seeking funding to support a series of inclusive and engaging activities for our Parent & Toddler Group aimed at improving health and wellbeing, building community spirit, and supporting families during the cost-of-living crisis. We also plan to incorporate green projects to promote environmental awareness from an early age.

We would like to purchase equipment for local families to enjoy the benefit of at Kilmory Hall. In recent months our younger members have been enjoying our space to play pool, listen to music and enjoy the space with their siblings, friends, parents and grandparents. As they become more isolated in a rural area in the winter months it would be great to update the equipment and give them a space to enjoy together.

Thanks to previous PB grants over the last 3 years Eglinton Growers Allotments have been able to provide the local community two free family events which have been a massive success, well attended, with tickets gone in just a few days and many returning year after year. Next year we wish to again host a free Easter Egg hunt for local children and this year a Colour 'Run' in the summer weeks. Each of our past events were and will be attended by 100 children and their families.