The Garden Haven will be a purpose-built community space within the Community Roots Garden in West Kilbride – a once-derelict site reclaimed by local people four years ago and steadily developed into a thriving community asset. The Haven is a stand-alone project that will provide a base to connect our Community Garden and Village Larder with wider holistic aims of wellbeing, sustainability, and education.  

This welcoming, sustainable building will build on the community’s success in transforming neglected land and place it into fuller use, directly supporting North Ayrshire’s Community Wealth Building strategy. It will create opportunities for skills, learning, and local enterprise while ensuring that wellbeing services are accessible to everyone, regardless of income.  

From the Haven we will deliver workshops on sustainable growing practices, nutrition, and the use of herbs for health, alongside stress management and complementary therapies. These activities promote healthier lifestyles, reduce environmental impact, and help people adopt low-cost, sustainable choices. Sessions will be offered free or on a pay-what-you-can basis, tackling inequalities in access to wellbeing. Through partnerships with the local college’s complementary therapy courses and local holistic practitioners, the project will also support education, fair work experience, and local expertise.  

Costs and Funding  

• Phase 1 – Core Build: £59,849. Due to commence end of October 2025. Funding secured: £50,000 (National Lottery Community Led Fund). £5000 Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund Shortfall: £4849

• Phase 2 – Finishing & Sustainability (decking, fencing, landscaping, solar panels, battery storage, decorating and furnishing): £18900

With support, the Garden Haven will complete the transformation of a once-neglected site into a sustainable, community-owned hub for wellbeing, learning, and environmental resilience 

The Community Wealth Building award will go towards the outlined costs and we are seeking out other sources of funding for the remainder. We aim to be completed by Spring 2025

Kilwinning Community Shed (the Shed) was established just over a year ago with the purpose of bringing the community (our members) together in a space where they can collectively or separately interact and discuss what's important to them; whether it's work, family, hobbies, or skills, they can learn to be creative by participating in a variety of crafts and activities. More importantly, reducing solical isolation and being part of the wider community is key to our ethos which is aligned to the Scottish Men's Shed Association of which we are a member. Belonging to our community group gives people purpose and a sense of belonging because the 'Shed' is collectively the people, not the building.

Since it was established we've been housed in a temporary accommodation while we await the decision of the asset transfer in December. When awarded a permanent home we understand the responsibilities that come with it relating to legislative requirements and compliance. We must ensure the building is safe for our members and we meet all requirements for both compliance and regulations. This funding application is to help us meet the costs for surveys and reports relating to health & safety, fire risk assessments, electric and gas equipment and services as well as the overarching assessment of the intended function of the internal space and the external land space.

We estimate the spend to be as follows:

Site survey for fire risk assessment - £500

Site survey for extinguishers and signage - £250/day

Fire warden training - £60/person (minimum 4 persons)

Health & Safety Assessment - £500/day

Pre assessment survey and advice - £500

In the past year we have experienced membership growth and wider engagement with the local community, e.g. we work closely with Choose Kilwinning and will be actively involved in creating and building the Christmas trees for the town centre as part of Choose Kilwinning's sustainability plan. Our male to female ratio is 1:3 and we have an active membership who regularly attend our twice weekly meetings which we anticipate to increase in a permanent home. Our members benefit from a space to come together and be creative, or simply to be with people and chat. Our activities include but are not limited to woodworking in our workshop and a variety of crafting activities such as sewing, pottery, crochet, knitting, paper crafting and model railway building.  Essentially we are a member led organisation, a self funded charity which generates a lot of interest in Kilwinning, and while perhaps some people may not feel they are ready to join us right now, we want to create a community that will be here and ready for people of all ages in their future, young or old, from all walks of life, with or without a skill they just haven't discovered yet.

Agreement from application review: as the group are currently undergoing the CAT process, and the funds would cover work to be completed if they take on the asset being applied for, funding (if the group are successful at the public vote) would only be released once the asset transfer has been completed. If this has not been concluded by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, the funding will be offered to the project with the next highest number of votes. 

Festive Celebration for People Affected by Substance Use

Cafe Solace in collaboration with Fullarton Connexions

We are applying for funding to deliver a festive meal and celebration for people in our community who are affected by substance use and/or lonlieness. Many of our service users face stigma, poverty and social isolation, particularly over the festive period when most services are closed. We have facilitated an event over the past 2 years with great success. This project will provide an inclusive, welcoming space where individuals can enjoy a freshly prepared meal, participate in activities and celebrate together with dignity and respect. Ideally, the meal would be held on Christmas Day, however, due to the limitations of availability of payment on time, the event can be held anytime throughout the festive period up until 4th January.

Aims & Objectives

• To provide a safe, stigma-free environment where people affected by substance use can come together and celebrate the festive season.

• To reduce isolation and loneliness by creating opportunities for social connection and shared experience.

• To promote dignity, inclusion and wellbeing by ensuring everyone has access to a festive meal and celebration.

• To strengthen community partnerships through collaboration with Fullarton Connexions Church who are allowing us to use their facility for this event 

• We are hoping that the event will be attended by approx 40 enjoying a high-quality festive meal and activities.

• Attendees will report feeling less isolated and more connected to their community.

• The event will help challenge stigma by creating a positive, welcoming space where people can be valued and included.

• Stronger links will be built between service users, local community, our organisation and community partners.  

The event will be hosted at Fullarton Connexions, who have generously offered the use of their facilities. Our volunteers, will prepare and serve a festive meal, with entertainment, music and activities to create a celebration. Transport support will be provided for those who would otherwise struggle to attend. Each guest will also receive a small festive gift to take away.

Budget Breakdown

• Food & refreshments: £450 

• Decorations & festive items: £150

• Entertainment & activities: £150

• Small festive gifts / wellbeing packs: £100

• Venue hire: £100 

• Essential Travel Costs £50

Total funding requested: £1,000

We are applying for funding to enable the Friendship Group to participate in a series of 5 health and wellbeing sessions delivered by a local community partner Honeybee Cottage.   These sessions would be planned in partnership with our group members to meet the needs and interests of the group while providing a range of experiences that will benefit health and wellbeing.  These sessions would bring the group members together to enjoy new activities, develop skills, confidence and have fun.  

Our group plays a vital role in combatting loneliness and encourages members to come along weekly to connect with others and share enjoyable experiences.  The group means so much to its members and has a real impact on people's lives in a positive way.

5 workshops delivered by Honeybee Cottage- 5 X £200 = £1000

ACHS would like to purchase a colour laser printer, ink, paper, and laminating pouches. ACHS are in process of trying to get a Heritage hub built on castle hill. This would provide much needed toilets, indoor shelter, and exhibition/education space. As part of our feasibility study we need to engage with the community. To do this we need posters, flyers, surveys printed off as well as printing of plans and building specifications to share with public. We hold many outdoor events on the hill and often need laminated information and signage on display. The requested items would enable us to do this.

• Printer £480
• Ink £385
• Sundries £135

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