DDLS is a local competitive dance team in North Ayrshire, with many young members from areas affected by deprivation. Competing at a high level brings amazing opportunities for our dancers, but costs for travel, entry fees, and kit often create barriers for families. We want to test new ways of fundraising that not only support our dancers but also benefit the wider community by bringing people together and opening up access to dance.

This project combines three small but powerful initiatives:

1. Community Showcase Event – A large-scale performance event featuring DDLS dancers alongside local schools and community groups. Funding will cover venue hire, costumes, lighting, and marketing. Tickets will generate income to reinvest in competition costs, while the event itself celebrates community talent and inspires others to get active through dance.

2. Branded Merchandise – Purchase of initial stock of DDLS-branded hoodies, water bottles, and dance bags. Sales will build a sustainable income stream, while also promoting team identity and local pride.

3. Dance for All Workshops – A series of community workshops led by DDLS dancers and coaches, open to children and young people who may not otherwise access dance. These sessions will be free or low-cost initially, with future paid workshops generating income to support competition costs. This gives back to the community while building a model for longer-term sustainability.

Breakdown of Costs (total £2,000):

• Community Showcase Event (venue hire, costumes, lighting, marketing) – £1,000

• Branded merchandise (hoodies, bottles, bags initial stock) – £500

• Dance for All workshops (venue hire, facilitator costs, resources) – £500

Total: £2,000

This project fits strongly under the Enterprising Communities theme, as it is designed to test and develop new ways for DDLS to generate sustainable income that can be reinvested into our goals. The community showcase event will bring in ticket sales to help cover competition costs while also creating a positive event for the wider public. The branded merchandise will provide a small but ongoing income stream that promotes team identity and encourages community support. The Dance for All workshops will give local children and young people affordable access to dance, while establishing a model that can generate income for future community sessions and help subsidise competition costs.

It also links to Local Innovation, as we are piloting a combination of new activities (merchandise, workshops, and a public showcase event) to see which approaches work best in creating financial sustainability. By testing these ideas, we are building resilience into our organisation, reducing reliance on one-off fundraisers, and finding new ways to involve the wider community in dance.

This project therefore directly supports the Community Wealth Building mission by maximising the potential of our place and our young people, while reinvesting income to ensure that opportunities to compete and succeed in dance are not limited by financial barriers.

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/

Our club decided last year to give our youngsters a free permit to encourage them into the great outdoors,to get them away from a computer screen or a smartphone,fishing is well versed for people's wellbeing and to see the young ones having a big smile on their face when they land a fish is heartwarming.We also give free permits to mental health organisations plus Woodlands View at Irvine central hospital and the Richmond fellowship 

This year has been a tremendous success with the sale of approximately 700 members around half of these members have received a free permit.We would like to apply for £1,000 to help in the price of printing permits at a cost of £0.65 per unit plus help in fuel and running costs of our grass cutting equipment for next year 2026

The club income is permit sales only,we don't have any other way to generate money

We would really appreciate any help to continue encouraging our juveniles into the sport as they are our clubs future 

Costings- 

Permit printing - £455

Fuel bills/ maintenance - £300

Servicing - £245

Thank you

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

The Bridging the Gap Project has attracted many residents keen to learn new skills which involve Sociable, Active Mindsport in a warm and welcoming daytime activity which in many ways will help alleviate the economic pressures that have been brought about by the cost of living crisis.

Due to the number of people who have registered for beginners bridge lessons, it is necessary to have appropriate bridge tables which can be stored easily,. The tables will provide for the game of bridge to be played on suitable surfaces without the varying bridge accessories slipping or being knocked onto the floor. Ths in turn creates a more enjoyable experience for the players as they concentrate on the learning process of this fascinating game. 

Five tables 89cm x 89cm @ a cost of £165 each would be a valuable acquisition for the club. 

We come from all backgrounds and walk of life, but we have a common goal, a determination to gain independance, to strive for success both in the group and in our personal lives and build our confidence in learning new skills, making meaningful connections and building our confidence. The DISC Award is an adaptation of the over 50's Discovery Award where we will try new things through the "hobbies & interestes" section, give back to the local community through "service in the community" and explore new people and places through our "journey of discovery". 

What started as a weekly cooking group is now a planned and structured environment of which we have big plans for. We currently meet within the Ardrossan Youth Centre and would like to aim our first project towards helping the young people who use the centre. 

With this, we would like to upcycle the unused telephone box within the centre grounds and make this a well being space for the centre. Allowing us and the young people to have a space to seek information, access fidget toys and just have a quiet space to calm down or reflect if they want. 

We would also like to go on quarterly trips as part of our award, giving people the opportunity to explore new places and cultures. 

Depending on circumstances, not everyone is in the habit of eating a nutritious breakfast. We would love to be able to offer a small bite to eat at the start of our sessions to make sure everyones starting off with a full tummy. 

Although the group only started in January, so much progress has already been made. We would like to continue to grow and this grant would help us make a good start. 

Cricket Machine with materials (Glass in telephone box) - £319

3D Printer & materials (to make fidgets) - £243

Breakfast items for 1 year (Bread, tea/coffee, milk, butter - £562

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)

The Millport Town Hall charity is about to complete the regeneration of Millport Town Hall into a vibrant, self-sustaining community space with activities, self-help groups and community events to address social isolation and loneliness in our vulnerable elderly population, stress and anxiety in our younger people and with indoor sports, creative and performing arts and recreational facilities to improve the mental and physical well-being of our whole community. Well-planned disabled access throughout the building will ensure everyone has access to all the facilities, with 22 community groups ranging from the Boys' Brigade to Millport Pipe Band planning to regularly use the building. We want to buy an evacuation chair to ensure that anyone with reduced mobility can be safely evacuated from the building in the case of fire, power loss or other emergency. The equipment will help prevent delays and injuries should the building need to be evacuated by providing a safe stable method for moving people who can't use stairs. 

The Dementia Project provides one-to-one befriending for people living with dementia, offering companionship at home and support to access their local community. It also gives unpaid carers vital respite through our carers’ peer support.

In addition, our Dementia Wellbeing Cafes in Saltcoats and Irvine provide a welcoming space where people with dementia and their loved ones/unpaid carer can come together to enjoy social activities, entertainment, chair yoga, or simply connect over a game of pool, a cuppa, and a chat. The cafes play a key role in tackling social isolation while supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Both the befriending service and the cafés are free, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to anyone attending. A dedicated volunteer fundraising committee organises events to raise funds for days out for people living with dementia, their unpaid carers, and volunteers.

Any funding received would help us keep the cafés free and support the delivery of activities, themed events, and entertainment, ensuring they remain a fun and inclusive spaces for all.