Impending end of lease with Dalry Community Sports Club necessitates relocation of the Men's Shed.  We intend to relocate our woodworking element first and seek to prepare the new area for this activity in terms of provision of mains outlets, wall-lining and a dust extraction system.   This application is aimed entirely at the cost of a dust extraction system at £899.98, in order to promote cleaner air purity for those participating in woodwork activities.  Axminster Professional AP340E 3HP Extractor - 230V

We would like to establish a sewing group where people can learn skills for life and hobbies for well-being and fun. There would be no cost except to ask for a donation, if possible, for the food bank in Ardeer Community Centre.

Being part of such a group can encourage self reliance, reduce social isolation and be of benefit to all who participate.

In learning to sew and mend items of clothing, we can reduce waste and promote sustainability, in our community thereby avoiding waste.

In cold weather, we can provide a warm space. All equipment, including sewing machines, will be available for use at the classes, free of charge. Fabric and thread for projects will be provided as well as tea/coffee and biscuits.

Health & Well-being will be enhanced from social inter-action, learning new skills will build confidence and satisfaction will be achieved as we support the production of items for gifts and home use.  We will promote reducing waste by encouraging simple mending skills. 

By bringing people together to learn at Ardeer Community Centre, we hope to further promote the centre as a hub of  our community, encouraging all to engage in learning through fun.

Over the last two years, we've been helping young people create an open air photo gallery in the streets of West Kilbride during the Easter holidays (see picture) . For our 2026 project, we've something different in mind. Inspired by the work of Indian "rotiographers'" studios, we'd like to open our own pop-up studio in West Kilbride.

These backstreet photographers used a wonderful collection of lo-fi backdrops and costumes to create images that put people into their own fantasies; you want to be royalty, a cowgirl, a spaceman...? The photographer can make it happen, and you will have the photograph to prove it!

So, our project will involve the rental of a vacant unit on West Kilbride Main Street; setting up the unit as a portrait studio; inviting people to submit to us their dream or fantasy; creation of the backdrop and costumes to make it come true; the photoshoot; perhaps a chat about where the fantasy is rooted; and afterwards the creation of an exhibition and slideshow (see submitted video for example of past work) of the images created (with the permission of the subjects).

Costs include rental of unit for 4 weeks £400

Backdrop hire and creation £200

Costume purchase and rental £250

Publicity £100

Lighting hire £250

Printing costs £100

This project focuses on improving well-being though physical and mental exercise in a friendly and supportive environment. While we have a few games already, we are seeking to expand our library of age and mobility appropriate activities that promote physical movement and help our members maintain dexterity, movement and thinking skills. This also encourages team working and can be very competitive! We are supported in this by engaging  2 local practicioners for chair based yoga and relaxation/ sound bath therapies.  Our members have greatly enjoyed these and found great benefits in them. 

The associated costs of this are:

Arm chair yoga instructor: 1 session each quarter @ £60; total £240

Relaxation/ sound bath therapist: 1 session; total £60

Subscription to 'Golden Carers' respurce pack for activities, games etc; £50

Games and activities:

New Age Boccia set £175

Boccia targets to go with set: £104

High score wedge activity game: £145

Tabel Boccia and target board: £125

Portabel Cornhole game: £35

Traditional dominoes sets (2): £20

Trinimoes set: £24

total: £978

If our application is successful, we propose to buy a Nova Viking 16" DVR-83700 at a cost of £1194.70 including VAT. Delivery will be extra but we will fund anything over £1000 from our own resources. 

Feedback from community groups and events indicates a strong desire for a program catering to this age group, especially given the challenges posed by Hayocks' geographic location and the rising cost of living. Our association currently operates a weekly Hayocks Youth Café  on a Thursday 6-8pm for kids aged 11 plus in partnership with NAC Community Development and the National Lottery. With this funding, we would be able to initiate a similar program for younger kids and utilise the same equipment.

The primary beneficiaries will be children aged 7-11 living in the Hayocks area. This group includes those from families experiencing financial hardship, as well as children who may lack access to after-school clubs or other social spaces. The café will also indirectly support parents and carers, providing free food and drinks. In a safe environment. The café will be entirely free to attend. No fees, subscriptions, or charges for food, activities, or materials will be applied

Our goal is to promote equality and break down barriers for local children, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to socialise, try new activities, build confidence, and make new friendships without financial strain.

By supporting this age group and focusing on well-being through the provision of a consistent, structured environment for positive weekly activities, we can build rapport with the kids, facilitate early intervention, instil pride in our community, and help deter boredom and antisocial behaviour.

Activities will be supervised by trained staff and volunteers, who will ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive atmosphere. Ranging from team sports, gaming, and creative arts to self-care, ensuring that every child can find something that interests them and fosters confidence among peers.

. Expected Outcomes

• Social Benefits: Increased opportunities for friendship, teamwork, and positive interaction.
• Emotional Wellbeing: Improved self-esteem, resilience, and sense of community belonging.
• Reduced Screen Time: More time spent in active, creative pursuits.
• Economic Support for Families: Reduced pressure on household budgets and greater access to enrichment activities.
• Equality and Inclusion: All children, regardless of income, can participate equally.

Specialist Activity Facilitator costs-  £20ph x 2 hours = £40 X 12 weekly sessions = £480  12 weekly sessions Food provision - £43.33 @ £1.44 x 30 kids = £520  Total £1000

Mecoco means "Meaningful Contribution in the Community". We make beautifully hand-crafted home fragrance products-candles, wax melts, and reed diffusers-but our real purpose is about people. Our volunteers, most of whom are profoundly disabled and have complex communication and support needs, are involved in every stage of the process, creating products that are as unique, colourful, and creative as they are.

Our volunteers are not defined by what they can't do. Instead, they are recognised and celebrated for what they can. Many are non-verbal, use wheelchairs, or need full-time care-and yet at Mecoco they take on real responsibilities. They clock in, work in teams, wear uniforms, take tea breaks, and receive expenses-just like any workplace. They are proud to be part of something meaningful. And they belong.

Based in our Dalry workshop our opportunties include:

Volunteering for local disabled and non-disabled people for one half day session each week, in small groups throughout the week.

Work experience (6 week placements) for young people from local ASN school, Lockhart School

Long term highly skilled employment for our two Wax Wizards who support volunteers to maximise the range of tasks each volunteer can be involved in and allow volunteers to be involved in more complex tasks. They are also responsible for order production and packing, stock checking and ordering materials, and new product design.

Being part of Mecoco brings huge benefits to our team including:

Health and Wellbeing

In addition to the skills development, job satisfaction, personal fulfillment, and positive sense of identity from completing meaningful tasks that Mecoco work experience provides, it also offers huge social benefits for volunteers who get to experience being part of a team, being involved and contributing within their community.

All volunteers experience the health and wellbeing benefits from meeting new people, making friends, inclusion within the Mecoco team and the wider community, developing new skills, and helping others to learn new skills and fulfill their potential.

Bringing Communties Together

We're proud to say that Mecoco brings together one of the most diverse workforces in the country. Disabled and non-disabled people work side by side, learning from each other in a space that is fun, respectful, and deeply inclusive.

In addition to providing meaningful work experience, volunteering with Mecoco improves social inclusion, helping to overcome the isolation and marginalisation that people with complex needs often experience, particularly after they have left school and do not have access to the opportunities for employment, volunteering and education open to their non disabled peers.

Through the time spent working together in small teams each week, as well as an active WhatsApp chat to bring the whole group together, the volunteers have developed a lovely supportive community and engage in social activities and are also fully included within Sense Scotland events such as our Annual Ball and Staff and Violunteer Awards, with one of the volunteers shortlisted for 2024s Volunteer of the Year.

We also attend markets, fayres and events and volunteers often play a key role in these events, selling their products directly to other members of the community, changing perception of disability and demonstrating their abilities.

To support the sustainability and growth of Mecoco we have been looking at reducing our costs and one way was to move our website from the Shopify platform to WooCommerce, saving £2500 per year. We would like to invest in Facebook advertising for our new website. In particular to offer the following

We have the ability to offer customers a variety of Subscription Plans to guarantee monthly income and an increase in these product sales. We currently offer one subsciption option but would like to add the following (with every 4, 6 and 8 week options):

Surprise Subscription-Different products dependent on the price point chosen. £10/£15/£20 per month

Wax melt only subscription-Wax melts only, quantity dependent on the price point chosen. £5/£10/£15 per month

Diffuser subscription-Refills or new diffusers dependent on the price point chosen. £10/£15/£20 per month

We require to advertise these new products and would like to target customers online. We are requesting a grant of £2000 to cover the cost of the Facebook ads.

We have experience of using Facebook ads to promote our events, with recent examples including:

Abseil-£100 spent, 170 leads generated. This led to 6 participants and £640 fundraised income so far with fundraising still ongoing

Psychic Night-£250 spent, 207 leads generated. This led to 40 ticket sales and an estimated £974 in income, including ticket sales of £650

This experience gives us confidence that this approach would also be effective to boost Mecoco sales.

Supporting this request would enable us to increase our sales income and also offers regular income which allows us to plan ahead in terms of production and volunteer numbers. Most importantly increasing our income will allow us to sustain and grow Mecoco which allows us to continue to bring the benefits of being part of the Mecoco team to our current volunteers and open up the vital opportunties to other disabled young people and adults.

Your support would directly benefit some of the most marginalised individuals in our community. People for whom society often holds very low expectations. People who are seen as a burden, when in reality, they have so much to offer-if given the chance.

The project will see 60 apple, pear and plum trees planted in Holm Green. The public will be free to pick the fruit each year for their own use. This project is part of a wider movement of planting community orchards across the local area. The trees will cost approximately £2300. We are seeking £1000 from the Participatory Budgeting fund.

Everyone an Artist has been running from the North Ayrshire Foodbank in Ardrossan for two years. Our group aims to offer a safe, judgment free space to be creative, learn new skills and combat social isolation by offering community. Facilitated by a local participatory artist and the Trussell Trust's North Ayrshire Community Campaigner, participants will unlock and develop new skills, such as printmaking, textiles, sculpture, drawing etc alongside having the opportunity to use these skills to address local issues that matter to them. We know from research that taking part in arts based activities has numerous benefits including that on mental and physical health and wellbeing. This funding would allow our group to continue running that little bit longer. 

costs: £540 artist fee (3hrs a week for 12 weeks , £360 materials, £100 food and drinks budget)