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.

Our Festival of Light parade is a fantastic community event, aimed at bringing light & sound to the streets of Irvine ahead of our fireworks display. We would like to give free light up merchansie for all of the community. Previously we have had external trader  turning up and selling ligiht ups at a much higher rate ( £10 per light up). We would like all of the community and young people to take part of the festival of light and make this an inclusive event.  We aim to have a station to give out our light ups at the towns house where the parade departs. We will continue to give the light ups and merchansie through the parade and at the moor. This means we will be able to cover as many young people and families within the community. This will save community members a cost if they'd like a light up and they are able to join in on the festivities.

Foam light ups - £0.50 x 1904 individual light ups = £952

Light up lanterns -  £4 x 12 lantens for parade = £48

Creating opportunities for young children (aged 4-8 years) on Arran to discover tennis is a key goal of Brodick Tennis Club. With funding from the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) Parks Tennis Fund, we’ve resurfaced our three courts and are nearing completion of this project. While waiting for the courts to be ready, many of our primary school teachers have completed a CPD tennis module delivered by Tennis Scotland so as to be able to actively promote tennis activities within their schools.  We now also have a new group of LTA qualified Assistant Coaches who are eager to share their skills and enthusiasm with local children. Children as young as four can participate in tennis activities. To launch children’s tennis sessions on the island, we now seek funding for the essential equipment needed to introduce tennis to this age group.

The club is seeking funding to purchase age-appropriate tennis equipment that helps young children develop the key hand-eye coordination and movement skills tennis requires, all while having lots of fun. Research from the LTA shows that early enjoyment and success are critical to long-term participation. By providing properly sized and learning stage appropriate racquets, nets, and balls, as well as fun training tools like hoops, cones, and bean bags, we aim to create a positive, confidence-building environment for young players.

We are seeking funding for the following core equipment:

Red stage balls suitable for children aged 5-8 years (n=72) £86, foam balls for children aged 4+ (n=48) £104, pop up nets x 3 £300, 19” tennis rackets x 10 £159.90, 21” tennis rackets x 10 £159.90, mini cones (set of 4) x 3 £45, set of 6 hoops (50cm diameter) x 4 £84, set of 24 bean bags x 2 £60 

Total requested = £998.80

Having the appropriate equipment for our youngest learners will also help the club to be inclusive, removing barriers of expensive and multi-stage equipment costs to families on the island, and enabling every child aged 4-8 years who would like to explore the game of tennis to get the chance to do so. Tennis is a challenging sport for our children to learn, but provides multiple potential benefits of physical activity, complex coordination and motor skills, confidence-building, and the mental and social skills offered by tennis being both an individual and team sport. We hope to use our island’s new playing spaces and trained coaches to help create a community of enthusiastic young tennis learners, contributing both to their physical and mental wellbeing.

This project wish to build on previous 'Cinema events' hosted by the Largs Community Council, and create a fully inclusive event, where people can come together, enjoy a movie, chat, and have a meal, without having to worry about cost. We wish to engage as much of the community as possible and will publicise on social media, through the schools as well as care homes and other channels. The venue is fully accessible.

The format will be as follows:

• Children and ASN movie - late afternoon showing. This will take place in the Valhalladrome and will comprise one or two shorter movies with subtitles. We will be advertising to ensure that parents know it's aimed at younger children, or those with ASN and as such, can come and go as required and also children, under  parent/carer supervision, will be welcome to 'be themselves' and enjoy the movie without worrying about requiring to keep seated and keep quiet. 
• Simple meal in cafe area - utilising the newly refurbished, Cafe area, we wish to be able to offer people a simple meal to be enjoyed in the seating area. This will be free of charge and will have offering to suit all ages as well as when possible accomodating allergy requirements. 
• This will still be a family friendly movie, albeit longer, and in the Barrfield Theatre - our intention is to offer a 'current' movie release which will allow people to enjoy a genuine movie experience without having to travel further afield. 
• We hope to be able to engage a local band to play during the meal time in the lobby of Vikingar! to add to the ambience, but also show case their talents to the wider community.

Final costings are to be confirmed however expected to be as follows:

Cinema screenings - 2 movie showings on one afternoon - c£250. This will be confirmed nearer the time as there is variability depending on movie choices and specific license costs. We will engage with our community to identify the films that are top of people's list to see nearer the time.

Hall Hire - expected around £250 to book both venues for the required period. 

Food - £500 - Vikingar staff will operate the cafe and provide a simple menu which is based on that current at The Portal. We expect this will fund up to 100 meals (Soup+Sandwich or Main and side), however LCC have also some funding available for previous cinema events which will allow us a buffer if demand outstrips the funding allocation. 

Cinema and licensing - £250

Hall Hire - £250

Food - £500

Total £1000

This event has been running for years with many attending including children, older residents, and vulnerable members of our community. With proper festive lighting, we can make the event more vibrant, inclusive, and safe, ensuring that everyone enjoys a welcoming environment.

However, the cost of professional lighting installation and operation remains our biggest challenge. The estimated cost of this year’s lighting project is £4232.74, which covers hire, installation, maintenance, and safe dismantling. As a nonprofit, we rely entirely on fundraising, volunteers, and the generosity of partners. The price this year has almost doubled since last year and without external support, we face the risk of scaling back this much-anticipated celebration in 2026.

We have already taken steps to raise funds locally and have a new committe putting this event together hopefully making it bigger and better than before. We have organized community fundraising events and have also received generous donations of time and services from volunteers who are committed to keeping this tradition alive. While this support has taken us part of the way, we still face a shortfall needed to cover the other things we provide. This includes free light wands to all the children, facepainting, food and drink, santa grotto visits and gifts.

By investing in this project, you will help ensure that the Christmas Light Switch-On remains a highlight of our community calendar, bringing light, warmth, and shared celebration to all. We believe that with your support, this year’s event will shine brighter than ever before.

Outgoings - funding sought for:

Venue hire: £150

New costumes for Santa/Mrs Claus/Elf £250

Light up batons £150

Selection boxes £300

Facepainting £150 

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

Members state that the excursions we provide are an important part of the group as they feel inc!uded in an activity which they would not be able to participate in otherwise. We would be unable to provide this without funding such as the locality PB. We have been fortunate enough to receive this previously and provided a fantastic days out  to Cumnock Factory Outlet and a meal at Romeo and Ju!iets. 

We would like to apply for funding to provide another 2 trips next year which will be chosen by the members of the grouo. We therefore require £1000  which will cover the approximate cost of the bus at £500 and approximate cost of the meal at £500

Our committee aim to provide either two small trips or one trip and a meal out.

These excursions encourage our elderly people to enjoy company and reduce social isolation and improve their general wellbeing. 

Considering that a large proportion (at least 50%) of our learners are drawn from communities which are feature on the bottom 20%, 10%, or 5% of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, our Band is a lifeline in preserving the often-expensive art of Highland Bagpiping and Drumming the community.

We see our greatest achievements to date as being the achievements that our young members have attained through the years. Our young learners have gone on to a range of positive destinations in the piping community including study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and many have gone on to play in Grade 1 corps including Inveraray and District, Shotts and Dykehead, The Glasgow Skye Association, and Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band.

Specific Project

Notwithstanding the success of our free tuition programme in producing high caliber pipers, drumming tuition in our community has significantly trailed behind. Drumming tuition in the wider area has been inconsistent both in terms of provision and quality. This has led to a shortage of young, innovative, high-quality players within the community which, over time, has become a key factor in restraining the local piping and drumming ‘scene’ from reaching its full potential.

To resolve this problem, we have recently launched a new drumming tuition initiative. We have acquired three Grade One drumming instructors (two side drummers and one tenor drummer) from outwith our community to revitalise drumming tuition in the area. These instructors are young (all under 30) and are delivering first rate tuition in a forward-thinking manner that cuts through to our young learners. We shall equip these learners with the skills they need to take their drumming to the next level and we intend to facilitate them acquiring qualifications through the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board.

Total Amount Requested: £1000

Total uniform cost £300

Transport - £250

Day to day running expenses: £450

Total Project Cost £1000

We have a reserve account that will be able to accomodate the other £4,000.00

For video's etc, please see https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ca2wKgeau/

This year we running a Christmas pantomime fundrasier for the running of the festival, this is open for all of the community at a reduced rate. For 2026 we'd like to offer showings at a even more of a reduced rate. This year the cost of tickets are £10 per person where normally the tickets are £16. Next year we'd like to have the opportunity to greatly reduce the cost of the tickets for school children. We'd like a friday showing for schools to make it acessible for lower income families. Ticket will be at the reduced cost of £3. We will be running other days which will be open to the public which will generate an income. The income we make will be reinvested back into the festival planning and organisation of the festival celebrations for the year ahead.

Pantomime Booking (Geeza a Break Productions ) - £1800

One off hall hire  (Volunteer Rooms) - £200

The waste incineartor  currently being built at Oldhall West is due to begin operations  around the turn  of the year. It will only be allowed operate once Scottish Environment Protection  Agency (SEPA) have  issued a permit. Once the permit is issued the company operating the incinerator is responisible for controlling emmisions , monitoring them, and self reporting.

Waste incinerators are associated with a rise in  air pollution, including to Nitrous dioxide, which is considered to cause 'significant' harm to humans, even at levels lower than those permitted in the UK.( see photo for quote) As there will be no other independent monitoring of emmissions our group is seeking funds to by the equipment to monitor Nitorous Dioxide emmisions ourselves. Currently the only public air quality monitoring station is in the centre of Irvine, at the cross. We understand there will be two points for monitoring at the waste incinerator, one on the back-up diesel generator ( checked every 5 years) and the other on the stack. None of these existing monitoring arrangements wil give a real idea of air quality changes inthe wider area around the incerator once it begins operations.

If our results, are as , we hope ,that there is no rise in  air pollution in the Irvine area we can publicise this reassuring information. In the unfortunate event that we find  that emissions are dangerous to health we can alert SEPA and the appropriate action can be taken to protect locals.

One of the reasons why locals are so concerned about this  possible threat is that they were alarmed by the 2 battery fires in Kilwinning, which caused significant changes to our air quality. The plant in Kilwinning had all it SEPA permits. Many locals feel that the permits were not adequate to provide real proection and they wish further reassurance about potential threats from  this  larger plant, closer to Irvine. 

The cost of a hand held monitor suitable for the job is around £500. This is the only equipment we are seeking funding for. Our group has a bank account.

I attach a document which explains the dangers of emmissions from  waste incineratros, with partuiclar reference to the gas we wish to monitor.