If successful, the CWB funding would allow us to bring in a consultant to strengthen our branding and marketing. As a charity, we have grown significantly in both our size and the support we provide, and we want to make sure we can fully showcase the breadth of our work in ways that are clear, accessible, and inclusive, ensuring no one is left out.

As a not-for-profit organisation, every penny we earn/raise goes straight back into the charity, the communities, and the people we support. Our charity is a a social care chairty and the teams go above and beyond every day to meet increasing demand. At present, they create resources using the tools available to them, but this takes up valuable time. With this funding, we would be able to produce professional, accessible materials that reach a much wider audience, easing pressure on our teams while ensuring our information and support are inclusive for all.

By voting for us, you’re helping us continue to grow, remain accessible, and make a bigger difference for the people and communities who need us most.

We are applying for compost, plants, and seeds for both our community garden and for local households who are supported to grow their own food. 

Our community garden has already transformed from an overgrown space into a thriving hub where food, nature, and wellbeing come together. Fresh produce grown here is shared with local families and the Village Larder, helping to reduce food waste and provide affordable food. The garden is also a place where people of all ages and backgrounds learn sustainable growing practices such as no-dig, food forestry, and polyculture. These methods enrich soil, cut emissions, and create more resilient growing systems. This funding will allow us to maintain and expand our growing. Compost is essential for healthy soil, seeds and plants are the basis of our crops, and biodiversity-friendly plants ensure we can work with nature rather than against it. At the same time, we will continue to support Village Larder customers and other households by providing compost, seeds, and starter plants to help them grow food at home. 

• £350 for compost – to improve soil in the garden and provide small amounts to households.

• £450 for plants, plug-plants, seeds, seed potatoes and containers/materials to build containers- to replenish the community garden and for giving beginner growers and households a confident start.

• £100 for biodiversity plants – pollinator-friendly flowers and companion plants

We would like to supply our members with two free shops in the winter months as well as provide a free ticket to a soup and sandwich event taking place in February/March 2026. We would like to provide more soup making vegetables in the winter months and a bigger supply of fresh produce.

30 members approx in one week = 60 free shops  at £4 = £240

30 members approx in one week X  £5 Ticket to soup and sandwich event = £150

30 members approx in one week X soup pack at approx. £1.50 = £45 X 4 months January to April = £180

Provision of homemade meals from a local supplier for trial period of three months at £2 per meal = £420

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

We are a yoga and support group who have been going for almost 20 years.  Many of our members and now into their 70's and 80's but  are still actively involved in yoga practice.  Yoga helps enormously with strength, balance and flexibility as well as mindfulness. This is important in our advancing years.  We have social outings such as  coffee meetups, lunch or an outing to combat the feeling of loneliness and isolation incurred when people have ailing partners or indeed become widowed. Being sensory impaired also causes much loneliness and isolation.We have one member who is registered blind and several who are registgered as hearing impaired.  We would love to arrange a theatre trip early in 2026 to help conbat winter blues.

theatre tickets 25x30 = £750

Bus home  from Ayr = £250

Total   =  £1000

Our group of 8 Beavers will attend a group camp at the Blair Activity Centre along with the Cubs and Scouts.  Based on previous costs for the same setting in early 2024 our costs are:

8 heads at the Blair @ £35 each - £280

Beavers share of meals and snacks - £120

Badges x 3 per Beaver @£1 - £24