We would like to offer a free 'BSL Cafe' for people to learn and also practice and use their sign language skills. We're applying for funding to buy a computer with the ability to record and show BSL videos, thus allowing learners to practise their skill and record evidence of their abilties if desired. The computer has camera, microphone and suitable sized screen.  We would also require a printer, paper and ink to provide training materials for all learners that they could take away to practice at home.

I already offer BSL classes so this would be open before, during and after classes in the Loans Village Hall. As part of the cafe, we also like to provide some refreshments, therefore purchasing a hot water urn for tea and coffee facilities aswell as mugs and spoons. The money will be used to start this up.

£500 – Computer with ability to show/record sign language videos

£200 – Printer, ink and paper

£100 – Hot water urn

£100 – Initial set up for café (mugs, spoons, tea, coffee, etc)

This funding will allow us to deliver free monthly First Aid courses (adult, youth & family sessions) within Ayr South, led by a qualified instructor that we have secured to significantly reduce costs in comparison to hiring independent training providers. This funding will allow for the purchase of the equipment needed to run the courses. Each session (up to 12 participants) features hands on practice with manikins, AED simulators and realistic scenarios. The funding will allow the supply all consumable training equipment, CPR manikins, first-aid kits, protective PPE and we will invite partner charities to join free of charge, boosting inter-agency referrals and carer resilience.

Demonstrated Need & Local Impact: Our last Carers First Aid course was oversubscribed (16 places, 8-person waitlist),demonstrating strong local demand. Unpaid carers tell us they can lack emergency response confidence: first-aid skills reduce anxiety and prevent crisis escalation.Monthly training makes life saving skills accessible to carers in our area, plus family members. Partner charities (local dementia support, mental-health services) will rotate free places, enhancing referral pathways and shared learning.

Ayr Sea Cadets is seeking to acquire new paddle sports equipment to significantly increase our capacity to take more cadets afloat regularly and sustainably for many years to come. The proposed equipment includes a new trailer, a fleet of kayaks, essential safety gear, and a large “mammoth” stand-up paddleboard. This specialist paddleboard is ideal for confidence-building and teamwork exercises, helping our young people develop vital life skills such as communication, leadership, and resilience through fun, engaging water-based activities.

As part of our new initiative to deliver paddle sports within Ayr Harbour, we are also working in partnership with Ayr Yacht and Cruising Club to install a new, purpose-built ladder on the pontoons. This will ensure the safe and easy recovery of anyone entering the water during our sessions, enhancing the safety and accessibility of our boating activities. This collaboration not only improves safety standards but also strengthens local ties and promotes wider community involvement in youth development through maritime activities.

Over the past year, we’ve recorded a rise in Ayr North referrals for young carers, many are supporting a parent or guardian with chronic mental health condition, which often takes a heavy toll on their own emotional wellbeing. To address this, we’d use this funding to assemble 10 mobile “Mental Wellbeing Backpacks,” each containing:

• Guided Journals: Structured prompts to help carers process stress and reflect on positive experiences.

• Mindfulness Colouring Books & Premium Pencils: A proven tool for lowering anxiety and promoting focused relaxation.

• Mindfulness Card Decks: Simple, one step exercises for breathing, grounding or gratitude—easy to use anywhere.

• Stress Relief Fidgets (spinners, squeeze balls): Portable sensory tools to diffuse tension in moments of overwhelm.

• Headphones Pre-loaded with Guided Meditations & Relaxing Soundscapes: Instant, private access to mental-health resources, even without Wi-Fi.

Young carers (aged 10–18) can borrow a backpack for up to one week, giving them discreet, portable access to self care tools whenever and wherever they need a moment of calm be that at home after school, in the school library between lessons.

• Emotional impact: Young carers of parents with mental-illness are twice as likely to experience anxiety and depression compared with their peers.

• Barriers to support: Young carers can often lack private space or time to access traditional services; mobile kits may help overcome both by bringing resources directly to them.

• Equity of access: Backpacks can circulate through schools, youth centres and community events ensuring young carers alike can borrow them at their convenience.

This funding would allow Vics to purchase furniture for our community Hub, the hub is due to open at the end of July and we are required to purchase furnitire including tables, chairs and fixtures and fittings to make the place somewhere the community feel proud of. The focus has been the capital works to get the pavilion ready and we now need furniture for inside the hub area. to help offer activities. 

We are hoping to set up our own football team as part of our Friday Night Drop-In and our Summer Programme Project, and develop the team further as the new school year starts. We have access to great indoor and outdoor space; but due to having lack of equipment we haven`t managed to utilise these spaces yet for more organised sport activities.

Quite a few young people visiting the Ark show great interest in football and we think it would be an exciting opportunity for them to be able to set up their own team. The proposed team name is Ark United.

We are looking to arrange personalised football kit, football agility and speed training kit, training footballs and a target net for the goal post.

We would also love to promote the love of golf amongst the children visiting us, especially with Scotland being the "birthplace" of golf. The equipment we would like to purchase would be suitable for indoor play too and also could be used outdoors.

We are looking to invest into 2 Golf indoor/outdoor putting mat, some golf putters, golf ball and a golf chipping game set ("golf darts").

As part of our Summer Holiday Programme we are looking to organise a golfing experience day and we would like to be able to provide continuity for the kids who show greater interest in the sport.

We do understand that funds are limited and we are happy to work with any funding availability and alter our project accordingly if that is an option.

The money would be used to purchase a laptop for the Hub, enabling us to modernise our operating system onto a digital platform. The Hub has grown hugely in the 4 years we have been in operation and, although very basic systems allowed the project to get off the ground, it is no longer sustainable or finacially effective to be reliant on mobile phones, library computers and photocopiers. Having the ability to administrate the Hub digitally would allow us to communicate with NHS and other referrers securely and consistently, our accounting could be completed in-house to a higher level reducing costs to the CIC on professional fees, and a digital platform would enable us to communicate with service users in a whole new way, which would impact hugely on our interactions, particularly with young people and those in remote areas with transport limitations. We would be able to provide ongoing support and tailored wellbeing plans digitally, work remotely to ensure the service reaches people at times of crisis without delay, improve accuracy and access to information, and generate in-depth reports for funders.  

Reducing the time spent on admin would free up resources for frontline work and would allow us to provide much more resiliance and adaptability in our future work, which is an essential element in the sustainability of such a fast growing grassroots organisation.