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 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)

Being awarded funding to open our studio space will align with UK Shared Prosperity Fund’s goals by strengthening the resilience of our community through creative learning and reducing isolation in our communities by bringing people together in a space that they can take ownership of. By providing accessible and affordable quality arts and entertainment we will be tackling inequalities and improving life chances for people living in our community and beyond

The Iris currently delivers creative learning workshops where people can learn how to express themselves and have their voices heard about things that matter to them by learning how to create film and theatre. By teaching people living in our community creative writing and film productions skills, we can empower people to learn and help them to improve their mental health. The Iris is a multi-award winning production company, having produced 100s of creative learning pieces with people living in our community since 2019. By having a studio space open we can empower the community to create more, bring more people together and access free or reduced cost creative learning and entertainment.

We plan to revitalise Prestwick Community Hall to create a more welcoming, accessible, and versatile space for local residents of all ages. The funding will be used to purchase essential decorating materials (such as matt and gloss paint, brushes, sealant, and fillers), timber for minor repairs, and laminate flooring to improve our upstairs meeting room.

A key part of the project is the installation of heavy, full-length blackout curtains around the main hall. These will dramatically improve the sound quality during live music events and performances by reducing echo and enhancing acoustics. The curtains will also enable us to host daytime shows, film screenings, and community events that require light control.

These upgrades will allow us to expand our programme of activities and attract a broader range of users — from Pensioners, youth groups and adult learners to music performers, social clubs, and family-friendly events. This funding will help us transform the hall into a vibrant, inclusive hub at the heart of Prestwick's community life.

We have a cabin which we would be looking to furnish with the equipment required to be a fully functioning Clubhouse. At the moment this is a shell and would require to be fully fitted out to be functional. The Clubhouse will be used for providing refreshments to the local community who come to watch our games, games are well attended. It is our intention to try and enhance the development of the club and provide further activities at the park, hopefully using the Clubhouse as a meeting and social space for players and the wider community. 

We would require:

- a kitchen/ store set up including worktops, oven, fridge-freezer, microwave, washing machine/ tumble drier, cutlery

- a social area set up - tables & chairs

- full plumbing and wiring

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.  

We plan to purchase the following equipment to allow for hybrid and online meetings:

IT Equipment

• Cyber security package £144.00
• Web cam £240.00
• TV £200.00
• Cables £12.00

Also a notice board with internal lighting £1000

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.