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Funding will directly support the UK Shared Prosperity Fund’s goals by strengthening community resilience, tackling inequalities, and improving life chances for vulnerable men affected by addiction in Girvan and South Carrick — as part of Harbour Ayrshire’s Bridge to Shore project.The Bridge to Shore pathway supports individuals from crisis through to stability, community integration, and ultimately, independence. This proposal focuses on the early and middle stages of that journey, providing essential support where it's needed most.

Harbour Ayrshire currently delivers a vital weekly support group led by staff and volunteers with lived experience. The group offers a safe, trauma-informed environment where men can share openly, build peer connections, and learn practical coping strategies. By addressing root causes of addiction — such as poverty, poor mental health, and intergenerational trauma — the project empowers participants to break negative cycles and build long-term resilience, both personally and within the community.

This funding will cover essential delivery costs including venue hire, refreshments, and holistic therapies. These elements are key to removing barriers to engagement and ensuring all participants feel welcomed and supported.

In addition to sustaining the current group, funding will enable expansion into surrounding villages where need is high but services are scarce due to poverty, digital exclusion, and lack of transport. Development work — under the Bridge to Shore framework — will focus on:

Increasing outreach and engagement in rural areas of Girvan and South Carrick

Supporting individuals to access central services and digital resources

Building local capacity by helping communities create peer-led support groups

Fostering community cohesion and empowerment through shared learning and lived experience leadership

By supporting this project within the Bridge to Shore model, you are investing in the creation of healthier, more inclusive communities, reducing health inequalities, enhancing social capital, and empowering individuals to contribute positively to their local areas — fully aligning with the aims of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.