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.

At Carrick Rugby we are committed to promoting health & wellbeing through the sport of rugby in the Carrick area. Carrick Rugby is based in the communities of Girvan & Maybole & is committed to offering everyone the chance to take part in healthy activity, improve their social connections, improve their life chances & support their mental & physical health. We are immensely proud of our success in keeping young people engaged in both playing & coaching younger members & in helping to develop their careers in sport & in many other areas.

The direct beneficiaries are the young people and adults (male and female) participating in a fantastic team sport that develops confidence, discipline, health, social & general wellbeing. On a far wider scale the families also become involved & the sense of community that is built around the club has an impact far beyond the pitch, helping to break down barriers & build social cohesion.  We work with partners from the community and have built strong links with Active Schools, Girvan Youth Trust, VASA, Scottish Rugby, Girvan and Carrick Academies and Thriving Communities.

• Active Schools

“Carrick Rugby Club do amazing work in supporting their local communities, & our own Thriving Communities service, through the provision of programmes designed to reduce social isolation, improve mental health & wellbeing, & build community resilience. They support the development of young people & adults with skills for life improving employability & life chances, reducing poverty & increasing ambition & aspirations. We are proud to work in partnership with Carrick Rugby Club who are invested in improving the communities across North & South Carrick.”

The money will be used to purchase small equipment in a variety of sizes to provide opportunities for rugby at all levels. The equipment will be used for community based sport including Friday Night Diversionary Rugby, community fun days, tartan touch style rugby during the summer break, holiday camps etc. along with general training and playing.  

We rely soleley on donations and fundraising and over the past few years we have struggled with providing fred bags for older children.  We often put games into these bags as this is something which older children enjoy but we find that we dont have as many donations of these as we would like.  The funding would be to purchase as many boardgames as possible and our team of volunteers would then be able to use these for the bags for older children.

The funds would allow us to purchase 1 Spring rocker 

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.

Installing an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system will significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of our community shop and café. It will streamline transactions, reduce errors, and make it easier for our volunteers—many of whom have limited retail experience—to operate the till confidently.

The system will also provide real-time stock tracking and detailed sales reporting, helping us manage inventory more effectively, reduce waste, and make informed financial decisions. This transparency is essential for accountability and future planning.

Customers will benefit from quicker service, modern payment options, and the potential for loyalty schemes—enhancing their experience and encouraging return visits.

Overall, an EPOS system will help us operate more professionally, support volunteer development, and ensure the long-term viability of this vital community asset.

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.

Stinchar Connections is a community transport initiative which connects communities in the Stinchar Valley area. The steering group have received funding through Carrick Futures to run a timetabled bus service connecting Girvan, Pinmore, Pinwherry, Barrhill, Colmonell, Ballantrae and Lendalfoot on 6 days of the week. The group has also received Community Mental Health and Wellbeing funding for a Development Officer to help progress the project over the next year. Stinchar Connections is aiming to become constituted, open a bank account and apply for charitable status, however Colmonell Community Association have agreed to act as sponsor organisation meantime. NHS Ayrshire & Arran Health Improvement Team are also supporting the project by evaluating the first year of the pilot transport project. We have applied to Carrick Futures for a second year of the pilot timetabled service. 

The participatory budgeting funding would allow further promotion of the project by the Stinchar Connections Development Officer at local community events where she will have a stall to promote the service. This will help with recruitment of volunteer bus drivers for local trips, which will help the project become more sustainable. A budget for branded clothing has also been included, for the volunteers who will be helping to drive the buses for community outings. We have included a budget for a laptop and software for the Development Officer, as well as costs for printed leaflets and marketing materials (e.g. banner, gazebo, beach flag, pens) to help with promotion. 

We intend to commission a local tradesperson to construct a built-in storage cupboard in the upper room of McCandlish Hall. Funding from this grant will cover the cost of both materials and labour. Like many village halls, McCandlish Hall has faced ongoing challenges with storage, leading to equipment being left out between sessions. This new cupboard will provide a secure space for items belonging to regular community groups such as the craft group, Lego Club, and Badminton Club. It will help keep the area tidy, safe, and more welcoming for all hall users.

By improving organisation and freeing up space, the cupboard will make the hall more attractive for existing and future community groups.

Ultimately, this investment will have a lasting impact—enabling McCandlish Hall to remain a vibrant, multi-use venue that supports local participation and wellbeing across the community.