We will design, have printed and install four high impact pop-up banners that we will rotate around community hubs across Prestwick, Monkton and Dundonald (Businesses, libraries, GP surgeries, Dentists).  

Each will feature:

• Bold headline such as “Unpaid Carer? Get Local Support in... (Prestwick x2/Dundonald/Monkton) Now”  
• Live QR code linking directly to the 24/7 Bridget carer support platform and direct registration.
• Local branding: Carers Gateway Group logo and colour palette as well as Prestwick & Villages LPP
• Concise prompt: “Scan for immediate advice, support, digital training and workshops”

By rotating these banners around high footfall points, we’ll help normalise carer identity, drive early self-referral and steer carers straight to round the clock help before challenges escalate. 

What is Bridget?: It is a cutting edge online self help service, that harnesses AI to help carers of all ages. It’s specifically designed to provide personalised localised support and information to help people care loved ones and themselves. Carers can quickly select the topics that affect them and it instantly build them a custom carer support plan with advice, health tips and information about local events and services. It registers the Carer with the Gateway in touch through email and text, offering more help where you need it. We’ll also check in regularly to see how you’re doing and offer extra support when necessary. Carers can access everything anytime, day or night and if they choose to register they can save their plan and pick up where they left off next time.

Need: Economic value of unpaid care: The UK’s 6.4 million unpaid carers save the public purse an estimated £119 billion every year more than the entire NHS budget. Based on demographic proportions, we estimate there are 1,200 unpaid carers in Prestwick & villages. Without increasing easy, visible, public prompts many Carers may only seek help once in crisis. Our “Get Local Support Now” banners, with live QR links to Bridget, will help normalise “carer” as an identity, lower access barriers and drive early referrals, reducing later resource heavy emergency interventions.

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

The money will allow us to purchase 4 paddle boards, that can be used by young people and local youth clubs etc.  having additional paddle boards will also help in developing the equipment we have for the new Water Sports facility.

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

Pickleball:

Pickleball is a fun sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis.  Played mainly indoors in Scotland on a badminton-sized court and a modified tennis net.  Two or four players use solid paddles made of composite materials to hit a plastic lattice ball.  Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

We are looking to expand Pickleball at Prestwick Tennis Centre through giving access to the sport at an affordable price to the wider community irrespective of age and ability. Pickleball is easy to play and provides a good level of physical activity for those participating.

The club requires to invest in new equipment to enable us to achieve this increase in participation of the sport.  Pickleball is played on the existing indoor tennis court surface, but we need to invest in pickleball equipment as follows to provide a further four pickleball courts available to players.  The cost of this equipment is estimated as follows:

4 pickleball nets (£120 each) - £480

16 Pickleball paddles (£20 each) - £320

24 Pickleballs (£2 each) - £48

4 Sets of Pickleball Lines (£30 each) - £120

This will enable us to provide 2 Pickleball sessions per week – one targeted at secondary school pupils and one for adult beginners.  With four courts we can deliver to a class size of up to 16 participants.

Learning Disability Tennis Programme:

The club also requires additional equipment to continue to develop its LD tennis programme.  At the present time, we offer weekly sessions to Southcraig school as well as further adult and junior LD classes.

The equipment required is as follows:

4 mini tennis nets (£130 each) - £520

Cones and Targets - £70

12 dozen “red” tennis ball s£130

12 Tennis Rackets (£25 each) - £300

We are applying for a grant of £2000 to meet the cost of this equipment for both our Pickleball and LD tennis activities at our club.

The objective is to create, and then manage, an inclusive community project which will create a stunning art installation within the old railway tunnel at the Brig O’ Doon, Alloway, Ayr. Our objectives include the advancement of education (community involvement in the creation of art-works and heritage films on active-travel paths); community development by engaging people of all ages; school-pupils; students; youth and older groups and other interested individuals in the creative process; the advancement of the arts, heritage and culture by engaging people’s interest in art and developing their artistic abilities; and for this particular project – bringing to life through art Ayrshire’s culture, heritage and social history, and improving the conditions of life through the creation of a multi-purpose community venue. The tunnel has been cleaned of the offending graffiti and the mural is being installed in four separate stages as funding is raised. As of April 2025 the first three stages have been completed and the mural hung with the involvement of several schools, colleges and community groups working with Thriving Communities on an outreach basis. In addition, young people are making short films which visitors to the mural can access via QR codes to see and hear the real stories being depicted on the mural.We are now seeking funding for the final stage of the mural which will include the further involvement of local schools and community groups. 

We are applying for £2,000 towards the costs of materials, primarily the plywood boards on which the artwork is painted, to allow us to complete final stage of the project.

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 plan to use the funding to support the Maybole Food Pantry by purchasing essential distribution materials, including vacuum packaging, kraft paper bags, and labels. These resources will allow us to safely and effectively package a variety of surplus and donated food items, helping us maintain hygiene standards and improve the overall presentation and durability of the food parcels we provide. The funding will ensure that we can continue to meet the growing demand for food support in the local area, reduce food waste, and deliver a dignified and reliable service to individuals and families facing food insecurity due to the rising cost of living.