In support of Earth Hour, Green Gyms will be running events on Wednesday 22^nd March (12 noon – 3pm) and Thursday 23^rd March (10am – 1pm) to help boost biodiversity records, they will be carrying out a Bioblitz to get different counts of trees, wildflowers, birds, freshwater invertebrates, mammals, etc, across the Ayr & Ailsa Hospital campus. Meeting point is at the back of the large car park in front of Ayr Hospital near the start of one of the woodland walks.

Earth Hour Bioblitzes 2023 – UHA&A

Social Media content:

 We’re conducting a short survey exploring the types of websites and apps that people use to find information or support for their mental health and wellbeing. This will help us to design and develop digital resources in the future , so we’d love for you to get involved. You can take the survey online at https://tinyurl.com/3s4b7x2r

 Newsletter content:

 Share your views on mental health and wellbeing digital resources.

 We are conducting a short survey exploring the types of websites and apps that people use to find information or support for their mental health and wellbeing.

 This engagement exercise will help us to design and develop digital resources in the future.

 You can take part in the Pan Ayrshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Digital Resource Survey online from Monday 13 March until the end of the month, and it should only take a couple of minutes to complete.

Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund 2023-2026

Upcoming deadline

Funding body – Scottish Government

Maximum value – £ 72,000

Application deadline – 31/03/2023

Grants are available for third-sector organisations, grassroots and community groups based in Scotland for activities that reduce social isolation and loneliness in the post covid period and to help mitigate the impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Further details

Background

The Scottish Government’s Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund is being managed by Impact Funding Partners (IFP) on behalf of the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government introduced the A Connected Scotland (2018) strategy for tackling social isolation and loneliness and building stronger social connections. The vision of this strategy is a Scotland where individuals and communities are more connected, and everyone has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships regardless of age, stage, circumstances or identity.

In tandem with the launch of this fund, the Scottish Government have released their Recovering our Connections (2023) delivery plan, which outlines how they will take forward the delivery of the A Connected Scotland strategy.

The Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund is part of the delivery plan to take the strategy forward.

Objectives of Fund

The aim of this fund is to support projects and organisations to tackle social isolation and loneliness and build stronger social connections across Scotland, in line with the A Connected Scotland (2018) strategy. The fund will also contribute to the recovery and reduction in societal harm associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, and to mitigate the impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Value Notes

Grants range from a minimum of £7,200 to £72,000 over the full funding cycle.

The fund will run over a 36-month period, from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2026.

This is broken down into four financial periods:

• Period one [1 August 2023 – 31 March 2024]
  • Minimum grant: £1,600
  • Maximum grant: £16,000
• Period two [1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025]
  • Minimum grant: £2,400
  • Maximum grant: £24,000
• Period three [1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026]
  • Minimum grant: £2,400
  • Maximum grant: £24,000
• Period four [1 April 2026 – 31 July 2026]
  • Minimum grant: £800
  • Maximum grant: £8,000

It is expected that around 70% of the funding will be allocated to smaller community organisations (with an income of below £500,000).

Who Can Apply

This is an open and competitive fund with applications accepted from:

• Third sector organisations, grassroots or community groups including unincorporated voluntary organisations, clubs, SCIOs (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations) and CICs (Community Interest Companies).
  • Organisations do not need to be registered charities, although their constitution/set of rules should make clear that funds will only be spent on purposes established in the constitution, and not distributed amongst members in the event of winding up/dissolution.
• Partnership bids from two or more of the above community groups and organisations. Where sensible to do so, partnership and multi-agency working is welcomed. This includes with public bodies and local authorities, as long as the lead partner is a third sector organisation or community group.
• Organisations who will deliver activities to benefit residents of Scotland. Where an organisation applying to the fund is registered outwith Scotland, they must provide robust evidence that they have a strong track record of delivering in Scotland and that funded activities will only take place in Scotland.
• Organisations/community groups with a bank account in their own name. Those who are part of an umbrella group must have their own separate independently examined accounts and own bank account, rather than using their parent company’s.

Restrictions

The following are not eligible for funding:

• Schools or further education establishments
• Arms length organisations (ALEOs).

Eligible Expenditure

The funding will support the continuation or expansion of existing activity as well as new or pilot activity, as long as it helps to provide safe spaces for people to connect/reconnect with others.

Activities must contribute to one or more of the Fund’s four outcomes:

• Understanding increases around social isolation and loneliness and causes/impacts, along with understanding of what works to reduce it.
• Social isolation and loneliness are reduced.
• Harm resulting from the effects of social isolation and loneliness is reduced.
• The conditions which help to reduce social isolation and loneliness are increasingly widespread.

Examples of activity include, but are not limited to:

• Community programmes and projects which create opportunities for connection, and activities which will help communities to re-connect in the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Types of activity might include: befriending; provision of volunteering opportunities which benefit those groups identified as at particular risk of social isolation and loneliness; enabling under-represented groups to participate in physical activity.
• Programmes and projects which tackle barriers to connection (supporting an infrastructure that fosters connection). Types of activity here might include: building on what public libraries or other public spaces offer as community hubs /warm hubs; creating learning opportunities for social prescribers (e.g. community link workers) or third sector staff to help identify and tackle SIAL; making it easier for people to find out what opportunities are available to them.
• Activity which builds capacity within communities and community organisations to offer opportunities for connection and become more sustainable. Types of activity here might include: network/umbrella organisations providing training and development and other ongoing support to grassroots organisations tackling SIAL.

Location

Scotland

How To Apply

Applications are made in a two-stage process:

• Expression of Interest will be accepted from 8 March 2023 to 31 March 2023 and will be looked at as they are submitted. The sooner an EOI is submitted, the sooner the applicant will be notified of a decision.
• Organisations successful at Stage One will be invited to submit a full application with a closing date of 28 April 2023. Notification of decisions will be between 5 and 7 July 2023 and the funding period will run from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2026.

The guidance document, which contains the eligibility criteria and each question in the EOI form, and the online Expression of Interest form can be found on the Impact Funding Partners (IFP) website.

Contact Impact Funding Partners for further information.

Available Funding – Impact Funding Partners

Milissa McCulloch | External Funding Officer | Community Engagement & Development |Thriving Communities | Strategic Change and Communities | 07796630694|

Milissa.mcculloch@south-ayrshire.gov.uk| South Ayrshire Council | The Grain Exchange | High St | AYR| KA7 1PZ 

 Milissa McCulloch | oifigear maoineachaidh | Com-pàirteachadh Coimhearsnachdan | Coimhearsnachdan Soirbheachail| Daoine Tùr Uallais | 07796630694|

Milissa.mcculloch@south-ayrshire.gov.uk| South Ayrshire Council |

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has declared a litter emergency and we’re aiming to help by supporting their 2023 Spring Clean. By taking small actions such as organising or participating in a litter pick, you can make a difference to one of the country’s biggest environmental charities. To find an event near you, or to register your own and get involved, visit www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/cus

 If you are planning an event, Waste Management are able to supply you with equipment for this purpose.  Further information is available by contacting neighbourhood.services@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.

A number of drivers have already volunteered for this scheme, however we still need a few more.

We would ask volunteers to commit to a few hours per week on one particular morning or afternoon (using their own car – 45p per mile paid),

to drive a patient to Ayr Hospital and pick them up and return them home after their dialysis treatment.  

Please note that the upper age limit for volunteers has now increased to 80.

More details can be found on the links below

Patient Transport Poster

SJS PATIENT TRANSPORT

Anyone who is interested should contact Colin McCormick, our Patient Transport Lead in Ayrshire & Arran.

 Email: colin135@btinterent.com

Firework Control Zones are on the horizon – have your views on how they will work

Firework Control Zones (FCZs) are a measure included in the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, and give local authorities the power to designate areas where it will only be permitted to use fireworks as part of a public fireworks display, or by a person who is employed by, or acting under the direction of, a regulatory authority and using fireworks for that purpose.

The Scottish Government see FCZ’s as a key part of their holistic approach to changing the relationship that Scotland has with fireworks. They are holding a series of workshops across Scotland to provide communities with a chance to let their views be heard as guidance is developed for local authorities on designating these zones. They would like to invite you to join an interactive workshop where you will get all of the information you need about zones and an opportunity to discuss and provide feedback on how these could best be used to address some of the issues caused by misuse of fireworks in Scotland.

See where workshops are taking place and book a place at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/fczworkshops

PRESTWICK GRUB_CLUB_FLYER_FEB_2023

AYR LITTER_PICKERS_FLYER_FEB_2023

DOONFOOT, AYR SUPPER_CLUB_FLYER_FEB_2023

THE ARK, AYR AFTERNOON_AT_THE_ARK_FEBRUARY_2023

GIRVAN YOGABLE_GIRVAN_FEB_2023

AYR YOGABLE_AYR_FEB_2023

DOONFOOT AYR WELLBEING_WEDNESDAY_FLYER_FEB_2023