Supporting Communities Fund - Monitoring of Projects Funded 2023/24
Argyll and Bute Council · 3 September 2025
Back to Mid Argyll, Kintyre & the Islands Area Committee — 3 September 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL MID ARGYLL, KINTYRE AND THE ISLANDS AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVES UNIT 3 September 2025 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND - Monitoring of Projects Funded 2023/24 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide information on the impact and spend of funding awarded to community projects from the council’s Supporting Communities Fund in 2023/24. 1.2 18 constituted, not-for-profit community organisations were awarded funding in 2023/24 from the Supporting Communities Fund. Projects were required to spend their funds within 18 months and to submit an end of project report outlining the benefits of the fund to the project and providing information on any remaining funds at end of project. 1.3 Members are asked to consider the contents of this report which contains a summary of the information supplied by organisations. 1.4 £2,496 has been returned by Community Cycling, Ardrishaig, as they were unable to complete their project. Due to this being funded from the additional Levelling Up funds, within the total available through Supporting Communities Fund in 2023/24 (see para. 2.2.), the returned funds will not transfer to the amount available from the council for distribution of SCF in 2026/27. 1.5 Islay Community Council has requested an extension for grant funds to be spent by December 2025. They are number 10 in the attached table of projects.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL MID ARGYLL, KINTYRE AND THE ISLANDS AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVES UNIT 3 September 2025 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND - Monitoring of Projects Funded 2023/24 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report highlights the positive outcomes for communities in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands through the allocation of the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund (SCF) from the 2023/24 round of funding. 2.2 A total of £30,563 (£38,425 including Levelling Up monies specifically for climate change focused projects) was awarded to 18 community organisations in 2023/24. Organisations have 18 months to spend the funds, and up to two months from the end of the project to complete and return a project monitoring report. 2.3 A total of £2,496 has been returned by Community Cycling, Ardrishaig, as they were unable to complete their project. 2.4 Islay Community Council has requested an extension for grant funds to be spent by December 2025. They are number 10 in the attached table of projects. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee: 3.1 Note and consider the positive contribution of the Supporting Communities Fund detailed in section 4 and within the attached table. 3.2 Note that Islay Community Council has requested an extension to spend their funds by December 2025. They are number 10 in the attached table of projects. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 The funded projects supported a total of approximately 5,533 people within Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands to participate in a variety of
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activities including outdoor activities, sports, music and mental health. For example: • Campbeltown and Districts’ Junior Football Camp’s summer camp supported young people to participate and enjoy sport and team- building. • Inveraray, Islay and Ardrishaig have improved their resilience with the support of place-making activities - engaging, consulting and preparing plans to improve circumstances for their areas. • Gardening projects in Campbeltown, Achnmara, Furnace, Gigha and Lochgair got folk outside and improving their environment. • Creativity for Wellbeing delivered arts, sports and specialist wellbeing activities through music and art in Tarbert and Campbeltown. Some of the projects noted increased community participation and increased numbers of volunteers. Feedback from projects showed the benefits experienced by particular groups in the community: • “… provided onshore activities, drinks and snacks to create a carnival atmosphere that everyone particularly children can enjoy.” • “… we were able to offer reduced or free swimming to swimmers that would not be able to afford to attend the sessions naturally.” • “…the sports and training equipment is already being used by a young sports group.” • “120 vulnerable folk benefitted from advice and there was a client gain of £89,219.70.” • “… brought a group of young people together some of whom did not know each other and widened their social circle.” 4.2 The attached table provides more detail from individual projects funded. 4.3 17 grant recipients have submitted an End of Project Monitoring Report. 4.4 £2,496 in total has been returned by Community Cycling, Ardrishaig, as they were unable to complete their project. They are number 6 in the attached table of projects. Due to this being funded from the additional Levelling Up funds, within the total available through Supporting Communities Fund in 2023/24 (see para. 2.2.), the returned funds will not transfer to the amount available from the council for distribution of SCF in 2026/27. 4.5 Islay Community Council underspent in their Phase 1 outreach and have requested that they be permitted to carry forward the remainder to deliver their final deep dive focus groups (Phase 2) and present the
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completed action plan to their community. They will have completed this by December 2025. More information on their project can be found at number 10 in the attached table of projects.
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2023/24 SCF Round of Funding No Organisation Project Funded Award End of Project Achievements No. of people in communities benefitting 1 Achnamara Village Hall Committee creative crafting, singing and book club sessions and musical events and film nights (craft materials, film licenses and heating) £1,388.49 The activities have all been successful, providing a reason to meet up weekly and monthly for a wide range of local people. This had built community cohesion, reduced loneliness and improved health and well-being for the village and surrounding area. 72 2 Ardrishaig KGV Community Park Association three main projects - a community woodland biodiversity event, a native woodland regeneration project and bringing the community football pitch back into use through repair and installation of the drainage system £2,500.00 The sports and training equipment is already being used by a young sports group and will also be used by the primary school in future when the sports pitch is ready. The feasibility study runs in parallel to this project and is designed to engage all stakeholders in KGV park on the preferred realistic priorities to restore the park to its original purpose and meet the requirements of the community today. They group have been encouraged by the support from their community during the engagement part of the feasibility study. unknown 3 Bute Advice Centre (MAKI project) a face-to-face welfare advice and promotion roadshow in rural and island Mid Argyll and Kintyre in order to maximize incomes and increase the uptake of the Flexible Food Fund grants and travel and subsistence for trained welfare advisors £2,500.00 The purpose of the project was to get out into communities and target those less likely to engage. By working with partner organisations such as local foodbanks, Inspiralba, Islay Energy Trust, Islay South Development Trust etc, we were able to tap into their client base. The networking with the staff was also incredibly useful for follow up referrals. By offering staff the opportunity to discuss the services offered, they felt far more confident encouraging clients to engage with us. Understandably agencies working with very vulnerable client groups, need to be reassured that any agency they refer into will offer a service that will be suitable for their client base. The opportunity of being physically present afforded that opportunity and close working relationships 17
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2023/24 SCF Round of Funding continue long after the end of the project. 120 folk benefitted from advice and there was a client gain of £89,219.70. 4 Campbeltown and District Juvenile Football Association a 10 day football camp for 300 children and young people, led by volunteer coaches including pitch hire, healthy snacks, medals and printing £2,390.00 At the summer camp CDJFA managed to deliver 4 weeks of camp over 12 days. We had 144 individuals sign up over the 4 weeks contributing to 282 attendees for all 4 weeks promoting health and wellbeing in our young players. Every child attending was offered a kit at a 60% discounted price of £10, every child received a water bottle and 4 weeks of certificates at graduation, success was recognised through player of the week and special awards and the players all were supplied with healthy snacks. This would have been unaffordable to many parents otherwise. 149 5 Campbeltown Brass Band a monthly musical recital club for children and young people, plus 9 workshops per year (Easter, Summer and Autumn) with professional brass tutors. The funding will be used for hall hire and tutor fees. £2,500.00 We invited many local artists from singers, brass, pipes, pianists, percussionists, guitarists to join in our events rotating a mixed group for each recital. This kept the recitals relevant and inviting to other groups of people who perhaps wouldn’t have attended a brass only function. It also opened the floor to those other artists who also have not had the chance to compete in competitions either in solo, duet or ensembles competitions or events as part of a team/group since pre-Covid to increase their skills. 139 6 Community Cycling Ardrishaig a community cycling launch event and a number of cycling development projects that promote cycling, increase cycling in everyday travel including commuting and for leisure £2,496.54 Unable to deliver project – funds returned 7 Furnace Community SCIO SC048171 a whole village gardening project, including a gardening workshop to bring 30 villagers together and planting containers for £1,388.49 The impact on the village has been wider than those directly involved in the planting. Experienced gardeners brought seeds and young plants (tomato plants and wild strawberries for example) and donated them to the Project, benefitting both individuals and the communal planting. 31
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2023/24 SCF Round of Funding common areas of the village There was a donation of time and vehicles to remove garden waste from the Millennium Garden and a small group used what would otherwise have been waste materials to build five benches. 8 Inspire Inveraray an independent community consultant to identify what type of community hall they require. The outcome of this consultation will be used as a road map for developing the community hall project £2,500.00 Consultants were appointed to determine community sentiment towards the disused community hall. They undertook various kinds of research: desk-based secondary research, contact with field specialists, private interviews, open community consultation. The output of each research phase fed into the next, culminating in analysis of community opinion through both quantitative and qualitative means. Five options were presented to the community over two days in a consultation held in Inveraray Church Hall. 600 9 Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Limited free weekly swimming therapy sessions for at least 12 children with disabilities and additional support needs in the MacTaggart Leisure Centre including group sessions with a special needs instructor (family and individual sessions with special needs instructor) £2,500.00 We continued to provide five children with a pod so they can enjoy the pool and increase their physical and mental well being in a calm environment. We have also provided an additional 8 swim passes to allow families that have children with additional needs the opportunity to swim once per week during a public session free of charge. All children and their families/carers unanimously state that having the pods is of huge benefit to them, both physically and mentally. Their swimming slot is now a weekly routine and something to look forward to. For some of these children, access to the pool would be very difficult without a pod in place. 13 10 Islay Community Council delivering a whole island Community Action Plan for Islay including training to build the core capacity of the community council £2,500.00 All members of the Community Council have been engaged in the process and given up considerable personal time to take part in it and support it. The Phase 1 final report has already been used as evidence of the views of the community in several ongoing consultations by the community council. It is hoped that the final action plan itself will provide compelling evidence of the wishes and ambitions of the community as a whole and be used to guide and influence the development of the island. 3500 11 Isle of Gigha Heritage 12 outdoor learning sessions £1,973.00 Due to the success of this project, the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust 13
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2023/24 SCF Round of Funding Trust for island children and young people over one year focusing on biodiversity learning accompanied by free play and refreshments has invested in the Countryside Ranger to gain a Forest School Leader qualification as the positive feedback and attendance of these sessions has demonstrated the importance of Forest School and outdoor learning opportunities for our island children. 12 KADAS (Kintyre Alcohol & Drug Advisory Service) 10 two hour cookery workshops for young carers and young people experiencing difficulties associated with alcohol, drugs and mental health to develop the skills to cook nutritious meals £2,500.00 We brought a group of young people together some of whom did not know each other and widened their social circle. We improved their cooking skills, although we were surprised at how competent some already were and they even took on a mentoring role to the others. Their budgeting skills improved as they were shown how to look for best buys for similar ingredients. 27 13 Kintyre Recycling Limited a marketing consultant to carry out a community engagement exercise in order to raise the profile and secure the future of the Bike Project, including an open day for the community with bike maintenance and test rides available £2,000.00 Marketing and promotion of both projects, seemed to work for us, promoting Kintyre e-bikes with leaflets being distributed all over Argyll as far as Tarbet, Portavadie and Oban and using many Hotels and B&B`s to promote this service, we had 2 open days which were successful in showing all our services as a company. Unknown 14 Kintyre Sea Sports staging the Kintyre Sea Sports Campbeltown Regatta in August 2023, a one day outdoor water-based event (venue hire, catering, publicity and other small costs incurred in staging the event) £500.00 Campbeltown Community Regatta provides a special carnival like day towards the end of the Scottish schools’ summer holidays that enable the community to have a festive time before young people go back to school. From comments it is obviously appreciated by many. In addition, it provides something for visitors that they also value. Our main aim is to give everyone a fun and safe day on the water. This was achieved again and we were lucky to have another day of good weather to permit us all to enjoy being on the water safely and having a good time. They continue to ensure that 99
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2023/24 SCF Round of Funding watersports is accessible to people on low income in Campbeltown. 15 Lochgair Association creating a community garden for the Lochgair village community which can become a focal point for community activities and provide local volunteers with a positive project to undertake together £1,388.48 The aim was to provide enough gardening equipment to enable groups or individuals to work on the grounds surrounding the village hall without having to bring their own equipment. The impact our project had was that it emphasized that the grounds would not look after themselves and so had more people volunteering. 54 16 Mid Argyll Community Enterprise Ltd 1000 concessionary tickets to approximately 100 people who are in receipt of benefits in order to improve their health and wellbeing, confidence and practical swimming skills £2,400.00 The grant helped us provide the community with reduced and free swimming throughout the year 23/24 with a brilliant uptake and in turn, more new members and visitors to the hub. With the grant, we were able to offer reduced or free swimming to Dochas, Concessionary card holders, Health and Wellbeing sessions via NHS Physio team among many other swimmers that would not be able to afford to attend the sessions naturally. 610 17 South Kintyre Development Trust maintenance and development of the Kilkerran Putting Green and Community Herb Garden in Campbeltown, particularly for people facing disadvantage, to promote good health, learn new skills and provide volunteering opportunities £2,500.00 The Gateway Garden has been very well received locally and its visibility has helped to attract 12 regular volunteers of varying ages and backgrounds, who give of their time and energy to support the activities at the garden. We also operate an herb garden at the local putting green which is now being looked after by one of the local nursery schools. 154 18 Templar Arts and Leisure Centre Trust Tarbert approximately 65 wellbeing sessions and to create wellbeing improvement information leaflets £2,500.00 The project allowed us to offer free dance, mindfulness and Tai Chi to people in the community who had not experienced it before. The Tai Chi has continued, expanded and gone from strength to strength, as have the dance sessions. 55
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5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The project monitoring form has a section asking for comments on the application process. Not all applicants have completed this section but of those received, the comments have largely been very positive. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy: None 6.2 Financial: The report sets out the expenditure from The Mid Argyll, Kintyre And The Islands area 2023/24 budget for the allocation of Supporting Communities Fund 6.3 Legal: None 6.4 HR: None 6.5 Customer Service: None 6.6 Risk: None 6.7 Climate Change: 1 of the funded specifically projects addressed climate change 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty: Compliant with policy 6.9 Equalities - protected characteristics: 3 of the funded projects addressed this 6.10 Consumer Duty: None 6.11 Island Communities: 3 of the funded projects were on islands 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing: 5 of the projects were delivered for children and young people Chief Executive – Pippa Milne Policy Lead - Cllr Mark Irvine Communities and Partnership Manager – Rona Gold 22 August 2025 For further information contact: Community Development Officer Antonia Baird on 01546 604270 / Antonia.Baird@argyll-bute.gov.uk.