38 Projects Funded

Project Studio

Cove Park

Project Studio is a Cove Park programme for teenagers in our local area. It offers free 5-6 week blocks of creative activity, including workshops, trips, and events, centered around self-expression and creating community for teenagers interested in the arts, activism, environmentalism, and wellbeing. The programme is supportive of young people with ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Previous Project Studios have included workshops in photography, art & activism, sculpture, printmaking, and music. The programme will run from 1st April 2026 through to 31st March 2027 and will be designed by our Curator of Engagement using former artist residents of Cove Park to help design and deliver each session.

£2,500

Supporting 180 beneficiaries

Helensburgh Winter Festival

The Helensburgh Winter Festival is a free inclusive event, designed to bring local residents together during the winter months, a time when opportunities for social connection can be limited. The Festival will celebrate community spirit and local culture through live music and performances, local food stalls, incorporating the Helensburgh Heart Santa Dash, creating a welcome atmosphere for people of all ages.

Supporting 8,000 beneficiaries

Sports

Junior and new member recruitment

Garelochhead Bowling Club

We are growing within the local community and are aiming to add more members to the club. We have the largest number of junior bowling members within the local area and we are hoping to add more opportunities for the community. We have recently set up a junior ‘working group’ which enables the juniors to use their voices and aligns with the UNCRC which they are aware of through their education. At our recent meetings with our junior members, they shared that they would benefit from new sporting kit that they can choose and again helps to highlight their voices. Through our stepping stone style membership, we have opened the doors financially to those in the community who could not afford the full priced membership straight away. This has allowed us to gain more members who have been enjoying the bowling green. We do not have a wide range of bowling equipment and appropriate footwear to offer to those who wish to give bowls a try.

£2,000

Supporting 120 beneficiaries

Arts

Giving Back to the Community

Stopgap Community Cinema CIC

We are Stopgap Community Cinema, a CIC company based in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute. We are a CIC company whereby any profits are fed back for the benefit of the local community. We started screenings in November 2024 when the local cinema closed to seek a buyout. Since November 2024 we have held monthly public screenings and monthly free screenings for local charities and community organisations. Recently we have widened our operations to offer on the job work experience and more formal training via the Independent Cinema Office. At present we have Kyle, an adult with learning disabilities who is gaining on the job experience in front of house. We also have three unpaid interns, Keir, Angus and Mnstry, a Ukrainian refugee living in Helensburgh, who are receiving online training in all aspects of cinema operations. Kyle in particular has blossomed in his front of house role and proudly wears his 'staff' badge. We have just celebrated our first birthday and are seeking funding for our second year. We plan to organise monthly free screenings for local community organisations and charities and include 'relaxed' screenings designed for Dementia and Autistic audiences. There are many benefits of cinema beyond entertainment which includes stress relief, emotional catharsis and empathy building, and the social benefits include building social contacts and reducing isolation and loneliness. Each screening costs a distributor licence fee of £104.40 and room hire of £58.50, a total of £162.90 per screening.

Supporting 240 beneficiaries

MenCareToo – Male Carers Monthly Support & Respite Programme (April 2026–April 2027)

Helensburgh & Lomond Carers SCIO

The MenCareToo project has grown significantly since launching in October 2023. We actively advertise, engage with, and identify male unpaid carers across Helensburgh and Lomond, supporting those who are traditionally reluctant to seek help. Through this targeted outreach, the group now has 15 regular members who attend monthly support and activity based sessions and continues to grow. Men often experience stigma when undertaking caring roles, as caring is still commonly viewed as a female responsibility. This can make it difficult for men to acknowledge stress or seek support. MenCareToo provides a safe, non judgemental, activity centred space where men can connect naturally and talk more openly. By embedding conversation within shared activities, the programme reduces stigma and increases comfort in accessing support. Since 2023, members have built strong peer relationships. They now spend time together outside the group, check in on each other during difficult periods, and offer ongoing support and genuine friendships. This strengthens wellbeing and reduces isolation. Each monthly session includes a group chosen activity, opportunities for informal peer support, listening based emotional support from staff, food, refreshments, and travel where needed. Staff time and venue hire at Lomond House are provided in kind. A breakdown of activities can be provided. The programme also includes an overnight residential at the Glynhill Hotel in October. We have delivered a residential before and carers found it extremely beneficial for their wellbeing, confidence, and peer connection. For this reason, October includes two sessions: the planned Halloween event and the Glynhill residential.

£1,230

Supporting 15 beneficiaries

Castle Wood

Helensburgh Community Woodlands Group

We purchased Castle Wood (between lomond school gym and ardencaple quadrant) with overwhelming public support. We have addressed tree safety and flooding issues affecting local residents. We hold regular volunteering days for people to maintain and improve the wood, such as cutting and removal of invasive laurel and rhododendron. We need funds to pay for chipping and disposal of the cuttings, and we would like to rent motorised barrows and associated equipment to help remove the cut laurel over the soft ground. We also need funds to help us pay for the 3-yearly tree safety inspection and remedial action work (due in august this year).

£3,000

Supporting 300 beneficiaries

New Way IT Equipment Upgrade

New Way

New Way is a thriving charity based in Helensburgh. Our premises are located in the town centre and we provide a wide range of support, including counselling, peer befriending, group support, volunteering opportunity, training opportunity and more, to people with alcohol and other substance use related issues, their families, and young people impacted by alcohol and other substance use. Our charity has gone from strength to strength and we are now busier than we've ever been. Our IT equipment is outdated and we're now struggling to cope at times with the level of work expected of a busier and more diverse environment. Our IT equipment is basic and was suitable for the charity work in the past when we had a reduced and not so diverse workload. For example, we are now using IT equipment which is designed for basic admin to produce video content, leaflets and posters, music, workshops and to store ever increasing data which is required to be kept securely. At present our IT equipment can slow down work progress which contributes to lost time for our already very busy and dedicated team of workers and we believe this is of detriment to our clients and the efficiency of the organisation. New and upgraded IT equipment will improve efficiency, giving back vital time to workers with an ever increasing client base. We will be applying for match funding from both the ACHA and Dunbritton Community Action funds.

Supporting 130 beneficiaries

Running Costs

Gareloch Group, Riding for the Disabled Association SCIO

Gareloch RDA was founded in 1976. We are a registered charity and affiliated to RDA National. We cater for adults, children and young people, and currently have over 50 riders and drivers with a wide range of physical and/or learning disabilities. We are based in Helensburgh at Colgrain Equestrian Centre for carriage driving and Ardencaple Livery Yard for everything else. We run many sessions each week at various times of the day and our dedicated group of volunteers are always on hand to help. Gareloch RDA is an inclusive and diverse organisation. We welcome clients with physical and learning disabilities and autism. We have no age restrictions, everyone is welcome to attend regardless of age or ability. The positive benefits of animals in therapy sessions are well documented. All our ponies and horses are very gentle and extremely patient which makes our sessions ideal for individuals with additional support needs. Improvements are noted in muscle tone, posture, motor skills, increased confidence, making friends, positive responsibility and learning how to work as part of a team. To ensure cost is not a barrier to anyone wishing to attend we provide all equipment required. We are seeking assistance with our annual running costs for 2026/2027. Income from sessions only covers around one third of our annual total running costs. Based on our most recent accounts we were required to secure £40,952 from other sources. We had a shortfall of £3,587 which was covered by reserves.

Supporting 120 beneficiaries

Animal Magic

Helensburgh and District Branch of Enable

Helensburgh and District Branch of Enable is a bi-weekly club for adults with Learning Disabilities. It provides social interaction and stimulating activities. It helps to reduce isolation and promotes social inclusion. It is run entirely by volunteers from our community. We provide many different activities suited to our members needs and preferences. Several of our members have expressed an interest in activities with animals. There is extensive evidence based research which shows that interaction with animals benefits emotional, social and even physical well being. Evidence shows that there is an increase release in endorphins and oxytocin promoting physical and mental well-being. It also reduces anxiety and stress. In addition to these benefits an animal therapy session would provide stimulation and facilitate communication skills. Our plan is to arrange one or two sessions with an established and reputable animal therapy organisation that meets necessary health and safety requirements and is fully insured. On completion of the session members would be encouraged to reflect on the session in appropriate ways such as the use of story boards, crafts and verbal feedback. Volunteers would gather feedback and use this to inform future activities. We currently have around 30 members. Through this activity we aim to promote well-being, encourage positive social interaction and reduce physical and emotional isolation for vulnerable individuals in our community.

Supporting 30 beneficiaries

Training for SEN Teachers

Parklands School PSA

Approximately 43 children from the community attend Parklands SEN School on Charlotte St, Helensburgh, all with varying special education needs. Given the variety of ability in the school, our teachers have to work extra hard to create meaningful yet digestible lessons for our children. The head teacher, Gwen, has expressed her desire to have additional training for staff in numeracy from the renowned expert, Les Staves. This type of training is not covered by local authority despite it being hugely beneficial to a school like Parklands. So we - the parents - have taken the task of sourcing the funds for it via our small PTA charity. Not only would this staff training support our teachers give our children the educational experience they deserve, we would be investing in the community long term by building little minds and empowering teachers and support staff for years to come.

£1,600

Supporting 100 beneficiaries

TAI-hard with a ZEN-gence

Helensburgh and Lomond Grey Matters

The project provides a weekly Seated Tai Chi class for older people. The class is already running successfully and funding is needed to continue and sustain the programme. It offers a safe, accessible form of gentle exercise that supports physical health, mental wellbeing, and social connection. The project benefits older people in the local community, particularly those with reduced mobility, balance issues, long-term health conditions, or who are at risk of loneliness and social isolation. The class improves strength, balance and confidence, helping reduce the risk of falls and supporting independence. It also supports mental health, reducing anxiety and improving mood through mindful movement and routine. Socially, it brings people together, reducing isolation and strengthening community connections. Family members have also expressed their thanks for what we do - they know older relatives are part of a caring community group and loved ones supported to improve both physical and mental health. Our Tai Chi instructor also produces YouTube videos for members who can't attend the class every week or for those who want to do homework. The funding we are asking for (together with our own fundraising) will support the group for a year. Cost of instructor per year is £1,500.

Supporting 35 beneficiaries

The Listening Ear

Visibility Scotland (formerly GWSSB)

Our Listening Ear project supports blind and vision impaired people across Scotland through information, advice and wellbeing support. Although based in Glasgow, Visibility Scotland hosts a busy bi-monthly meeting in the United Reformed Church at 35 West Princes Street in Helensburgh on the second Wednesday of every second month. This friendly peer support group is very well attended and has occasional speakers from the Sensory Impairment team, Assistive technology experts, local carers organisations etc. This has the benefit of keeping the (mainly) elderly attendees up to date with solutions which help them thrive despite their visual disability. This wards against isolation and loneliness and allows people to exchange hints and tips in a warm, safe space over a cuppa. Visibility Scotland are experts in the field of improving the lives of people with sight loss since 1859. We have had a presence in Helensburgh for over 10 years. Both staff members who attend and facilitate the meetings have lived experience of sight loss themselves, providing empathy and insight into the concerns of this vulnerable community.

£350

Supporting 55 beneficiaries

Baby Bistro Babywearing

Baby Bistro

At Baby Bistro, we currently support pregnant and postpartum women and their families with free, qualified breastfeeding support. I, Eimear, the Chairperson, have been volunteering as a Breastfeeding Counsellor and Certified Breastfeeding Specialist for 6 years now and have completed internationally recognised certification. I believe that families need free-to-access support, a safe space to discuss their antenatal and postnatal experiences, and a place to meet other mothers and families and connect. We know that the UK has some of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world, and I am passionate about supporting mothers who want to breastfeed in their journey to do so. We also welcome mothers and families who formula feed and need support or guidance as mothers formula feeding generally do not receive a huge amount of support other, and often struggle with issues any feeding parent has around colic, reflux, sleep deprivation. At Baby Bistro, everyone is welcome and support is available for all. What we now hope to do is to expand our support. Myself and our Secretary, Elin, would like to undertake formal, recognised training to become Babywearing Consultants and offer free fourth trimester consultations to families. All families with a baby born in Scotland are entitled to a Baby Box, which contains a sling. However, there is only a sheet of paper with printed instructions inside and we have discovered over the last 14 months of Baby Bistro that many many families have been bringing their slings to us to ask if we can help them to use them. We are all aware of the incredibly heartbreaking stories in recent months of babies suffocating from incorrect babywearing and Elin and I feel very strongly that, as a country who offer slings to all families, we should be able to offer them safe, 1:1 support on how to wear the sling provided in our Government-issued box, but also support with the many other slings and carriers that parents buy or are gifted.

£1,388

Supporting 100 beneficiaries

Jean's Bothy podcast

Enable

Jean's Bothy is a mental health & wellbeing hub based in Helensburgh open to members who are over 16, living in Helensburgh & Lomond. It's free to join and we welcome anyone who would like to improve their mental health & wellbeing. A range of activities, groups and opportunities are open to members including art, sewing, woodcraft, fitness, writing, counselling, gardening, mindfulness and one-off taster sessions such as sound baths; reiki; trips to exhibitions, places of interest and a monthly book club, film club and even karaoke! Last October we launched our own podcast as part of Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival. We were able to record an initial 6 episodes and have since recorded another 6 episodes this year. They all fit with the theme Comfort & Disturb and include topics such as nature, OCD, ME, photography, Mums and many more. One of our members spoke about his experience of restraint due to his mental health. A number of universities are now interested in using this episode to inform and help teach their students. We would love to continue our podcast for the next year and require funding to record and edit these to ensure we continue to provide interesting and accessible content to our members and the public. This podcast aims to education and raise awareness of living with mental health challenges, as well as having a positive impact on the member involved and empowering them to have their voice heard. Every time an episode is launched we also have a screening within Jean's Bothy to allow members to watch in company and have a discussion relevant to the topic it covers. The initial series resulted in some fascinating discussions and we are really keen to continue this moving forward. With a budget to cover the year ahead we could record another 40 episodes.

£750

Supporting 60 beneficiaries

Helensburgh Community Garden

James Street Helensburgh Community Garden

The paths of the maze in the garden have been worn by constant use. These paths are now slippery and constitute a possible to the children playing in the maze. We plan to encircle the outer circumference with special roll-topped metal edging then infill the whole maze with wood chips.

£400

Supporting 100 beneficiaries

Investment in Uniforms and instruments for juvenile and adult learners joining the band

Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band

We are a long established local charity based in Helensburgh with members across Lomond and Clyde area for the last 2 years we have played at the Helensburgh November Fireworks display but not charged an appearance fee. Instead we are applying for some modest funding towards the supply of uniforms and instruments. The money will go directly towards buying kilts, sporrans etc as well drum skins, bagpipe reeds and other sundries for learners joining the band. We receive some annual support from our sponsor the Colquhouns of Luss but the majority of our costs are recovered through appearance fees at local events. We also play regularly in the town through the summer to entertain the people of Helensburgh and visitors

£600

Supporting 24 beneficiaries

Winter Food Support 2024

Helensburgh and Lomond Foodbank

Following our Santa Dash in December 2024, HEART donated £1,000 directly to Helensburgh and Lomond Foodbank to support local families during the winter period. The Santa Dash brings our community together each year, and we feel it is only right that the proceeds go towards helping those who need it most during the colder months. By donating in early December, we ensured the foodbank had additional resources in time for Christmas and the winter ahead, when demand for their services is at its highest.

Supporting 500 beneficiaries

Winter Food Support 2025

Helensburgh and Lomond Foodbank

For the second year running, HEART donated £1,000 to Helensburgh and Lomond Foodbank from the proceeds of our Santa Dash in December 2025. Our Santa Dash has become a much-loved community tradition, and we are proud that the funds raised go directly towards supporting local people when they need it most. Donating in early December means the foodbank can plan ahead and ensure families across Helensburgh and Lomond have access to essential food supplies throughout Christmas and the winter months.

Supporting 500 beneficiaries

Wellness for all: A mentally healthier community

Jean's Bothy (ENABLE Scotland)

Our project aims to support anyone living in Helensburgh & Lomond over aged 16 to access wellbeing activities to boost mental & physical fitness. Jean's Bothy has had over 400 members join since 2018 and membership continues to grow rapidly. We create a safe and confidential environment to explore ways to support and manage your wellness, ensuring you remain well, and develop tools and techniques to support yourself. We operate a Peer Support model where members support and encourage each other. Building skills, increasing confidence and raising self esteem are all ways in which we can improve our own wellbeing and with the support of Jean's Bothy we can build a mentally healthier community, to live, work and play in. Having an asset such as Jean's Bothy in the heart of the community is vital to ensuring people don't need to wait to crisis point before getting support. Membership is free reducing any financial barriers to joining, and we run on a donation basis so if people can they do, and if they can't they can still access the support. We also value skills, willingness to get involved and time from our members which feeds the ethos of equality. This project would cover the costs to offer activities which encourage fitness and yoga along with cold water swimming. It will also include setting personal goals and working towards them, recognising a sense of achievement is a great boost to our wellbeing.

£2,500

Supporting 250 beneficiaries

Replacement Urns

RNLI Helensburgh Branch

Require 2 new manual-fill 10-15L water boilers to replace the current two that have broken. Used for charity fundraising (coffee mornings, New Year Swim) and also lent to HEART for the hot chocolate stand at fireworks. HEART to purchase these directly and donate them in kind rather than awarding a cash grant.

£250

Supporting 1,000 beneficiaries

London Musical Theatre Trip June 2025

Hermitage Academy

Educational trip (23-26 June 2025) taking 35 pupils to London for various West End musicals, workshops, and sightseeing. Specifically seeking support so two vulnerable pupils can attend despite extreme home circumstances/financial difficulties. Both pupils are heavily involved in Music/Drama.

£1,040

Supporting 2 beneficiaries

Club Summer Outing, June 2025

Helensburgh & District Chest, Heart and Stroke Club

Established 33 years ago, run by volunteers, self-funded for people who have had strokes or heart/lung conditions. Aims to reduce isolation and build confidence. The requested funding covers an annual group outing (Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre in Glasgow + lunch at IKEA). Total cost: ~£495.

£495

Supporting 25 beneficiaries

Canoe training in Luss

Kirkmichael Community Development Group

Two evening canoeing sessions in June 2025 for 7 youngsters and 1 adult from Kirkmichael, delivered by Paddlepower and Adventure in Helensburgh. Provides a new experience for participants who may not otherwise access water sports.

£520

Supporting 14 beneficiaries

Development of outdoor infant playground

St Joseph's Primary School

Improve the outdoor space for Primary 1 children (and eventually the whole school) by adding mud kitchens, picnic tables, and a seating/teaching area. School is in an area of deprivation; fundraising is slow. Seeking £1,000 to help accelerate the project.

Supporting 200 beneficiaries

Sports

Junior Coaches Kit Replacement

Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club

HAAC seeks to replace kit for 12 volunteer coaches who train children ages 9-16. The club tries to keep membership fees low and has limited revenue from races. Total kit cost ~£1,500.

£750

Supporting 100 beneficiaries

Contraflow

Contraflow Youth Project

Christian Youth Project in Helensburgh running school holiday clubs (Easter Code, Christmas Unwrapped, Seaside Special) aimed at P7s and broader local youth. Plans to introduce an eco-friendly approach and a breakfast club to reduce stigma for families struggling with food insecurity. Seeking £1,000 to maintain or enhance these activities.

Supporting 450 beneficiaries

Your Space

Helensburgh & Lomond Carers SCIO

Provides 12-week blocks of Tai Chi, Yoga, and gym sessions for unpaid adult carers. Prior support from Shared Care Scotland ended; the group seeks continuing funding to run these health/wellbeing classes. This benefits ~92 people (in total across the blocks). The group also invests in local venues/businesses for these sessions.

£1,190

Supporting 92 beneficiaries

KEEPING ACTIVE

Grey Matters Active Ageing

We run 3 fitness classes per week for older people, to improve strength and balance and reduce falls, slips and trips, to improve physical and mental health and also reducing loneliness and isolation. We hire trained professionals to facilitate these classes. Feedback from attendees is collated regularly and the groups have made a huge difference to the mobility and flexibility of members. One member reported that the classes helped her to recover from a hip operation another said its helped her to cope after a bereavement. Another has said the groups have given them a new outlook on life and they now have a circle of friends. (The Peer support in the group is wonderful) We have members with long term health conditions such as Parkinson's who attend the Tai Chi and they have reported many benefits too. Many people who attend are also Carers for a spouse and see these groups as 'Their Time' a chance to improve their health but also a chance to socialise and relax. We welcome self referrals and referrals from Health Professionals, family members and friends. We are a preventative measure and we see our groups and interventions reducing pressure on family and indeed the health services, that along with improving the life of the attendee we believe we make a huge impact our community. Our 3 groups including facilitation and hall hire would cost us around £5300 per year to run. We had applied to the Argyll and Bute Councils Supporting Community Fund Without any Success. We ask attendees for a small donation towards groups if they can afford it. Any funding we could get would be greatly appreciated and we are fully aware of all the wonderful causes in Helensburgh and Lomond that are equally worthy and needing funding.

Supporting 50 beneficiaries

Session leaders tablets

Fun First

Fun First was founded over 20 years ago and during that time, has been a consistent 'go to' organisation for local parents of children aged 0 to 5. Our service operates around 37 weeks each year typically in line with the school year delivering a range of sessions each week from various community venues. Some of our venues are in the heart of the Helensburgh community and others based in settings slightly further afield to reach rural families who find travel into Helensburgh a challenge. We also operate a number of sessions during school holidays and special events. We aim to not only provide fun sessions for children aiding the development of communication and motor skills, but encourage adult life skills and social connections. Our sessions are donation only; we believe that all children should have the best start in life, not just those who can afford it. We have on average 150 Helensburgh families using our service each year. We recently surveyed our families and 96% of adults said that Fun First was important to help maintain/improve their mental health and well-being. 98% of our families said that their children benefit from attending Fun First sessions for social, emotional, physical or language development. 40% of our families reported that due to the cost of living crisis, they cannot access children's classes and services that charge. It is therefore vital that Fun First continues in our community for these families, especially as there are sessions every day of the week. We would like to buy 6 Chromebooks for session leaders to use for sessions. We register all Fun First families at their first session and at each session a register is taken. At present this is all done on paper and inputted by our service coordinator. Not only is this not cost efficient as our service coordinator is paid hourly, but also is not the most environmentally friendly due to all the paper and printing (as well as associated costs). We will also use them to get feedback to help shape our sessions and ensure we are meeting the needs of our service users. The landscape of funding applications is increasingly competitive and we need to ensure that we are getting regular and up to date data to improve our chances of being awarded funding. Our service users are busy parents and carers, who need fast and efficient ways of responding. We feel that a tablet at sessions will significantly help us to achieve this aim, as well as allow session leaders to take photos for evidence and promotion.

£1,200

Supporting 500 beneficiaries

Helensburgh Lunch Club Christmas lunch and replacement of the lunch club freezer

The Helensburgh Lunch Club

A highlight of the calendar is the Club's Christmas lunch, provided free of charge to all members. Almost all members are widows or widowers, mostly living on their own, often isolated in the community, and very often unable to cook for themselves. About a quarter of members are over ninety years of age, and two members are registered blind. All members look forward to socialising at the club at lunchtimes, and especially look forward to the Christmas lunch. Members overwhelmingly rate the opportunity for socialising and 'getting out' as the most important aspects of the lunch club, highlighting both social and mental health benefits. Many directly reference how it 'combats isolation', 'combats loneliness' and say that 'people care about me here'. Expected Christmas lunch cost is £500. An additional part of this project is the need to replace the club's antiquated and failing freezer, important to the continued functioning of the club. Beko UFF4584W Frost Free Under Counter Freezer costing £260.

£760

Supporting 60 beneficiaries

Sports

Regeneration of Helensburgh Rugby Club Training Area and 3rd Playing Pitch with LED Floodlights

Helensburgh Cricket & Rugby Football Club

Helensburgh Rugby Club proposes the regeneration of its 3rd playing pitch and training area by installing new LED floodlights and upgrading existing ones which a majority of which are broken/not working. This initiative aims to improve energy efficiency and enable year-round training and matches, crucial during winter. The enhanced lighting will support the development of women's and girls' rugby teams, promoting inclusivity and diversity providing a better environment that is more welcoming and inclusive for adults, boys' and girls' training. Community groups will also benefit from improved evening access, with associated public health benefits. Aligned with Scottish Government priorities, the project will boost the local economy by improving access to community sports facilities and address the climate emergency through the introduction of energy-efficient lighting replacing inefficient sodium lighting with LED lights. The total project cost is estimated at £22,376, and we are seeking £3000 or a contribution. Key activities include: 1. Enabling Night-Time Grass Pitch Sport Facilities: Providing evening sports opportunities. 2. Expanding Sports Facilities: Opening access to community and local sports groups, and enhancing pathways from under 4s to adults, promoting health and well-being. 3. Promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Ensuring the facility is inclusive. Project timeline: Due to the scale of the project, completion is dependent on funding, of which we have commenced the project in Aug 24, due to club fundraising of £1000 and a grant received by the Friends of Scottish Rugby £2000. The project allows for an extended timeframe pending funding and we are able to complete the project in stages.

£2,250

Supporting 1,000 beneficiaries

Arts

Save the Tower

The Venue @ St Columba ltd

The Tower Cinema was in operation from 2014 - 2023 as a cinema and arts venue. It has been widely used by Helensburgh and surrounding area residents over the years. We now hope to purchase part of the building for the community and are in the process of completing stage 2 of our Scottish Land Fund application. Once we have secured the purchase of the building we intend to re-establish the provision of cinema for the community, showing latest releases, film festivals and live theatre streaming. We will also provide live performance in the main auditorium, including bands, theatre and talks. We plan to have a community enrichment programme focussing on the many groups that are routinely excluded and marginalised from cinema and arts entertainment. Helensburgh has a wealth of voluntary organisations that support such groups and we will partner with them. We feel very strongly that in providing a location for the community to experience live cinema and events, we save many hundred of journeys to facilities in Glasgow and beyond. This in turn will bring people to Helensburgh that will spend in other businesses in the town. We are looking to host a live event with a high quality band that would have wide appeal. The typical cost of this ranges from £1,500 - £2000. The McCommitments (the commitments tribute) is an example of the standard we would be looking to book. If successful with our grant from Heart we would hope that this fundraising event would generate between £3k - £3,500 for our project.

£1,500

Supporting 30,000 beneficiaries

Helensburgh Book Festival - a weekend of wellbeing through books and reading

Helensburgh Community Hub

Helensburgh Book Festival was born out of conversations between book groups and volunteers from Helensburgh Community Hub's Book Nook, Jean's Bothy mental health hub and Helensburgh and Lomond Carers Centre. We all recognised the benefits to our health and wellbeing from reading so we wanted to find ways to share our love of books and to encourage more people to read for pleasure. There is a wealth of research showing the importance of reading for pleasure: - A Yale University study found people who read for 30 minutes a day lived on average 23 months longer than those who did not - Reading is as important in terms of children's life chances as their parents' socio-economic status (OECD) - Children who read for pleasure are three times more likely to have better mental health than those who don't (National Literacy Trust) Our event is a community-focused book festival that's inclusive and accessible so that people can come together over books. Connecting our community is at the heart of the book festival, which is why the events also involve time for a chat over a cuppa and cake or glass of wine. More than 400 people of all ages were involved in this year's festival weekend and we are planning an increased number of events including school events and one in the fantastic setting of the drawing room of Hill House. Our ethos of community and inclusivity means that we offer the majority of events at low or no cost. To improve our accessibility, this year we want to also offer those who do not feel able to attend in person the opportunity to be involved by recording several of the sessions. We try to curate a mixture of topics from nature to crime to interest different people and ages, and we have both bigger sessions to allow more people to attend and smaller workshops that are more comfortable for some. We also support local writers through hosting pitching sessions and showcasing the work of the Jean's Bothy writing group among other local writers.

Supporting 400 beneficiaries

JLBTV100

Baird TV Centenary Trust

JLBTV100 is a programme of events commencing in September 2025 and running to May 2026 to celebrate the centenary of the invention of television by John Logie Baird. The programme aims to be as inclusive as possible with as many Helensburgh community organisations as possible (including HEART) participating in the programme of events culminating in a week long festival at the end of April 2026, to tie in with the cherry blossom on West Argyle Street, where JLB was born. The theme of the celebration is 100 years of television, invention and innovation. The programme will include a STEM programme with schools in partnership with the Royal Navy STEM team, concerts and art, theatre, projections, an exhibition, animation and film making projects and a host of other things. The Steering Group takes the view that if local organisations do what they normally do but adopt the themes mentioned above for their activities and events the overall festival programme will be successful and reach all corners of the community. We will be submitting some large funding bids and will shortly be sending out a call for costed project ideas to include in the overall bids to the Lottery Fund etc. The celebration of JLB and 100 Years of television in his home town will benefit all residents and be an attraction for visitors. We hope the legacy for our young people will be that they will go out into the world knowing that even though they come from a small town they too can change the world. We want this to be an event enjoyed by everyone in the community of all ages and abilities and it will engender community cohesion, partnership working, broad participation and pride in the town, as well as be enjoyable and helping to promote Helensburgh for the special place it is. JLB is our most famous son and on the centenary of the invention of television, an invention that changed the world, it is important that Helensburgh celebrates him, his invention and the town itself.

£400

Supporting 20,000 beneficiaries

Helensburgh Christmas Lights

Helensburgh Festive Lighting Charitable Trust

Helensburgh's Christmas lights spectacle consists of 140 features on lampposts, two overstreet features, a magnificent thirty foot tree in the square along with sixteen living trees lit with fairy lights and a very popular 'heritage' crib. The lights are switched on 23rd November and stay on until the second week in January. The sixteen trees in the square remain lit until the end of March. This display benefits residents, visitors, businesses in fact anyone who comes into Helensburgh town centre in the darkest of winter months. The display is the envy of many small towns and is known as 'The Best in the West'. It gives the town a tremendous economic boost and creates a sense of community and feel good factor for all our residents who can enjoy being part of a successful project totally run and financed by voluntary input. We want to keep repeating sense of well being for the foreseeable future but it is becoming quite challenging to raise public donations because household budgets are tight. Our guiding principle is to provide Christmas lights for the town with a switch on event which is free to everyone, no child of any age should be denied seeing Santa and the lights because of lack of funds, so we continue to be ticket free with everyone welcome. The Switch On event is now self financing attracting over 9000 people last year. We just need to raise the annual funds needed for the lights installation such as cherry picker hire, insurance, fuel and associated costs. All our team are volunteers and donate thousands of man hours to the project over the year, for example meeting once a week to do repairs on the features.

£1,500

Supporting 50,000 beneficiaries

Supporting others

Helensburgh and Lochside Helping Others

The group supports struggling and vulnerable families, pensioners with winter warmer packs, Food, Toiletries, Household items, New tenancies, Baby starter packs, and at Christmas over 350 families with gifts and several families with meals, Now starting the toys and treats appeal. I cover all areas from Coulport to Dumbarton, Arrochar, Luss and in between 365 days a year. Helensburgh and Lochside Helping Others. Can be found on Facebook

Supporting 250 beneficiaries

'Our Hometown'

Helensburgh and District Branch of Enable

The Helensburgh and District Branch of Enable is a community based club for adults with learning disabilities. The club aims to reduce social isolation and loneliness by providing opportunities for people to connect with each other and build trusted relationships in a safe and supportive environment. The sessions also provide 4 hours respite per week for families and carers in Helensburgh and surrounding areas. A lot of these members are vulnerable and isolated in the community as well as living in poor socioeconomic circumstances. The proposals below would promote more integration in the town; build and enhance relationships; whilst at the same time support small businesses. The club is run by volunteers who organise a range of activities on a twice weekly basis. The activities include crafts, music, games nights, keep fit etc. members also enjoy input from visiting groups and individuals such as music and sports groups. We would like to expand the range of activities we can offer our members whilst working with local small businesses. We have had some input over the years from small businesses but accept that we require funding to offset costs. Suggestions include: • Crafts - Pitter Patter Potter • Healthy Eating Plates - Nature's Harvest • Pamper/Grooming sessions - Various local businesses • Fabric crafts - Fabric and Finery (specifically safe draught excluders to follow on from our Warm Home Scotland session) In addition to this we would like to support our members to enjoy other activities and events in the town. These include: • Cultural events at Victoria Halls • Visit to Hillhouse/Geilston Gardens (we can access this free but require transport) • Meals out at local establishments • Cinema visits (When Tower Cinema reopens) • Attendance at local events such as The Winter Festival and Fireworks night The above activities require funding for transport and services. Any monies awarded would allow us to continue to enhance the lives of the members of Helensburgh and District Branch of Enable.