Letham Climate Challenge wish to develop our Furniture Store to create a community tool library. Just like a library for books, you can have access to things you sometimes need or want to use without spending lots of money and without having to find space for it in your home. Examples include tools for DIY projects or sewing machine; pressure washer, carpet cleaner, camping equipment, specialist cookware or even an electric bike. 

We currently sell second hand furniture and household electricals PAT tested by our volunteers. This project would allow us to extend the scope of our organisation by reducing our communities spending while contributing to our carbon net zero targets. By using our tool library, members would save money, save space, and save the planet.

We are currently in a cost-of-living crisis, and are based in an economically deprived area. Tool libraries across the UK are known to save their uses an average of £300 per user per year. We might all have a small basic tool kit in our homes, but when it comes to larger, more expensive items many people cannot justify the expense.     

Home-owners with limited resources could then maintain their homes, which helps to provide for housing security. We would like to encourage more of our customers to develop their DIY skills so that furniture can be upcycled to increase their longevity. As an organisation we pride ourselves on encouraging sustainable living and sustainable practices. With the production of a tool library, we can provide our community with access to hundreds of useful items for free. This will encourage our community to try out those upcycling projects, to mend their existing items rather than buying new. 

By sharing resources, we are making our community stronger and more resilient. By borrowing instead of buying we are reducing production and consumption of the same, infrequently used items. Our community would be reducing their carbon footprint and helping to transition towards a circular economy. By not buying new items, we reduce the amount of resources extracted from the Earth, save energy from production and reduce the amount of eventual waste.

We intend to track the amount of items borrowed to track the collective carbon saved by our community. We are promoting the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling among people in Perth, demonstrating how small actions can address the climate emergency. 

We have the space, but now require the tools and equipment to build an inventory. We will seek as much second-hand as possible, but many items will need to be purchased from new. We also need to create an online inventory website to list items available, and allow registration for membership and members to book out items. We expect the tool library to be very popular, so would require a part time member of staff to manage it and itemise all of the items being borrowed and returned.

2025 will be our fourth year running our Back to School Pack. In 2021 we provided 152 packs, in 2022 - 340, in 2023 - 400, and in 2024 we provided 512 Back to School Packs and 91 Back to Nursery Packs (our first year running this service). Our Packs are available to anyone who lives in these wards.

What is in a Back to School Pack? 

Our packs include 3 shirts, 2 bottoms, 2 jumpers/cardis, 2 PE t shirts, 2 PE bottoms, a PE jumper and a school bag. We also aim to include school shoes and/or trainers plus stationary and other back to school essentials like pack lunch boxes or pencil cases. Everything a child needs for taking part in their school journey. 

What is in a Back to Nursery Pack?

Our Back to Nursery packs include 5 days of mix and match outfits; 5 jumpers, 5 t-shirts, 5 bottoms, messy play clothing, a seasonal jacket and footwear. We also add in extras such as sun hats, vests and socks as we know children need these items to fully participate in their learning and no one comes home clean after one day in nursery!

Packs are personalised to each schools colours and the child’s style preferences (so you can tell us if they won’t wear shorts, or will only wear cardigans!) and their sensory needs to make sure the packs are made to suit the individual. We also ask for bag colours and characters and try our hardest to match up to their personal style. We believe our service should make the child feel confident and comfortable that they match their peers. 

SO IF YOU THINK THAT...

- All children should have access to high quality school uniform?

- We should protect our environment and make positive pre-loved clothing choices? 

- By making little changes to our own lifestyle to support others we can make big changes for the future of our children?

Then please support us by voting for our Back to School & Nursery Pack project.  Thank you.

Team Social Flock

Strathearn United Football Club request funding to allow those people living on low incomes with low self-esteem and social issues to enjoy our activities and improve their health and quality of life. The key to the club is making friends, improving health and building confidence. 

We will be the only club in Perthshire to be in the Scottish Warriors League, who are supporting many males overcome anxiety, mental health issues, social isolation and prevent suicides. 

Our volunteer coaches are qualified in football, mental health, exercise and nutrition. We also have a welfare officer as well as a club chaplain who is available for confidential chats when needed. 

We seek funding of £2,930 to cover the cost of allowing up to 15 people who wish to attend but are unable to due to financial hardship.  We request funding to cover the session fees, sports kit and transport costs. 

However, the best way to understand what a difference our club can make is to watch the video from a similar Warrior club to ours, Denny Warriors. Watch Gary from Denny talk to former England international Ashley Cole about how football saved his life.

Your vote just might save someone's life!

Meigle Parent Council would like to bring a fun range of clubs to the children of Meigle, Alyth, Coupar Angus and surrounding areas. 

We understand that the the cost of living crisis has impacted families to the point that they can no longer afford to pay for their children to attend clubs and classes outside of school. We have also identified that there is a lack of after school activities in the local area.

Our plan is to offer a different club for 8 weeks each term, running from April 2025-April 2026, including art, dance, outdoor skills and yoga & mindfulness. These would be led by experienced instructors within Meigle Kinloch Hall and Belmont Woods for outdoor activities. A healthy snack would also be provided at every session. We intend to give each child that attends the yoga & mindfulness classes a Mindfulness Journal to take home to continue what they will learn in the class. 

Children's Mental Heath Charity Place2Be's 2025 theme is 'Know Yourself, Grow Yourself'. We feel that the activities we have selected will give them the safe and supported space to explore their interests that will ultimately help support and enhance their mental wellbeing. We hope that through these classes they develop healthy life skills and habits, boost their self confidence and build resilience to help them cope with whatever life may put their way. 

We have based our numbers on approximately 20 children, coming to this number by looking at similar classes that have run in the past in similar sized villages. 

Partizan Gymnasium is a new Boxing and Kickboxing Gym based in North Muirton Perth. I’ve grown up and lived in North Muirton and aspire to give back to the community after travelling the world gaining a wealth of experience in both sports and achieving Scottish & British titles.

Knowing how boxing and kickboxing has enhanced my life, my aim is to share what I’ve experienced with the local community and provide a chance for people to get involved in both sports. In response to the cost-of-living crisis and the continuous interest from youths and community organisations it has inspired us to develop this free programme to support young people, provide new opportunities to learn skills, without putting financial strains on families.  

Through Boxing and Kickboxing we can address so many social issues and we are keen to work with partners in the community to tackle these. After recent spates of anti-social behaviour there is an increasing number of youths who are disengaged.

At Partizan Gymnasium we want to promote a sense of pride in the community which is why we are developing a new angle of approach to widen opportunities to get involved with sport, in a safe environment, with our motivated and keen coaches and volunteers who are positive role models supporting this programme.

Partnership working is key to our proposal, we already have a wide range of partners on board including interest from the Police Scotland and the Safer Communities team and we are keen to explore new partnerships. As we build trust with our young people we can support them to build confidence and develop skills in the sport that they can use in their everyday life and become a part of the community. We can work with them to engage with the community supports available to them through partner organisations that can provide them with the supports they need, improving their life chances.

We plan to run a referral system for this programme and we are keen to work with Schools and Community organisations/ groups who are at the frontline and working with youths deemed hard to reach, as a result of the impact of the cost of living crisis.

We will run 3 Allstars programmes targeting different age groups throughout the year and we plan to work with 20 individuals each programme.

The 12 week programme is divided into 3 key areas and can be adapted to reflect the different age groups involved, some activities may change in order keep things fun and engaging.

The full programme can be viewed as an attachment and will cover three main areas.

Week 1 – 4 = Fundamentals (Weeks 1 – 4)

Week 5 – 8 = Wellbeing, Fitness and Nutrition (Weeks 5-8)

Week 9 -12 = Technique and Finesse (Weeks 9 – 12)

As part of our funding, we will purchase additional boxing gloves, shin guards and pads required for participants to use during the programme, this equipment is costly and can be reused for those who aren’t able to buy their own equipment. I would also like to offer Allstars participants a Partizan Gymnasium T-shirt and certificate on completion of the programme.

 With this funding we will also look to upskill volunteers with Boxing Scotland coaching qualifications, First Aid training and cover the cost of PVG scheme disclosures.

Being able to offer opportunities like this to the community and share my passion was entirely why Partizan Gymnasium was set up, Allstars success will also provide evidence for future programmes and the future of Partizan Gymnasium.

We want to enable more local people to access cheap or free bikes that have been serviced by our volunteers. We are currently needing a store for bikes that need serviced and this fund will help to build this.  We also need to make our workshop wind and waterproof and this will contribute to this work.  Once this is completed we will then be able to train and help local people to service, store and maintain bikes, all for free!!

We want to identify families that would benefit from our charitable aims and support all members to enjoy the wonderful local cycle routes.  Imagine a picnic on Lady Mary's or a trip for great coffee and cakes at Farmton Honesty box?

We will help all those that need follow up servicing and help them to see cycling as accessible and an easy way to get about Crieff.  

The Care Van operates with the support of local churches in Perth, Holy Trinity, St John’s Episcopal Church and St Marks, Letham. The outreach model reduces barriers to accessing support whenever possible and is available to all. The Care Van brings community and support to those in Perth who need it. Every Wednesday the Care Van is located at St Catherines Square and St John’s Episcopal Church, strategically located near multiple temporary accommodation hostels. During the winter months, this stop with St John’s operates as a warm space. In July 2024 the service expanded to the Letham area, as it was identified as an area where one-to-one support often took place. This stop has been in demand from the outset, with 415 access to support since launching.  

Swarthick, our Pioneer Coordinator who runs the Care Van, has worked with people experiencing homelessness in Perth for over a decade, and he was highly involved in shaping the service of the Care Van to ensure it was addressing local needs. There are several well-established organisations in Perth who provide a meal for those who need it, but we identified a serious lack of outreach and support for transient individuals struggling with homelessness and other complex needs. Our Care Van is helping to fill this gap. The demand for Swarthick's time and assistance since he initiated the Care Van in 2021 is further evidence of the need. He supports over 1,500 presentations each year through the van and through those connections, he assists around 60 people with more targeted, one-to-one support. And last year, the demand for one-to-one support was much greater, in large part due to the Cost-of-Living Crisis. A local resident himself, Swarthick has become well-known in the community, and he is often stopped by service users wanting support on visits to the supermarket or walks along the high street in his free time. 

Two examples of the collaborative work done by our Pioneer Coordinator and volunteers: 

During our regular care van stops, we met Cindy. She was quite shy and hesitant to approach the van at first, but after a lot of reassurance, she found the confidence to approach the van and accept some support. She was suffering from the consequences of a traumatic and abusive marriage breakdown, and she didn't know where to go for help. Over a few weeks, we were able to signpost her to various organisations, and we offered one-to-one support whenever she needed. Remarkably over a period of 8 months, Cindy built her confidence enough to find work. She also moved out of social housing into a private let and has held a job ever since. We're still in touch with Cindy and every now and then still receive a message from her stating how grateful she is for the support we gave her.  

John was already receiving some one-to-one support when he received a letter from the DWP that he didn't understand. On reading the letter, Swarthick thought it was strangely worded, and the letter asked for proof of ID. Swarthick phoned the helpline for John, and it was suggested that the letter must be sent in error because they don't need evidence for clients who have been in receipt of benefits for several years, as John had. They said nothing further needed to be done; however, three months later another letter appeared asking the same questions and threatening detrimental consequences if there was no response. This made John panic, and his anxiety peaked. John has limited literacy and is unable to use a computer, which made handling the situation even harder for him. Swarthick called the helpline again and was put through to the department that investigates fraud. They said that a form of sophisticated fraud was committed using John's details and that is why photographic evidence was needed to confirm his identification. John only had a bus pass as a form a photo ID, and Swarthick suggested that a copy of the bus pass could be posted. Swarthick also informed them about John's literacy, and based on this information, they said that an official would contact Swarthick if they required to get in touch with the service user. A few weeks later, the entire case was dropped due to the rightful intervention. John was delighted with the outcome, and his anxiety dramatically reduced once the situation was resolved. 

Our project

We work tirelessly to empower refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable individuals to rebuild their lives in a foreign land. Through consistent engagement with our students and service users, we have identified a pressing need many of them are battling poverty due to unemployment. A significant number of new refugees have recently joined our society with little to no knowledge of how to access employment opportunities. Despite their eagerness to work and contribute, they lack the skills, confidence, and awareness needed to secure jobs.

To address this challenge, we are launching the "Job Club” project, a program exclusively designed to equip refugees and asylum seekers with the essential skills and confidence to enter the workforce. This initiative will provide a structured pathway to employment through tailored workshops, practical training, and one-on-one support.

Objectives

1. To teach key employability skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, and job search strategies.
2. To build participants’ confidence through soft-skills training, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
3. To provide guidance on navigating the job market, including understanding workplace culture and labor laws.
4. To foster connections with local employers and create opportunities for work placements or apprenticeships.

Activities

• Weekly classes on employability skills.
• Mock interviews and practice sessions.
• Digital literacy training for job applications and online communication.
• Networking events with local employers and recruitment agencies. We regularly work with Street League, Search, and Graham Hygiene. Our in-house Admin Officer supports our students with searching for jobs on job boards, applying for suitable jobs, and writing CVs.
• Ongoing mentorship and support to help participants sustain employment.

Expected Outcomes

1. Increased employability among refugees and asylum seekers.
2. Improved confidence and self-reliance in navigating the job market.
3. Strengthened connections between employers and the refugee community.
4. Reduction in poverty levels within the community

After public consultation we know that there is demand for community allotments in the North Muirton area.

These will provide a huge range of benefits to those who are involved, including fresh, sustainable food, a real sense of community, exercise and fresh air, access to others’ knowledge and skills, and access to a tool library.

The increased cost of living is affecting everybody, and having somewhere local, cheap, and healthy to meet others will be of huge benefit. Allotments often become social hubs for those who engage, meaning people will not need to pay to travel into the city centre to meet friends. Tools are often a large expense in gardening and DIY, the library will alleviate this allowing people to make meaningful improvements to their home, garden, and life.

This is not a profit making exercise. We expect to charge at most £30 per year to cover the cost of general upkeep and stocking the tool library.

We are also in conversation with Riverside Primary School and if successful will provide them an allotment for free to help educate the next generation on food, nutrition, budgeting, and sustainability.

North Muirton Community Group is well established as a constituted group that works to support local people, running free lunches, multiple Community Fun Days which attract hundreds of people, maintaining the local Community Hall and providing that space at low rates for other groups to use.

There is a disused and graffiti covered pitch owned by the council that in principal they have agreed we can use for allotments when we have the funding in place. It is currently an eyesore between the community and the river, a common dog walking spot, so transforming it visually would also be an important benefit to the community.

This funding would get us started on the project but not finished. Securing the allotments from vandalism is vitally important and this funding would go towards that in the main. The next step would be building in the actual allotments and acquiring tools, before launching them for the community.