We want to provide the opportunity for high quality, accredited bike maintenance training through the delivery of the nationally recognised Velotech Bronze award.

Velotech are the UK industry leader in mechanical cycle maintenance training and we would like to be able to deliver the nationally recognised Bronze level award to young people living in Northfield. This training will present an opportunity to gain a vocational qualification and increase employability as well as empowering participants to not only fix and maintain their own bikes but to also offer that service to others as a qualified person.

This funding will allow for up to 20 people to take part in the 2 day course which can be delivered in the community by qualified Adventure Aberdeen staff.

This is an excellent opportunity for young people interested in developing their skills in basic mechanics or interested in career pathways in this area

ALC recently held a workshop at St Machar Academy which listened to students’ thoughts on the issues and challenges facing their communities and to hear their suggestions for services ALC could provide which could help. Students highlighted many issues, However, there was two notable recurring themes, which was access to a safe warm environment and the of issues related to food poverty ortunately, ALC is in a great position to address these concerns. We propose to offer a breakfast club primarily for academy student though open to younger age groups if required. The service will be available five days a week during term time and open from 07:30-09:00. 

One in six children aged 5-16 have a probable mental health disorder and since Covid, mental health issues in young people have increased by 58%. In 2025, children face many challenges such as bullying and complicated home lives which can result in depression, low self-esteem and difficulty making friends. They can be angry with the world and subsequently can be withdrawn or disruptive at school and home, because they struggle to cope with their emotions.

Our Flourish Project helps to improve mental and emotional well-being, self-esteem and resilience by supporting children to see their own potential, giving them ‘permission’ to dream and helping them to develop future aspirations with achievable goals.

Our project is not a ‘Quick Fix’. It supports them to face and cope with their everyday life challenges and long-term objectives. Over 8 weeks (8 x 1 hour sessions) our volunteer trainers help young people to see themselves in a more positive way by looking at:- how personal life beliefs are formed; the power of thought and how it effects behaviour; effects of social media; positive self-esteem and healthy self-talk and celebrating personal growth and development.

Since starting 3 years ago, we have worked with 580 children with very positive, long-term results. With your help, we aim to work with 400 more in North Aberdeen in 2025, aged between 10 and 14. Our Flourish Project really makes positive life changes in young lives and we want to make that difference to every young life that needs it.

Empowher is a peer-to-peer mental health support group for women in Aberdeen. Setup in Nov. 2024 the group meets on a fortnightly basis for 1 hour & provides a safe space for women to have open & honest discussions around mental health, with a focus on suicide prevention. The idea came from the founders' lived experience, recognition in the success of groups such as Andy’s Man Club & Man chat, and identification of a lack of similar help for women.  The venue is a cosy room in Hilton Community Centre, which has been popular, and has been free while the group has been set up. The Centre is very near Woodside and at least two regular participants are from Woodside. The project aims to help women help each other with improvement of their mental wellbeing. About 8 people have come along to each session with varying degrees of mental health issues, some with Autism or ADHD & is inclusive to anyone struggling or feeling alone. The budget includes venue hire for the fortnightly meetings for a year, as well as separate professional art therapy for people who would like to try this. The group will also aim to find free, in-kind advice from specialist organizations, to learn more about keeping the group going safely.  

We are applying for funding to expand our free soup and sandwich club from once per month to two times per month. The overall aim of the soup and sandwich club is to reduce social isolation, improve mental health, and to reduce food poverty which are key issues in our locality. The project will run on a Thursday between 11:00 – 13:00 whereby local people can come along to their community centre and enjoy a light lunch of free soup and sandwiches. This project will reduce the barriers tolocal people having access to a free nutritious meal whilst developing stronger ties to their local area. This project will also help towards the important goal of reducing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis by ensuring people do not go hungry.

We have a programme of three levels. All the schools start with the first level where we cover the essential and basics of first aid. We start with how to keep themselves safe, why we do first aid, calling for help, talking about how we can be the ones to help friends and family. Not only with people that we know but this can also be used in the wider community. We also cover asthma, choking, DRAB and recovery position. We have discussions, the children do group work, fill in booklets they can keep and hands on practice of DRAB and recovery position.

One in five people live below the poverty line and with the rising cost of living crisis, many more people are finding themselves struggling to pay bills including putting food on the table. The Aberdeen North Foodbank is one of 428 Trussell foodbanks across the UK, providing 3 day, nutritionally balanced food parcels for those in need as well as providing a friendly face, a listening ear and practical support. In 2024, our foodbank was extremely busy, provided more than 50,000 meals to 11,000 people in crisis and unfortunately, we expect these numbers to be similar in 2025. Our costs to run the foodbank are also rising, and whilst we have support from The Trussell Trust and local supermarkets, we still have to find around £30,000 per year to pay for additional food needs, warehouse costs, staffing and for running a van to transport supplies to both our foodbanks. Most of this comes from grants, appeals and donations of both food and money and we are incredibly lucky to have a group of very dedicated volunteers, who help us to run our food warehouse and the two foodbanks in central Aberdeen. No-one should be hungry and without food. Support from Central U Decide, will ensure that we can support families and individuals most in need in 2025.

This project aims to organise gaming nights that will bring gamers together from different backgrounds to enjoy various video games in a friendly environment. There will be a mix of competitive tournaments, casual play and opportunities for participants to connect and share their gaming experiences. Friendly competitions with prizes for winners to encourage participants to compete and showcase their skills

Outcomes/Impact – Strengthened relationships, positive lasting connections, new friendships and enriching community. Creating opportunities for those who identify as socially isolated or vulnerable to take part in activities. Increase volunteering opportunities in the area and the communication of them and to provide more activities/spaces for children and young people to participate in/be together

Middlefield Hub will facilitate monthly Games and Activity sessions with our Nurseries, Youth Hub, and Older Adults in the area.

The purpose of these sessions will be help combat isolation and loneliness, keep older people active engaged in lifelong learning opportunities such as arts n crafts, board games, dancing, and more.

Young people that attend the Youth Hub will support adults with taking part, serving food/drinks, and helping them work their mobile phones and tablets. Nursery children will take part in activity and sing songs, make gifts and birthday cards during the week, and create more opportunities for different age groups to mix and be around each other.

Studies show mixing generations and ages is beneficial for everyone. These experiences, which will also have food and drinks at each session to help combat poverty and the cost of living crisis, will help nursery children in their development and learning, older youths will gain valuable experiences to help them reach their full potential, as well as increase learning about other people and empathy, and will help older people feel connected with the community. We can also use these sessions to signpost participants and families to other services at The Hub and in the community should they need further help or support. We will also invite different agencies to come in and speak to groups about other services, such as AHSCP Wellbeing Team, Sport Aberdeen, AFCCT, Mental Health Aberdeen, SamH, and more.

Kincorth is called the garden estate. Although the area has many green spaces the community doesn’t use this to its advantage, many of the areas are under developed or over grown particularly the trees. This project is about creating a safe and welcoming green spaces for the residents in the Gardner community. We want to take community action to develop the areas to provide green spaces that are used by all residents to socialise and enjoy nature. We want children to be able to feel safe and play in a positive clean environment. Our ideas include planting and growing flowers and cultivating vegetables using raised beds, seating for residents and equipment to support wildlife and biodiversity. We want to motivate people to take a personal pride in their area, clean encouraging owners to clean after their dogs.