Three island projects get funding boost

Members of three island community organisations that received Scottish Government funding worth a total of £85,000 are making great progress with their projects.

Two organisations on Cumbrae and one on Arran received funding to deliver projects that support the ambitions of the National Islands Plan.

The successful projects are:

• Garrison House, Isle of Cumbrae - £30,000 to help complete renovations as part of an ongoing conservation project
• Kildonan Hall, Isle of Arran - £25,000 for the creation of Kildonan Community Café and Shop and
• The Cumbrae Youth Forum Premises Project, Isle of Cumbrae - £30,000 for the redevelopment of a drop-in centre.

At Garrison House in Millport the funding is being used to help restore and ensure the long-term sustainability of the building which provides vital community facilities.

The Cumbrae Community Development Company (CCDC) charity runs Garrison House had previously received more than £730,000 in Scottish Government Islands Programme Funding for refurbishments including modernising windows, creating a gym in partnership with KA Leisure and building a Changing Places Toilet to improve facilities for visitors with a disability or specific access needs.

CCDC Business Manager Jan Wilkie said: “Replacing the windows was only possible thanks to the Scottish Government funding.

“We secured just over £730,000 in Islands Programme Funding, and this allowed us to make progress with the renovation project at Garrison House.

“This involved work on the west, south and east elevations of the building. We have replaced all of the windows on the first floor and ground floor, and carried out repointing of the building.

“The funding also allowed for the creation of a Changing Places space within a toilet block in the grounds, and it is also enabling the creation of a community gym in the main building that will be open in the near future.”

Fi McKenzie, Chair of Cumbrae Youth Forum, says the £30,000 – plus additional Cost of Living Crisis Emergency Funding – has been vital for the organisation’s plans to renovate their drop-in centre.

She explained: “It was formerly a chapel and was renovated in the ‘90s by a former Cumbrae youth project and we are following in their footsteps and have taken over the leasehold for the building.

“This means we now have opportunities to open a breakfast club, a creche and emergency childcare - for example, if the ferries are off because of the weather. We will also have extra space for learning support, training opportunities and lots of other things with this great wee space.

“It has been well received, so far, by the people who use it and we can’t believe the difference in it. The kids just genuinely love being here and so do we.

“We would never have been able to do it without the island-specific support of the Scottish Government, which has been amazing.”

On the south-east side of Arran, Kildonan Community Café and Shop at Kildonan Hall is now up and running after opening its doors in March 2026.

Jenny Gilchrist, Treasurer of the Hall, said: “We have had absolutely incredible support from the Scottish Government for this project.

“The village used to have two hotels, two tearooms, a shop and a post office – unfortunately, now that is not the case, so there was a real need to develop a social hub where people could come and meet and also pick up some essential groceries.”

To find out more about the National Plan for Scotland’s Islands, go to the dedicated Scottish Government web page.

Published: 28 May 2026