The Ayrshire Family Support team of Scotland’s national children’s charity Children 1st has received a donation of £1,000 from housebuilder Mactaggart & Mickel Homes’ Building Communities Fund.

The charity supports children and families across Scotland to prevent harm from coming to vulnerable children, to support families, keep children safe and help children recover from traumatic and abusive experiences.

The charity’s Ayrshire family support team is based in Bourtreehill, Irvine, one of Scotland’s most deprived areas, and last year they supported 283 vulnerable children across the region, making a huge difference to their lives.

This much-needed donation will go towards transforming the Ayrshire team’s premises into a welcoming family space for staging summer events for local families and young people. These events, run by staff and volunteers, offer a great opportunity for families to build their own support network and include positive messages around keeping children safe, healthy eating and being active, and find out more about the help the charity can offer.

Mactaggart & Mickel Homes have a long history of supporting good causes and have previously supported Children 1st’s Midlothian Young Carers programme in Dalkeith. The Building Communities Fund was established to enhance the company’s ongoing efforts to help organisations and projects which enhance the lives of people within their local communities.

The fund is open throughout the year to applications from charities, community groups, sports teams and schools whose work is instrumental in communities near to any Mactaggart & Mickel Homes development under construction, including Greenan Views in Ayr.

Applications for funding are assessed and awarded by a cross section of Mactaggart & Mickel employees.

Joanne Casey, director at Mactaggart & Mickel Homes, said: “The work that Children 1st does for communities and families is very close to our hearts - we were very happy to give our support previously to the Young Carers programme in Dalkeith and we are now delighted to be helping this fantastic charity to the continue their good work with families in Ayrshire, an area with which we have a long association.”

Kirsty Aitken, service manager for Children 1st, said “This welcome funding from Mactaggart & Mickel Homes will make a tremendous difference. It will enable us to improve our facilities in Irvine, making them a more welcoming space for children and young people, giving them somewhere safe to go for support.”