There are just two weeks left for community groups and organisations to apply for a share of £60k as part of North Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership’s participatory budgeting scheme.

Projects which could help to aid recovery from substance addiction and prevent drug-related deaths across North Ayrshire are being offered the chance to bid for grants of between £8k and £10k as part of the scheme, with communities having the final say on who will receive the funding.

The event was announced at the North Ayrshire Summit on Drugs Related Deaths at Saltcoats Town Hall earlier this year, which was organised after a motion by Councillor Louise McPhater to declare a drugs death emergency was passed by North Ayrshire Council in September 2019.

In North Ayrshire there were 38 confirmed drug related deaths recorded in 2018. The number of deaths is expected to be higher still for 2019.

The deadline for applications is at midnight on Sunday, March 22.