A Christmas message from South Ayrshire Provost, Iain Campbell

The festive season is a perfect time to look back and reflect on the past year, and also look ahead with hope for what's to come in the new year.

2025 is shaping up to be a busy year for South Ayrshire Council. As you may know, a number of exciting "Ward Capital Projects" are planned to begin in the new year or are already underway. These projects are part of the Council's substantial investment in every one of South Ayrshire's wards, and include large scale projects such as road improvements, outdoor seating, play areas and more.

Our commitment to making South Ayrshire a destination of choice was demonstrated again in the phenomenal success of this year's International Ayr Show - Festival of Flight which was even bigger and better than the previous year!

I'm really looking forward to the festival returning again in 2025 and I'm sure it will be another spectacular event which will boost the local economy. I'm particularly proud of the support the Council has been able to offer to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) as the airshow's charity partner. The charity's remarkable efforts support current and former members of the RAF and their families. Ensuring soldiers and veterans receive the support they need - whether financial, emotional, or otherwise - is incredibly important. The festive period is always a key time in charities' fundraising calendars, and I would encourage you to keep the RAFBF in mind for donations this Christmas.

This time of year is also a perfect opportunity to thank and show kindness towards the members of our community who continue to work through the festive period providing essential services to keep us safe and well. This not only includes members of our Emergency Services and Armed Forces, but also those who work in the service and hospitality industry to make our festive celebrations possible. It goes without saying that I'd also like to thank the staff of South Ayrshire Council for all they do to support the people of South Ayrshire.

I'd like to extend my gratitude to Voluntary Action South Ayrshire (VASA) for all their efforts to support a thriving third sector and volunteer community. Christmas is a time of giving, and there's no greater generosity than giving up one's own time to volunteer and help others.

I am grateful that in my role as Provost I get to celebrate the wonderful organisations that serve our community and get the chance to meet their fantastic workers and volunteers and hear the stories of their service users.

A recent example was when I was invited along to Headway Ayrshire's 30^th anniversary celebration to commend their staff, volunteers, and clients for their fantastic achievements in 2024. Headway Ayrshire provides a range of services to people who have experienced head and brain injury and raises awareness about the life-changing effects this can have on people's lives.

Throughout the year I've been lucky enough to attend many events hosted by our schools, and also welcomed pupils along to my Provost's School Footprint Challenge event. We're never short of talent amongst the young people of South Ayrshire and this year I was certainly blown away. We must also thank the teachers who give up much of their time to make events such as these successful and encourage our incredible pupils to thrive.

It has been my privilege to meet many wonderful people over the last twelve months who selflessly give their time to improve the lives of others and shine a light on what can sometimes seem like a dark world.

However, we're now heading towards Christmas, a time that brings brightness and cheer to so many. I hope that it's a time of celebration, spent with loved ones, and  wish you all a new year filled with peace and happiness.