Summer Cosy Spaces 2025 – Bringing People Together in Girvan
This summer saw the successful launch of a brand-new initiative in Girvan – Cosy Spaces Summer 2025.
Building on the achievements of previous Winter Cosy Spaces, the summer programme continued the same mission: to tackle loneliness and isolation by creating a safe, welcoming place where people could gather, share refreshments, enjoy music, and most importantly, enjoy good company.
A Community Effort
Funded by the Food Insecurity Fund, the summer programme ran one day a month from April through to August. Hosted at the Girvan Community Garden, each session welcomed the community from 11.00am to 2.30pm. Across the five events, around 200 local residents took part.
The sessions weren’t just well attended – they were also full of warmth, connection, and community spirit. Volunteers, led by Pam Holmes, worked hard to make sure everyone felt at home, preparing sandwiches, serving drinks, providing entertainment, and even doing the washing up!
Special Guests
The July gathering welcomed Elaine Stewart MP and Carol Mochan MSP, who visited during the parliamentary recess. Both took time to chat with attendees, join in with the activities, and experience the friendly atmosphere for themselves.
Elaine Stewart MP said:
“It was a pleasure to pop along to one of the Summer Cosy Spaces in Girvan Community Garden. The perfect environment to enjoy a chat and a relax with the community. I have no doubt that the initiative benefitted many through the summer.”
Carol Mochan MSP added:
“The Summer Cosy Spaces events are a fantastic example of how communities can come together and support initiatives that offer real benefits to locals. I had a wonderful time attending the event and given the time and effort the volunteers put into organising it, it’s no surprise it has been so successful. I wish the team all the best with their Winter Programme.”
Positive Impact
Pam Holmes, who co-ordinated the sessions, shared:
“We decided to try something different this year and create opportunities for people to get together during the summer months. The feedback from the local community was hugely positive, with around 200 participants across the five sessions. We are so grateful to those who prepared and served the food and refreshments (and washed the dishes!!) and to those who provided musical entertainment. Many thanks to everyone who made this possible.”
The Role of Girvan Town Team
The Girvan Town Team was proud to play the role of “an enabler” in making this initiative possible. This included leading on funding applications, developing promotional materials for both social media and print, and providing ongoing support to volunteers throughout the duration of the project.
Looking Ahead
Following the success of the summer programme, we’re delighted to announce the return of the traditional Winter Cosy Space sessions. These will run from 28th October through to the end of March, continuing to provide a warm, welcoming space for the community to come together over the colder months.
