By Paul Cooper

A local service that provides valuable resources to people in an Ayr community have started work on upgrading their dilapidated changing facilities and Pavilion.

Whitletts Vics in the community operate from New Voluntary Park, Whitletts, where the Whitletts Victoria amateur side and a variety of football teams, play and train at the ground under that banner.

Whitletts Victoria senior football team also play their home matches there, and although they work alongside the facility in some respects, they are a separate entity.

As well as football, the service also have a close involvement with the local community through a number of wellbeing classes they put on throughout North Ayr.

Community Football Development Officer for Whitletts Vics in the community Louis Kerr, spoke to the UWS newsroom about their exciting future plans and a vision to “bring people together” in North Ayr.

He said: “We have various groups that we run throughout the day, one at Lochside Community Centre called Mental Mondays, we have a walking group at Dalmilling Church and a gym group as well.

We also have youth football teams, that ranges from 3 years old up to under 20’s and that’s part of our football programme.

We run community football programmes as well for kids, these are on during the school holidays and are free to attend, lunch is provided for free as well.”

The much-needed work to the changing facilities started last year and is targeted to be finished soon.

This will put an end to players having to arrive already changed for games or having to use changing facilities at the nearby Whitletts Activity Centre.

Louis continued: “Works already started on the Pavilion, they’ve been in here since the end of 2024 and they’ve made a lot of progress.

I think the target is May 2025 that most of the work can be done. It’s like a phased building of it, the changing rooms first, then the rest will be getting done.”

Although ‘Vics in the Community’ are based in and around North Ayr, he was also quick to point out that anyone is welcome.

He added: “Anyone is free to come along, but it’s mainly within North Ayr there’s high levels of deprivation, we aim to try and help people within the local community that are maybe struggling.”

UWS Newsroom also spoke to Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer, William Bowler, to find out what the service means to him.

William was born and raised in the area, his two sons play within the ‘Vics’ youth setup and after starting as a coach, he talked about his journey into employment at New Voluntary Park.

He said: “I volunteered as a coach for the last five years, a role opened up and I’ve been an employee for the last six months.

Because I’m from the local area you can see the challenges that some of the kids are facing.

For me, it’s something that I’m passionate about, that safe space where somebody can come and be included regardless of your background.

You can try and create that confidence and see them grow as individuals.”

The future looks bright for the people of North Ayr, as when the final work on the Pavilion is completed, the wellbeing classes that are held elsewhere in the community are planned to be centralised to the new hub at the ground.

This will mark a major achievement for Whitletts Vics in the Community and the fact that all their facilities will then be under one roof, could provide more football and welfare opportunities for service users in years to come.

Louis continued: “Future plans will be to continue all the good work that we do and really build on it.

With the Pavilion being built it’ll mean that we can have a central hub, where we can bring people together and that will have so many benefits for the local community.”