Millport is to host its first ever Caribbean festival on the island this weekend over Friday and Saturday, and efforts are continuing to twin the island with Barbados.

The idea is the brainchild of Victoria Lee, who is a Crohn’s disease sufferer, and is hoping to build a luxury respite centre on the island by converting some old buildings behind the Garrison grounds.

Organisers are hoping that the Barbados acting High Commissioner Donville Johnstone, and other dignitaries will attend the celebrations.

Starting today, Friday, the Cumbrae Caribbean Calypso Challenge Cup takes place at Millport Golf Club, teeing off at 10am. They are still looking for two teams, if you want to enter, contact 07766 116 551.

Organisers say 35 exhibitors are coming from Barbados to the marquee outside the Garrison and will be selling a range of food, arts and crafts.

There will also be a Caribbean Dinner at The Newton Bar on Friday evening, and lots of family fun activities will be continuing throughout the weekend at The Garrison.

On Saturday a parade will take place at 12 noon with entertainment at the Garrison throughout the day. There will be a Bajan and Scottish Global Village with Bajan acts and a cook-off. In the evening a Millport’s Got Talent event will be held. The fun continues into Sunday with the Zig Zag Big Band playing in the marquee at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

The Newton Bar is showing a film - ‘The Red Legs of Barbados’ - on Friday evening which concerns Scotland’s historic links with Barbados - and there is a question and answer session.

The festival is being organised by Glitter Beach Foundation charity fundraiser Victoria Lee, who in the past, has beeen promoting the idea of a twinning arrangement between Barbados and Millport.

Mrs Lee has been behind a project to convert three old cottages at the back of the Garrison into a luxury respite centre for Crohn’s Disease sufferers.

In 2012, Cumbrae Community Council received a presentation from Mrs Lee who spoke of her hopes of raising enough money to buy the £179,000 valued property in the town and commencing the project which she sees as being akin to the spirit of Calum’s Cabin on the Isle of Bute.

Involved have been the Cumbrae Community Development Company and local MSP Kenneth Gibson when the idea was first mooted in 2012.

While the building was declared to be at risk by North Ayrshire Council back in 2009 - despite significant roof works taking place - Mrs Lee said that that demolishing it entirely may be the best option, before constructing a £500,000 replacement that remains sympathetic to its surroundings.

Crohns is an inflammatory bowel disease and stomas - artificial openings in the abdomen.

Glitter Beach have already raised money to send much needed Stoma bags to Barbados after Mrs Lee discovered that 2500 people need them, and instead had a plastic bag taped to their stomach - a situation which she described as ‘heartbreaking’.

Mrs Lee also revealed that she is planning to set up a Largs Stoma buddies support group in future.

For more details on the project, go to http://www.glitterbeachfoundation.co.uk/