Community sports hub secures £400k support

A project to develop a community sports hub in Inverness has secured up to £400,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development is leading the £1.28m project, which will create five jobs and around 50 volunteering opportunities.

Additional funding will come from ICTCD’s own resources, as well as The Highland Council, SportsScotland, SSE, the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Football Partnership Fund, the James Anderson Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, McDonalds in the Community Foundation and the Bank of Scotland.

The hub will comprise sport and multi-functional leisure and recreation facilities with changing rooms, a classroom, office and four football pitches.

ICTCD is a not-for-profit charity and independent entity that provides a link between Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club and the community.

Its primary aim is to promote and improve the physical and mental health of both young and old through activity and provide an opportunity for everyone in Inverness and surrounding areas to participate in football.

The group already employs 22 people, 12 of whom are football coaches, and 10 volunteers. Together they provide coaching to all ages and football camps during school holidays.

The community hub is a major project for ICTCD. It is expected to generate almost £220,000 in social enterprise turnover by charging private groups to use the pitches and facilities.

It will be developed within 10 acres of grass playing fields at Inverness Royal Academy, currently leased from The Highland Council.

The new facilities will help alleviate the high demand for football space and the current situation of pitches having to be booked up to four months in advance.

It will also enable the team to work more closely together and cut down on travel.

James Turner, HIE’s head of strengthening communities for the Inner Moray Firth area, said:

“This is a very ambitious project by the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development group. It will strengthen and significantly extend the provision of football related physical activity options for people in and around the city, while securing employment and volunteering opportunities.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to support the project and look forward to continuing to work with the ICTCD as the project develops.”

Craig Masterton, ICT Community Development Manager, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that we have reached our funding target to proceed with the first two phases of the Hub project and our warmest thanks are extended to the many funders of our exciting project.

“The Hub will be the new home of the Community Development Team and we are hoping to have the facility up and running by the end of this year, providing our community with a much-needed grassed area for activity.”