1 What do we want to do?

We want to source match funding (£45k already secured through grants and community fundraising) to employ an individual to be the Project and Fundraising Manager for the TRACC campaign.  The current volunteer steering group does not have the time nor the skills to progress this project in a timely manner.  Key tasks will be:

• Finalise the building design (planning permission already in place)
• Liaise with the wider community and key stakeholders on progress
• Identify and secure funding to enable the build to progress

2 Why is the project important for the community?

With the recent consultation on the future of TRACC the community's strength of feeling about TRACC was evident.  This has resulted in a 5 year plan to continue to operate TRACC whilst the community raises the funding for a replacement pool, multi-purpose hall, gym and assocated facilities.  The report from the consultation is avaialble on The Highland Council's website.  The importance of TRACC is relected in the draft local place plan for Tain and the Easter Ross peninsula.

3 What positive impact will the project have?

The initial project of securing the funding for the Project and Fundraising offer will have the positive impact of:

• Developing and delivering the vision to ensure access to sports facilities is secured into the future
• Securing the leadership and time this project requires to move at pace within the 5 year deadline
• Co-ordinate and sustain the approach to fundraising

The wider positive impacts to our community of maintaining access to the TRACC facility include:

• Continued mental and physical health benefits of accessing sports
• Reducing social isolation
• Life skills/water safety through learn to swim
• Alleviating impacts of living in poverty
• Economic opportunity with the protection of jobs but also as a result of events, particularly swimming competitions
• Continued development of regional and national athletes through the Tain Amateur Swimming Club

4 What Key Milestones have you achieved so far?

• Co-ordinated community response to the consultation on the future of TRACC
• Community leaders identified and establishment of TRACC campaign
• Consituted TRACC Campaign through existing local community forum (Tain Initiative Group)
• Initial local fundrasing securing approx £45k

Our next steps must be to secure funding for a Project and Fundraising Manager to co-ordinate and deliver the campaign.

5 Anticipated start and end date

The TRACC Campaign started at the beginning of July 2025.  TRACC in its current form will remain open until at least March 2032.  This is the timescale to raise the funding for the replacement building and complete the build if there is to be no break in accessing facilities in Tain and the surrounding Easter Ross and East Sutherland areas.