1. We wish to promptly deal with the large amount of damp and mould in all areas of the clubhouse, and by addressing damp issues quickly, we hope these repairs can prevent further deterioration and maintain the longevity of the building structure.

• It is well known damp environments provide ideal conditions for mould and mildew growth, which not only contribute to unpleasant odours but pose serious health risks to the users of our building, many of whom are older, and so such conditions are doubly dangerous. Eliminating damp and mould through repairs helps create a healthier indoor environment, promoting the well-being and comfort of building users. It is also hoped addressing dampness can improve energy efficiency by preventing heat loss caused by damp insulation or moisture-related damage to building materials. 
• In addition to addressing dampness and mould, we would like to upgrade the heating system and replace the windows concurrently which will offer significant benefits: modernising the heating infrastructure and replacing the windows will enable the club to achieve improved energy efficiency and save money, as well as making the clubhouse and club a more attractive and comfortable place for users.
• We also wish to install new toilets and disabled toilet which will improve comfort levels for guests and players. Currently these are unwelcoming and suffer from poor insulation, meaning that they often require cleaning to remove mould.
• Furthermore, we would like to purchase a new bar and kitchen area, to improve the hospitality we can offer users. By having improved kitchen facilities, we can cater for visitors and members better, meaning that the club is a more attractive place to play.
• Finally, we wish to ensure to ensure the safety of the club users, and so we will also install new safety lights and fire exit signs.

2. This project is important to our community as we currently have 32 members of the bowling club. This is a significant number of members for a small area, and so the club is important in providing mental and physical health benefits to the Latheron, Lybster & Clyth area. A number of supportive comments can be found in the 'Consultation Document', and it is clear to see that our club is well-supported and well-liked by a wide number of people both within and outwith the LLC area.

The project directly aligns with a number of ambitions within the Caithness Area Place Plan. The plan notes that "Many highlighted demand for more accessible community spaces, such as sports facilities...with some comments pointing to the need for new or better used spaces", as well as remarking that "Affordable access to sport and recreation facilities was seen as important" and so by investing in the Clubhouse, the fund will help to address the above concerns.

3. We are keen to nort only retain the membership, however, but increase it - improving the condition of the clubhouse will help to sustain and increase visitor and membership levels, meaning that the club is more self-sufficient in the long run, and will ensure that Lybster can continue to benefit from having an attractive asset in the form of outdoor bowling. By improving the condition of the clubhouse, we will have greater pride in our club, and so we will be encouraged to attract more members, perhaps up to 50. In particular we want to engage with more younger people, too.

4. We have obtained a building report from Fairhurst which has identified a need for improvements to the building. We have also ensured that we have collected feedback for this project from the local community through a number of methods:

4.1 - Firstly, through members' meetings, where it was agreed that action was needed to remedy the poor condition of the clubhouse. We called a meeting for members and public to put their views forward in the renovation of the club. The lack of disabled facilities was also raised which will also be addressed as part of our programme of improvements.

4.2 - Further to this, we created a petition seeking support for our ambition to renovate the clubhouse, obtaining 101 signatures in only a few weeks.

4.3 - We have also obtained a number of letters of support from both local and regional organisations, including the Community Council, David Green MSP, and several other bowling clubs in the area (see attached documentation)

4.4 - Finally, we organised a public survey to ask their thoughts on the club house. We received 186 responses in just 5 days, and the results can be found below:

When asked "How important is a modern, safe and comfortable clubhouse to you (1 being not important at all; 10 being very important)

• 154 (82.8%) of responded with 10
• 13 (7%) responded with 9
• 9 (4.8%) responded with 8

When asked "Do you think that the current Clubhouse facilities are currently adequate / fit for purpose?"

• 156 (83.9%) individuals said "No"
• 22 (11.8%) said "Maybe"

When asked "Do you believe that a modernised/renovated clubhouse would make Lybster Bowling Club a more attractive place to play?"

• 184 (98.9%) said "Yes"

There were dozens of supportive comments (see attached documentation) a selection of which are included below:

"It’s very run down and a renovation would enhance the place no end and compliment the great green outside."

"It's far too small and outdated for the numbers it gets. Toilets of a higher standard and good kitchen facilities are required"

"The current state of the clubhouse, does not sell itself to private hire, the facilities are limited and dated. Unfortunately a lick of paint will not improve the situation. A refurbished clubhouse would be a great bonus to the club for attracting future members, the view from the building is second to none, also to the local and surrounding villages for private functions, throughout the year."

"The clubhouse lets the club down. The green is in great shape and the club members at Lybster are very welcoming"

"Clubhouse has been neglected for too long and needs essential upgrading or the facility will become unable to accommodate players etc safely."

4.5 - We have obtained a number of quotes for the work (see attached documentation), and have selected our preferred contractor, at a cost of £95,925.

Towards these costs, Lybster Bowling Club have currently obtained:

• £20,000 from the Camster Fund
• £7,050 from the Tannach & District Fund
• £4,500 from the Bad a Cheo Fund
• £1,500 from the Lybster & Tannach Fund

Total: £33,050

We are requesting £20,000 towards this project from the Highland Council. We have applied to the CVG Halsary Fund (£7,500) and will apply to the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund (£35,375) for the remainder.