Funding drive set to start for £500k new facility in Tongue which it is hoped will help attract new families to the area
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Ambitious plans for a £500,000 multi-use games area (MUGA) and outdoor facilities at Tongue have reached the fundraising stage.
Tongue and Farr Sports Association is behind the project with input from community development trust UpNorth! and from the dormant Tongue United Football Club.
A site has been identified for the MUGA on the football club’s pitch, next to Tongue Primary School. The club leased the pitch from the Church of Scotland who have agreed to transfer the lease on a long-term basis and at a reasonable rent to the new MUGA group.
Consultations have been undertaken to find out what kind of facility local residents would like and an open day was held in April. The primary school was also consulted.
The feedback has been used to finalise the design.
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Sarah Fox, a director of the sports association, said the MUGA would have both an astroturf and a tarmac playing surface.
“We are also planning outdoor gym facilities,” she said. “We hope to have a small pump track where children can go on their bikes, and an area for a running track.”
She said it was hoped the MUGA would be a factor in attracting more families to the area, which is suffering from depopulation.
“We have really got quite far with our plans and the next stage is to embark on a fundraising drive to secure the funding,” she said. “We have a meeting this week and that will be us starting to come up with ideas.”
A Justgiving crowdfunding page is to be set up and applications sent out to funding sources.
Ms Fox has thanked Melness Crofters’ Estate who donated £1,000 towards the MUGA, and also the local angling club, who donated the proceeds of a raffle it held.
“It is so nice to get donations when you do not ask for them!” said Ms Fox. “We really appreciate it and would like to thank the crofters and the anglers.”
At an UpNorth! meeting earlier this year, chairperson Frances Gunn said: “We are working hard to submit funding applications which include a short community video to explain to funders what the project will bring to this area.”
