King George V Playing Field Community Buy Out 

23rd January 2024 

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The Portree and Braes Community Trust has the opportunity to buy the King George V Playing Field in Portree for the long-term benefit of the community. Ownership will allow the trust to access funds to create more accessible and affordable facilities for recreation, sports, arts and events in the area.

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The trust’s offer to buy the land has been provisionally accepted and the trust has already secured £53,655 in grant funding.  However, we still need YOUR help to raise the remaining £26,000 needed to buy the land.

After years of working toward community ownership the trust has never been closer to making the community's vision of owning the King George V playing field a reality. With the community's support we can finalise the buy-out and start delivering the plans to improve these facilities for current and future generations.

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What do you plan to do with the land once it's in community ownership? 

We have consulted with residents and users and created a masterplan which identifies development priorities for the area. The collective long term vision for the area includes:

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- improving the drainage and lighting on the field to support increased use for sports and events

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- building a new adventure playpark on the old swimming pool site

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-creating a permanent pump track for wheeled sports on the site of the existing playpark

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- creating a compact running or sprinting track on the field that would compliment other uses

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- extending the community centre to create new toilets, changing rooms and a function suite overlooking the field

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Once the land is in community ownership the trust can begin working in partnership with local user groups to fundraise for and deliver these projects. More information on the masterplan can be found here.

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How can I help?

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• Donate! Whether it’s 50p or £50 every single contribution is going to help us reach the target. Donate online here, at an event or look out for a donation tin in local shops and cafe’s. Don't forget to select the gift aid button if eligible as this adds a further 25% to each donation to the cause, at no extra costs to you or us!

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• Spread the word! Share a link to this page online and talk to your friends, colleagues, neighbours, and anyone who will listen about our fundraiser.

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• Organise your own fundraiser! Can you take part in a sponsored run or walk? Can you organise a bake-sale or carwash? Or let your imagination run wild and come up with your own fundraising ideas. We can supply posters, fliers or fundraising buckets and will help in any other way we can. The easiest way to fundraise is to create your own fundraising page on Just Giving. It takes two minutes to create and all donations will be added to our fundraising total.

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• Sponsor a Square! We are asking local businesses and organisations to "Sponsor a Square" of the playing field. Each square costs £500 and you will also be given the opportunity to purchase a 2400x600mm mesh banner and install it at the playing fields for 12 months in acknowledgement of your generous support. Contact Duncan Brown for details on 07778504709 / dochie.brown@gmail.com.