Scotland’s First Minister has praised the soon-to-open £1.8m Gro For You Community Innovation Campus in Tain as a source of vital opportunity for Easter Ross youngsters.
The campus will open its doors this Spring and John Swinney paid a visit to the project site on Sunday whilst supporting the re-election campaign of fellow party colleague and local MSP, Maree Todd.
Gro For You CEO Sarah Mackenzie and fellow Founder Richard Jones guided the visiting party around the site, which will attract 26 000 visitors per year when complete.
Local young people were also on hand, explaining how they and the local community are set to benefit from the ‘transformational’ project which aims to tackle outward youth migration.
Partners, For You Training, have already put 782 young people through Foundation Apprenticeships in Hospitality and Business skills with attainment levels standing at 89% in 2024.
With young people set to gain further through the campus’ many living learning environments and its Hospitality Training Centre, the aim is to keep more of the area’s youngsters in Easter Ross.
“The developing Gro For You campus in Tain is a sustainable and community-led enterprise already making a big impact, by tackling rural depopulation and creating pathways for young people to stay in the Highlands,” said the First Minister, who toured the building and the external foundations for the campus’ geodesic domes.
“When complete, it will deliver 240 apprenticeships each year in hospitality, food technologies, business and net zero, alongside 24 full-time local jobs – giving young people more vital opportunities in this beautiful part of Scotland.”
Scottish Government provided funding to help kick-start the development, with MSP Maree Todd cutting the first turf at the site on the NC500, 12 months ago.
Visiting again, she was impressed with progress and believes the project will be game-changing in her constituency.
“It was fantastic to see so much progress since the last time I was there- the campus is really taking shape.
“It will be a huge asset to visitors and locals alike and it was wonderful to hear directly from so many of the young people.
“Gro For You does phenomenal work to provide opportunities and skills for young people that meet the needs of our region and give them the chance to live and work where they grew up.”
As well as developing skills relevant to the local economy, the new campus will provide much-needed community facilities in Tain.
Campervans traveling the NC500 route will benefit from 560 parking spaces and welfare facilities, including EV charging points, a tourist information hub and indoor and outdoor dining.
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This will encourage more people to stop in Tain which, in turn, will increase footfall to other local businesses.
CEO Sarah Mackenzie said: “It was great to welcome the First Minister and our local MSP Maree Todd at the Campus. It was wonderful to share our vision for this exciting project and discuss our plans for community-wide regeneration.
“We’re now in the final stages and can’t wait to open our doors in Spring.”
