THE £500,000 project to build a brand new, six-lane synthetic athletics track at Tavistock College is just a whisker away, partners in the scheme this week announced. The Track4Tavistock appeal, organised by Tavistock Athletic Club, Tavistock College and Kelly College, has almost reached its target. Now, in a final bid to make the dream become reality, an appeal has been issued to individuals and businesses in the community to help raise just £40,000. Colin Eves, principal of Tavistock College, said: ?In the summer, representatives from the National Sports Foundation and other funders met at the college. ?Everyone was delighted to see that the project was so close to being able to go ahead, and as a result, the National Sports Foundation were happy to look at matching any further contributions we may be able to attract.? Mr Eves said the partners were looking for eight local benefactors to contribute £5,000 each, to make up the last sum of money needed. He said contributors would be able to have direct input to the track project and its future running through one representative on the management board of the ?hub club?, with its base as Tavistock College. He added that any business or individual supporting the project would have full acknowledgement of their valuable contributions both now and in the future. Mr Eves said there was now ?a real opportunity? to reach the required sum, enabling the track project to go ahead during the next college year. ?Obviously, we are enormously grateful for the support from the community and other organisations to date. ?Everyone remembers the brilliant optimism and team spirit shown during the Bedford Mile earlier this year,and we really hope this final push will bring in the necessary funds to make the track project a reality,? he said. Martin Exley, of Tavistock Athletic Club, said: ?Everyone at the athletic club has worked really hard to bring this project to fruition. And the support we have had from the community for this much needed community facility has been fantastic. ?We need one final effort of support from local businesses and we can reach our fundraising finishing line. We can then get on with the job of coaching the hundreds of local children in athletics, using proper, safe, facilities.? Former England rugby captain Phil de Glanville, who is from Tavistock, and represents Sport England, said: ?Sport England, along with a range of other partners, are very supportive of this project as part of the drive to get more people taking part in sport and active recreation. ?This will be a valuable facility for young people and adults alike based in the community, and the project is very close to completing the funding for the track. ?I hope local people will come forward who care about leaving a legacy in Tavistock for the whole community, and the National Sport Foundation will no doubt look very closely at financially supporting private contributions.?
