Based in Saltcoats, TACT is part of the third sector interface for North Ayrshire, providing support to the community and voluntary sector, as well as social enterprises which themselves are key partners in delivering Community Wealth Building and will benefit from the wider CWB activities of Anchor Institutions.

TACT has been a member of the Community Wealth Building Commission since its inception in September 2019 and has input to the development of the North Ayrshire Council Community Wealth Building Strategy. Recently the Commission expanded its membership, welcoming East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils, making the Commission an Ayrshire wide collaboration of Anchor Institutions.

North Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council, South Ayrshire Council, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Ayrshire College and Scottish Enterprise signed Scotland’s first Community Wealth Building Charter in October – and TACT have followed suit by becoming the first from the third sector to sign up.

By signing the Charter, organisations are pledging to do all they can to support the principles of the Community Wealth Building approach.

Barbara Hastings, chief executive, said: “The staff and board of directors of The Ayrshire Community Trust are delighted to be part of the Community Wealth Building approach and look forward to working in such a dynamic and creative partnership. The signing of the Charter demonstrates our commitment.

“This approach enables the third sector to be aspirational and create opportunities which will bring real benefit to our local economy where fair work, training and employment are at the heart of what we do. It provides hope for our young people and opportunity for all.”

TACT has 17 staff and five volunteers and has been in existence for 20 years, providing invaluable volunteering opportunities to people across North Ayrshire.

By signing the Charter, TACT commits to embedding Community Wealth Building across the organisation. This includes supporting fair employment and environmental sustainability and spending and employing locally whenever possible.

Councillor Joe Cullinane, leader of North Ayrshire Council and cabinet member for Community Wealth Building, added: “We are delighted that TACT has signed our Charter. They are a fantastic, well respected local third sector organisation that do so much for our area. They are also an employer that engage with hundreds of groups and individuals.

“Community Wealth Building is about working in partnership with communities, organisations and businesses, including social enterprises, to build a strong local and regional economy together. One which supports fair work, encourages local spend and uses the land and property we own for the common good so that wealth stays local.

“TACT are the first third sector organisation to sign up and this is hugely significant as we want a wide variety of organisations – from the third sector, public and private – to come together to support the Community Wealth Building approach.

“We look forward to working closely with them and hope that in coming months more of the region’s major Anchor Institutions will commit to the Charter and together we can build back better, fairer and greener.”