Sports clubs and community sport facilities across Scotland will receive an additional £5million of National Lottery funding over the next two years.
The budget for sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund has been doubled for the next two years, meaning there will be £10million available in that time for projects designed to increase sporting opportunities in Scottish communities.
The news comes as the latest awards are confirmed with 16 projects sharing just under £2.4million. The latest projects to benefit include several new 3G pitches, a new swimming pool in East Renfrewshire, a new clubhouse at Oban Lorne RFC and the purchase of land by Wick Golf Club to secure the long-term future of the course.
Sports Minister Maree Todd:
“This represents a significant milestone for sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund and will deliver meaningful benefits for local communities across Scotland.
“These investments are a testament to the vision and determination of the people behind these projects, who are working collaboratively to create and improve the places where people come together to take part in sport and physical activity.
"By improving local facilities and widening access to participation, particularly for underrepresented groups and communities facing the greatest barriers, these projects will help ensure that more people can lead active, healthy lives.”
The aim behind the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund is to work with partners to support projects which are designed to create or improve the places where people take part in sport and physical activity in their local community.
Priority is given to plans that widen access to participation or allow people to progress further within their chosen sport locally by removing barriers, particularly in rural areas or areas of deprivation and for groups who are underrepresented in sport.
In addition to the investment, projects can benefit from the expertise within sportscotland’s facilities team to maximise the impact that their plans will have, ensuring they meet the needs of their local communities now and in the future.
Since 2002 sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund has played a key role in maintaining and improving Scotland's sporting infrastructure, supporting 839 projects in that time. Those awards have totalled over £122million. When match funding from local and national partners is taken into account, the fund has helped ensure just under £900million of investment in Scotland’s sport facilities.
Chief Executive Officer of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said:
“The impact of the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund cannot be overstated. Without that investment, and the investment and commitment of our local and national partners, Scotland’s sporting infrastructure would look very different today.
“We know the life-changing benefits sport brings to individuals, and the integral role it plays in communities across Scotland. We will continue to work closely with our local and national partners, like the 16 granted funding in this round of awards, to ensure sporting opportunities are protected and increased wherever possible across the country.”
Oban Lorne RFC are among the projects to share £2,390,375 in the latest round of awards. They have received £200,000 towards the cost of a new accessible clubhouse with changing rooms. The project will allow the club to increase capacity and also expand use of the venue for other clubs and community groups in the area.
Robert Gordon, President of Oban Lorne RFC:
"This funding is transformational, not just for Oban Lorne, but for the whole of Oban and North Argyll. It unlocks a key first step in a much wider masterplan for the site - one that over time will bring better facilities for all the clubs and groups in the area, not just our own.
"It allows us to turn our clubhouse into a genuine community hub, somewhere that supports health, youth work and major local events as well as rugby.
“For young people in particular this will mean a safe space to socialise and be active and for the wider community it means a facility that's genuinely open to everyone. We're hugely grateful to sportscotland for backing that vision."
Cove Youth Football club and BB14 have been awarded £152,206 towards a new 3G pitch. BB14 is the charity set up in the name of Ben Bradford, Ben tragically passed away at home in his sleep, aged just 16. The cause of death was recognised as sudden unexplained death in childhood.
Ben was a Cove YFC player and the club retired his number 14 as a mark of respect. The new pitch will be named the Ben Bradford Pitch.
The full size 3G pitch with floodlights will significantly enhance capacity for year-round sport participation in the area. It will allow for a huge increase in usage of the site for male and female teams and also allow new opportunities for underrepresented groups including disabled participants, people from ethnically diverse communities and peole living in areas of deprivation.
Donald Smith, Cove Youth FC Honorary President:
"Cove Youth FC and BB14 are delighted to have received significant support from the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund, helping us take a major step towards achieving our vision of delivering a full-size 3G pitch in Cove in memory of Ben Bradford.
“This investment brings our long held ambition closer to reality and will enable us to create high quality facilities that will benefit current and future generations. Our shared vision is to develop a sustainable community sports hub that is accessible to everyone, providing year-round opportunities for participation, physical activity and community engagement.
“The Ben Bradford Pitch will have a lasting impact on the local community and beyond, creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to come together through sport. Participation, inclusion and community engagement will be at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that this facility will serve the whole community for years to come.”
Find out more
• More information on the Sports Facilities Fund can be found on the sportscotland website: https://sportscotland.org.uk/funding/sport-facilities-fund/
• The full list of projects who will benefit from this round of funding are:
Aberdeen
Sport Aberdeen - £200,000
Hazlehead football pitch development
Cove Youth Football Club - £152,206
New 3G pitch
Argyll and Bute
Helensburgh Sailing Club - £80,000
Land purchase to preserve facility
Oban Lorne Rugby Football Club - £200,000
New clubhouse
Dumfries and Galloway
Threave Rovers FC – £94,835
New changing facilities
East Lothian
North Berwick Harbour Trust - £200,000
New watersports hub
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire Council - £300,000
New swimming pool at Eastwood Leisure Centre
Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh Council - £200,000
Development of two pitches at Meggetland
Glasgow
Knightswood FC - £200,000
New 3G pitch and pavilion
Highland
Wick Golf Club - £70,000
Land purchase
Shieldaig Community Association - £20,733
New floodlights
Kinlochleven Climbing Centre - £150,000
Climbing and ice wall upgrade
North Lanarkshire
Burnbank FC - £150,000
New pitch and changing facilities
Perth and Kinross
Blairgowrie Lawn Tennis Club - £110,601
New clubhouse
Renfrewshire
Ferguslie Cricket Club - £162,000
New pavilion
Scottish Borders
Melrose Football Club - £100,000
New changing facilities
