Highland Pride and Leap Sports have partnered together to deliver a new collaborative leadership training programme for LGBTQ+ people in rural and remote areas of the Scottish Highlands.

Named the Pride Empowerment and Equality Programme (PEEP), a six-month programme is set to run throughout the second half of 2025.

Leap Sports have already ran the Out and About in the Highlands programme over recent years, designed to facilitate opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to become more active in sports, a sector where they are historically underrepresented and often feel unwelcome.

Leap Sports' participation and engagement manager Munro Stevenson.Leap Sports’ participation and engagement manager Munro Stevenson.

This new programme has been awarded funding from the community-led Local Development Fund, delivered by the Highland Third Sector Interface and Highlands and Islands Climate Hub on behalf of the Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund, which gives rural communities the power to tackle their own local challenges, responding to the needs of their local area and supporting positive change.

The programme is already under way, and a series of engagement workshops are planned for next month in Lochaber, Caithness, Dingwall, and kicking off in Nairn on Saturday, August 7 from 7pm to help tailor training to the community’s needs.

Its aim is to allow members of the LGBTQ+ community to develop their own leadership skills and feel empowered to run their own groups, clubs and events.

Munro Stevenson, participation and engagement manager with LEAP Sports commented: “We are excited to be awarded this funding and to continue to strengthen our partnership with Highland Pride SCIO.

“Since Out and About in the Highlands was established in 2022 we have had the privilege to work directly with and help develop LGBTIQ+ community leaders.

“This project will allow us to focus on this strand of the project, further strengthening community resilience in the area.”

Simon Allison, chair of Highland Pride, said: “Highland Pride SCIO is proud to be collaborating with LEAP Sports on this project.

“For us it is the opportunity to work together for the community and really make an impact aligned to our purpose: to advance the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community in the Highlands.

“We are confident this strong partnership focused on developing community leadership will create a lasting positive impact.”

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