Sports clubs and community sport facilities across the country will benefit from £1m of new investment from sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund to local partners.
Ten projects will share a total of £1,017,990 to help develop existing facilities or create a new home for sport and physical activity.
A range of projects have been awarded funding to help improve access to sport in their areas. These include new floodlights at Highland Rugby Football Club in Inverness, an extension at Lochee Boys and Girls Club in Dundee which will extend boxing opportunities at the club, particularly for women and girls, a new sea sports facility in Campbeltown and Southside Boxing Academy in Glasgow for the conversion of a community hall to a boxing gym.
The aim behind the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund is to support capital 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 projects 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 under-represented groups.
Southside Boxing Academy will receive £149,987 for the work. The club has enjoyed a big rise in participation since it started but is limited by its current capacity, the conversion will allow them to reach a far greater number of people.
The club already does incredible work to reach underrepresented groups, they have 500 members from deprived areas, around a third of its members are women and girls, over 40% are from ethnically diverse backgrounds and over 25% of youth participants have additional support needs.
Lochee Boys and Girls Club is a well-established club in Dundee with nearly 400 members. They are restricted by the available space and will receive £100,000 towards an extension which will host two boxing rings, a reception area and sports therapy room. The work with help the club meet the existing demand and aid in their plans to reach out to more people in the area, particularly women and girls, young people, people with disabilities and people living in rural areas outside the city.
Highland RFC are a well-supported and growing club with a host of teams across senior and youth sections. They have been awarded £40,000 towards new floodlights will allow the club to maintain and extend the reach of its rugby and community activities all year round and alleviate some challenges of having sufficient pitch availability for their teams to train and play matches.
The Kintyre Seasports hub will receive £100,000 towards a new two-storey facility with changing rooms, classroom and social space. The plans will expand capacity and allow new participants and targeted groups to be reached. The project will bring together several clubs and organisations into a single facility with Campbeltown Sailing Club and Kintyre Canoe Club among those that will use it.
Chief Executive Officer of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said:
“We are delighted to see this level of National Lottery investment in Scottish sport. Along with the investment from local partners, it will have a significant impact on communities the facilities serve.
“We know the sector is facing many challenges so to see this level of investment is very encouraging.
“Everyone involved in these 10 projects have demonstrated a real commitment to ensuring that more people will have an opportunity to become physically active and connected to their local community.”
Anthony Quayle, Head Coach and founder of Southside Boxing Academy, said:
“The funding and support from sportscotland will be truly transformational.
“We will now have a fully inclusive facility; a boxing academy, community hub and exercise space that our community can be proud of. This backing extends our reach and allows us to have even more of an impact beyond the ring.
“Southside Boxing Academy and Community Hub turns 10 this September. We started with nothing but a ring rope in a damp church hall, and we have grown year by year through sheer determination and community spirit. This support will take us to new heights across all aspects of our organisation and community. We have now been equipped and powered to change even more lives.”
Karen Cameron Latif, President of Highland RFC, said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to receive this support from sportscotland. The installation of new floodlights will make a huge difference to our club, giving us the capacity to train safely on winter evenings and ensuring we can accommodate our growing membership.
“This investment is not just about facilities – it’s about creating opportunities for more people in our community to get active, connect through rugby, and enjoy all the benefits of being part of a thriving club.”
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 April 2004, sportscotland has invested over £229m of Scottish Government and National Lottery funding to help sports clubs, community groups, local authorities, sport’s governing bodies and other organisations deliver new and upgraded sporting facilities across the country.
· The full list of projects who will benefit from this round of funding are
Argyll and Bute
Kintyre Seasports – £100,000
· New facility
Dundee
Lochee Boys and Girls Club – £100,000
· Extension to boxing facility
Kanzen For Life – £75,000
· Conversion of a commercial unit to a martial arts hub
Glasgow
Southside Boxing Academy – £149,987
· Conversion of a community hall to a boxing facility
Fife
Dalgety Bay Sailing Club – £73,003
· Changing room expansion
Highland
Highland Rugby Football Club – £40,000
· New floodlights
Inverness Rowing Club – £45,000
· New all ability pontoon
Orkney
North Walls Centre – £35,000
· New multi-use games area
South Ayrshire
Ayr Rugby Football Club – £200,000
· Upgrade to changing facilities and gym
South Lanarkshire
Blantyre Soccer Academy – £200,000
· New 4G pitch