£6 million funding boost for grassroots sports clubs across Scotland

A £6 million funding boost for grassroots sport in Scotland will help "nurture the talent of the future", a minister has said.

Scotland Office minister Lord Offord announced the UK Government funding will be split between 40 projects from Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire.

Some of the facilities benefiting from this year’s round of investment include:

• Glasgow Girls FC in the city’s East End has received over £620,000 for a brand new artificial grass pitch.

• East Kilbride United has also received £400,000 for a brand new artificial grass pitch.

• Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Trust in Perth and Kinross has received £510,000 for a new changing pavilion.

• Newtongrange Star Football and Social Club in Dalkeith, Midlothian, has received over £25,000 for solar panels.

• Glasgow City Council has received £45,000 for new floodlights at Knightswood Secondary School.

The cash, the latest part of a UK-wide investment worth more than £400 million, will help clubs pay for facilities such as new changing rooms and pavilions, artificial pitches and floodlights.

As well as the money for this year, the UK Government has allocated £5.4 million for Scotland for next year as part of the same scheme.

Lord Offord visited one of the groups being helped in the current funding round, Glasgow Girls and Women FC, in Springboig in the east end of Glasgow.

The club will receive £620,000 to help with the cost of a new artificial grass pitch.

Lord Offord said: "It was amazing to see the work done by the coaches, the SFA (Scottish Football Association) and the charity trustees at Glasgow Girls and Women FC. We are so proud to support facilities like these.

"The achievements of Scotland's men's and women's football teams are in no small part down to the dedication of those at grassroots level.

"Providing high-quality facilities the length and breadth of Scotland that are accessible to all is vital.

"These 40 projects will nurture the talent of the future, encouraging everyone in the community to have fun, be active and embrace all the benefits that brings for physical and mental health."

UK sports minister Stuart Andrew added: "Sport and physical activity is vital to our mental health and wellbeing, and each year thousands of people make a new year resolution to exercise more.

"We know that one of the major barriers in getting active is access to high-quality sports facilities, which is why we are delivering 40 new projects in Scotland.

"The UK Government and Scottish FA have already delivered another 40 projects backed by £4 million to give local communities the high quality facilities they need."

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