Grassroots sports facilities in Scotland will directly benefit
from the latest £2 million investment in high-quality multi-sport
facilities from the UK Government, in partnership with the
Scottish Football Association.
As part of the Government’s 2022/23 commitment, 23 sites in
Scotland will see their facilities improved, significantly
increasing the availability and access to high quality facilities
for football and other grassroots sports.
A key priority for the Government is to level up access to
community sports facilities in all parts of the UK, to help as
many people as possible to get involved in sport and to deliver
all of the mental and physical health benefits associated with
active and healthy lifestyles.
The latest investment is part of the Government’s ongoing £300
million multi-year investment into grassroots multi-sport pitches
across the UK by 2025 - over £20m of this will be invested in
Scotland.
Culture Secretary said:
“We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so
important for the nation’s physical and mental health.
“Today we are delivering 23 new and improved grassroots sports
facilities across Scotland to continue to support, sustain and
grow community and grassroots sport - so that physical activity
is accessible to all, no matter a person’s background or
location.
“We will continue to work with the Scottish Football Association
to nurture the talent of the future whilst making sure local
communities have the sporting facilities that they need.”
A central aim of the programme is to level up access to community
sports facilities and invest in some of the most deprived areas
in the UK, to give as many people as possible the opportunity to
take part in sport. In order to achieve this, and to deliver
access that every community needs, at least 50% of investment
will be spent in underprivileged areas.
Secretary of State for Scotland said:
“We have seen some fantastic results in recent years from
Scotland’s men’s and women’s football teams and we know much of
this is a result of the hardwork and dedication put in by those
working in grassroots football. I am pleased the UK Government is
working closely with the SFA and providing funding for high
quality facilities in Scotland.
“With much of the funding aimed at multi-sport facilities,
deprived areas and underrepresented groups this investment will
benefit many people across the country.”
Some of the facilities to benefit from the 2022/23 round of
investment in Scotland include:
- Forfar Community Football Trust in Angus has received
£126,000 to convert their floodlights to LED
- Dundee East Community Sports Club in Dundee has received over
£58,000 to install floodlights and solar panels
- Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development in
Inverness has received over £157,000 for a grass pitch upgrade
- Motherwell FC Community Trust in Lanarkshire has received
over £180,000 for a replacement 3G pitch
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in Lewis and Harris has received
nearly £200,000 for a replacement 3G pitch
- Nethercraigs Sports Complex & Denis Donnelly Park in
Glasgow has received nearly £60,000 for new floodlights
A full list of the facilities to benefit from 2022/23 investment
in Scotland can be found here.
40% per cent of the funding will be used to support multi-sport
facilities, ensuring a wide range of sports are supported and
helping to deliver benefits beyond football. The programme has a
particular focus on increasing participation among
underrepresented groups such as women and girls, and those with a
disability.
Scottish FA Vice President Mike Mulraney, said:
“The Scottish FA’s grassroots strategy, Football for All, aims to
increase participation at all levels by removing barriers and
improving accessibility to the game.
“Helping clubs to improve their infrastructure and facilities is
central to this strategy and we are grateful to the UK Government
for their support.
“Clubs are the beating hearts of communities across Scotland and
through partnerships like these, we will help reinforce the power
of football locally and in doing so develop our national game.”
The UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Football
Association, continues to build on its £2 million for 2021/22,
with a further £2 million confirmed today, and 40 sites in
Scotland having benefitted to date.
Through the lifecycle of the grassroots multi-sport facilities
investment programme which will run to 2025, Scotland will
receive £20 million to help nurture the talent of the future.
END
Notes to editors:
- Further details on the successful applicants from the 2023/24
funding round will be announced in due course.
-
Details on how to get facilities investment in your area can
be found at the
Football Foundation for England, the SFA for Scotland,
the CFF for Wales,
and IFA for
Northern Ireland.
- Further information on the split of grassroots facilities
funding between the four home nations, announced in January, can
be found here.
