- Area:
- Scotland
- Programme:
- 2014 Communities
- Release date:
- 30 3 2009
The Big Lottery Fund today announced the first round of funding from its 2014 Communities programme with seven projects set to benefit in Edinburgh and West Lothian. The programme is the first in Scotland to make funding available for community groups and organisations to build a legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games up and down the country.
Across Scotland 78 grassroots projects are to benefit from the first set of awards that aim to support and stimulate grassroots involvement in sport and physical activity. The 2014 Communities programme from the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors is proving to be a success and attracting new groups to apply for Lottery funding with 28 per cent identified as first time applicants.
Through the programme the Big Lottery Fund hopes to encourage more people to take part and volunteer through sport or physical activity as well as using sport as a way to bring together people from different generations.
Announcing the first awards totalling £70,116, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Alison Magee, said: “Through 2014 Communities we are investing money across the whole of Scotland in order to create a nationwide legacy. More than 90 per cent of today’s awards are for groups based outside of Glasgow and 28 per cent of those who have been successful have never applied to us before.
“Today’s grants in Edinburgh and West Lothian will allow people, young and old, to take part in everything from climbing and curling through to boxing and football allowing them to get fit and healthy and playing an active role in their community.”
The Scottish Government’s Sports Minister, Shona Robison MSP, said: It’s extremely encouraging to see the range of activities being strengthened across Scotland's communities through these grants. These awards will encourage more people to lead healthier, active lives and really get involved in their communities, the heart of our own legacy aspirations.“
She continued: “These grants will also help get hugely worthwhile grass roots projects off the ground across Scotland. We want to see more people involved in their communities and these projects will help to achieve that.
“Our ambition is to create a lasting legacy from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow which will help people live longer, healthier lives, in strong, supportive communities, valuing and protecting the built and natural environment, with new and better skills development, employment and volunteering opportunities for generations to come.
Jon Doig, Chief Executive, Commonwealth Games Scotland, added: “One of the main reasons for bringing the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014 is to encourage more people to take part in sport and it is great to see the impact that the BIG Lottery’s 2014 communities funding strand is having from the outset. Just like our team members who represent the length and breadth of Scotland, applications are coming in from right across the country.”
Amongst the seven groups receiving funding today in the Edinburgh and West Lothian is the Holyrood Boxing Gymnasium. Thanks to a grant of £1,000, the group will be able to purchase a range of boxing equipment for women, men and young people and thereby increase the number of people who can use the gym.
Bradley Welsh, Head trainer, Holyrood Boxing Gymnasium, said: "This is the first time that we have applied for and received Lottery money and its all thanks to the 2014 Communities programme and the opportunities it gives to small groups like us. With our money we will be able to buy much needed new equipment which will allow us to increase the number of people who can now come to our gymnasium. For us boxing is not about learning to fight. It’s about teaching people self control, providing a great way of keeping fit and raising peoples’ self esteem.”
A new sports group, the Quickdraw Climbing Club based in Ratho, also receives funding today. It too is a first time Lottery winner. The club receives £720 to provide a series of monthly coaching session at the Edinburgh International Climbing arena.
Tanya Tennant, Secretary, Quickdraw Climbing Club, said: “Although we are a new club we already have lots of young people who are full of enthusiasm and wanting to get involved in climbing. Thanks to the 2014 Communities programme we will be able to provide coaching sessions which will be delivered by two young climbers who have begun to excel in climbing both locally and nationally. They will both train and act as role models for our other young members. What’s more we will be getting parents and guardians involved too making this a family affair.”
Craigmount High School in Edinburgh is one of 32 schools receiving funding across Scotland today. The school, which offers a programme of after school activities, will be able to introduce curling and sailing to its pupils for the first time including coaching and transport costs.
Bob Laurie, Active Schools Co-ordinator, Craigmount High School, said: "This award is great news for our 1300 pupils who will benefit from a range of sporting activities after school hours. We plan to provide 18 different activities and now thanks to this funding we can add another two sports into the mix. This will give the pupils the chance to try out a number of different activities and to keep fit, healthy and active in the process.”
Other groups receiving funding in Edinburgh and West Lothian today are:
Fairbridge In Scotland, Award - £712
This group provide a personal and social development programme for young people aged 13-25, who have been affected by social deprivation. The grant will fund a Fairbridge Tryathalon including football, gym and snowboarding sessions, transport costs, staffing costs, outreach work and an awards ceremony.
St. Mark's R.C. School, Award - £834
This school will launch an after-school football club. This grant will fund coaching courses, footballs, a ball carrying sack, gloves, corner flags, goal posts, bibs, coaches jackets and volunteer expenses.
Multi-Cultural Family Base, Award - £1,000
This project will provide support and information for families with young children. The grant will fund yoga instruction, hire of community centre and provision of crèche facilities.
Armadale Sports Club, Award - £1,000
This club provides an opportunity for young people to play organised football. The grant will pay for speed and agility training equipment including boundary poles, goals, reaction balls, hurdles, speed ladders and hoops.
For full details of all 2014 Communities grants announced today 
click here
- 831KB (380KB .xls).
Further Information
For further information on 2014 Communities contact:
Landa Rolland on: 0141 242 1415 or 07880 737 157
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Notes to Editors
- 2014 Communities is a new micro grants programme, offering local sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools grants of £300 to £1,000 to support and stimulate grass roots involvement in sport and physical activity. In year one of the programme, the Big Lottery Fund has £0.5 million to award in grants. 2014 Communities will continue to operate up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, but what we focus our funding on and how we deliver our funding may change based on learning leading up to 2014.
- 2014 Communities is about building a legacy of well-being before and beyond the Commonwealth Games. The programme aims to encourage more people to take part or volunteer in sport or physical activity as well as encourage greater community cohesion in the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £22 billion has now been raised and more than 300,500 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
SCOTLAND
The Scotland Committee, led by Chair, Alison Magee, has been making Big Lottery Fund decisions on Scottish projects since March 2007. As well as taking devolved decisions on Lottery spending, the Committee has and will continue to play a strategic role in the future direction of BIG in Scotland.
The Big Lottery Fund is investing in Scotland’s communities through it’s Investing in Communities portfolio as well as the small grants schemes Awards for All and 2014 Communities.
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