- 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 eight projects set to benefit in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 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 country so as to create a nationwide legacy for the whole of Scotland. 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 the north east of Scotland will allow children of all ages to take part in everything from swimming and salsa classes through to hockey and basketball. These projects are all very different but share a common aim; helping people become fit and healthy, learn new skills and play 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 today’s winning groups is Skene Square School in Aberdeen. The school receives £720 to fund strips and transport costs for their volleyball team.
Welcoming the £720 award, Mark Evans, Principal Teacher, Skene Square School, said: "This funding has really helped raise the profile of the sport in the school and provided the pupils with the opportunity to shine. Our team was finding it difficult to play matches as there are not many schools with volleyball teams in the area so the opportunity to play against other schools was fantastic. The team members also felt proud to represent their school wearing a brand new kit and the experience has inspired them to keep training and raise the standard of their game.”
Pitfour Primary School in Peterhead will use its grant of £603 to provide educational and recreational activities for the children in the school.
Jane Scarborough, Headteacher, Pitfour Primary School, said, “This is the first time we have applied for Lottery money so we were over the moon when we found out that we had been successful. We are a very small school but we try to put on as many activities as possible to enable our children to stay fit and healthy. Thanks to this money we can now start a cheerleading course after school which will give lots of young girls the chance to have fun and learn a new skill.”
Other groups receiving funding today in Aberdeenshire are:
Ashley Road School, Award - £327
The school will use the grant to buy 13 football strips.
Kemnay Primary School, Award - £947
This school will use its grant to purchase portable basketball stands, basketball nets, four basketballs and 25 basketball strips.
Rothienorman Primary School, Award - £934
The school will use the grant to pay for ten sets of flex band exercise bands, six Reebok Steps, six fit balls for children, two fit balls for adults, hand weights, two children's exercise bikes, training sessions and coaching sessions.
Udny Green School, Award - £880
This school will use its grant to fund swimming lessons, pool hire, coaches and transport costs.
Tarves Primary School, Award - £860
The school will offer swimming lessons to weak or unaccomplished swimmers in primary 6 or 7. This grant will fund 10hrs of swimming lessons and transport costs.
Meldrum Academy, Award - £1,000
This school will use its grant to fund instructors for salsa, yoga, step, body pump, aerobics, ballroom and spinning classes.
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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