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• 40 projects in Scotland receiving a share of 拢6 million this year towards new and upgraded pitches, goalposts and floodlights
• Forms latest part of major UK Government investment in grassroots facilities worth over 拢400 million, which includes multisport pitches, tennis courts and swimming pools
• Investment supports UK Government ambition to get 3.5 million more adults and children active by 2030

Exercising more is the most common New Year鈥檚 resolution*, and the UK Government is giving hundreds of thousands more people across the UK the ability to keep their resolution and get active by delivering high-quality grassroots sport facilities.

From Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire, 40 projects are to receive funding that will go towards facilities such as changing rooms and pavilions, state of the art 3G artificial grass pitches and brand new floodlights. Work is already underway on 30 of these projects, with the remaining 10 to commence shortly.

The projects being announced today will benefit from 拢6 million from the UK Government in 2023/24, with 拢5.4 million also already allocated from next year鈥檚 overall budget.聽

Since 2021, the UK Government has already delivered 40 projects across Scotland through 拢4 million of funding, with at least 50 per cent of investment to be spent in the most deprived聽 and inactive local authorities.

UK Government Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said:

Sport and physical activity is vital to our mental health and wellbeing, and each year thousands of people make a New Year鈥檚 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.聽

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

To mark the announcement, UK Government Minister for Scotland and Exports Malcolm Offord visited Glasgow Girls and Women FC at their base in Springboig in the East End of Glasgow.

Formed in 2008, the club has gone from just 13 under-13s girls, to six youth sides from under-eights to under-18s and a senior women鈥檚 team who play in the 2nd league of the Scottish Women鈥檚 Premier League.

The club is receiving 拢620,000 from this latest round of UK Government funding to support their new state of the art 3G artificial grass pitch.聽聽

UK Government Minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

It was amazing to see the work done by the coaches, the SFA and the charity trustees at Glasgow Girls and Women FC. We are so proud to support facilities like these.聽

The achievements of Scotland鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 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.聽

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.

Scottish FA President Mike Mulraney said:聽

One of the priorities for the Scottish FA is ensuring that local communities across the nation have access to facilities, so it is wonderful to see the UK Government鈥檚 commitment to investing in our national game through the Scottish FA鈥檚 Grassroots Pitch & Facilities Fund.

This investment will provide opportunities for a number of fantastic community clubs across the country such as Glasgow Girls and Women FC and will play an important role in further developing the vitally important role that these clubs offer within their local areas.

It is vitally important for the nation that we continue to make our national game accessible to all and we are extremely grateful to the UK Government for helping us to do so through this investment.

This funding in Scotland will deliver 20 artificial grass pitch projects, four grass pitch projects and nine changing facility projects, as well as floodlights and goalposts. Some of these projects have been awarded funding over a two year period.聽

Some of the facilities in Scotland to benefit from this year鈥檚 round of investment include:

• Glasgow Girls FC in Scotland has received over 拢620,000 for a brand new artificial grass pitch.
• East Kilbride United has also received 拢400,000 for a brand new artificial grass pitch.
• Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Trust has received 拢510,000 for a new changing pavilion.
• Newtongrange Star Football and Social Club in Dalkeith has received over 拢25,000 for solar panels.
• Glasgow City Council has received 拢45,000 for new floodlights at Knightswood Secondary School.

A full list of the facilities to benefit in Scotland was published (live 27/01) today.

Since 2021, the UK Government has delivered new facilities or improvements at almost 2,400 sites across the UK, aiming to get 120,000 more people active, through its 拢325 million programme. This investment is supporting grassroots clubs up and down the country, including women鈥檚 and girls teams.

The UK Government鈥檚 multi-sport grassroots facilities programme is investing in areas that are most in need of new or renovated facilities. Through the programme more high quality facilities are being made available for people to play football, rugby and other grassroots sports.

The UK Government recently published its new sport strategy to get 2.5 million more adults and one million more young people meeting the Chief Medical Officer鈥檚 guidance of 150 minutes per week for adults, and 60 minutes per day for young people by 2030.聽

To help reach this target, the projects being confirmed today are part of the Government鈥檚 unprecedented investment of over 拢400 million in grassroots facilities, including park tennis courts and .

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The UK Government is investing 拢6 million in Scotland in 2023/24.
• A further 拢5.4 million out of the Government鈥檚 overall funding in Scotland for 2024/25 has been announced today for projects that run over a two year period.
• Details on how to get facilities investment in your area can be found at for England, the for Scotland, the for Wales, and for Northern Ireland.
• As part of its activity drive, the Government recently joined forces with former sports stars, health professionals and fitness experts, to establish the National Physical Activity Taskforce to help an additional 3.5 million adults and children get physically active by 2030 as part of a new sport strategy for England.
• * conducted a survey of 2,000 British Adults which are UK nationally representative (on the basis of age/gender/region). The survey was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company Opinium between 14 November 2023 - 17 November 2023.