Minister sees legacy projects in Dumfries and Galloway
The Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison has announced the latest round of projects to benefit from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund.
Further funding of £2.4 million will benefit 45 more projects across the country in the third round of funding from this national Legacy 2014 programme to ensure that the Commonwealth Games secures a lasting legacy in Scotland.
The Minister today visited Dumfries and Galloway which will receive support for four more projects in the area. These include a new water sports facility to introduce young people and adults to canoeing and kayaking, a new purpose built skate park designed for use by scooters, skateboards and BMXs, and a new shared path between Dalbeattie and 7Stanes mountain bike centre as well as funding for Maxwelltown High School to purchase gym equipment.
Speaking at the School, the Minister said:
“The Commonwealth Games is Scotland’s biggest ever sporting and cultural event and I want to see a lasting Games legacy across the whole of Scotland in the years to come.
“I am delighted to see the enthusiastic and imaginative ways that people are embracing the Games. From upgrading existing facilities to taking on new challenges, the whole community is coming together to deliver fantastic projects that are helping people become more active.
“Here, in Dumfries and Galloway, six Community Sport Hubs are now up and running including Maxwelltown High Sports Hub. Fifty per cent of the 150 planned sport hubs across all local authorities will be based in schools, demonstrating a commitment to young people and improving their opportunities for physical fitness and I am delighted the Active Places Fund is able to further support the facilities that will be available here.
“In the last five years, Dumfries and Galloway has received grants for 125 projects with local sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools to cover everything from coaching costs, taster sessions and open days to equipment purchase, sports kits and venue hire.”
Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland, said:
“I am delighted that another 45 projects are set to benefit from the Active Places Fund, as we aim to encourage more people of all ages and abilities to become involved in sport and physical activity.
“sportscotland and the Scottish Government are working closely to deliver a successful sporting legacy from Glasgow 2014, and the Active Places Fund is a key component of that vision.”
Following her visit to Maxwelltown High School, the Minister went to Dumfries and Galloway College to meet young people undertaking The Princes Trust employability initiative, part of the Scotland’s Best 2014 Legacy programme funded by the Scottish Government and delivered via Skills Development Scotland.
The project offers an employability qualification and quality volunteering, training and work placement opportunities, for 1,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds, designed to ensure young people have the skills employers want and the confidence to take that next step in their future. So far, 500 young people have been supported through the initiative.
Ms Robison said:
“Volunteering is one of the best and easiest ways of gaining invaluable work experience. Scotland’s Best is specifically designed to create training and volunteering opportunities linked to culture and sport in Scotland and I’m delighted that so many young people in Dumfries and Galloway are benefiting from this excellent project.”
Head of Faculty for Education, Health and Social Studies at Dumfries and Galloway College, June Holland said:
“We are delighted to welcome the Minister to Dumfries and Galloway College. The Princes Trust Teams have been running here and at our Stranraer Campus for the past seven years. Our focus is to raise self-esteem, build confidence and develop personal skills for all of our young people. The fact that the team are playing host to Shona Robison MSP is an extremely positive opportunity for them and the staff to demonstrate the work we are doing and the excellent College facilities we have”
Dumfries and Galloway Council Leader Ronnie Nicholson said: “One of our Council’s priorities is to provide a good start in life for all our children. The Active Places funding has allowed Maxwelltown High School to develop this sport hub so that it offers our young people better facilities and more opportunities to take part in a range of organised physical activity sessions that are better suited to what they want. In turn, this will increase the take up of sport in our young people.
The sport hub will also be able to be used by the wider community of North West Dumfries after school hours. I am pleased that local people in this area will have now have access to a quality sports facility right on their doorstep. We will do what we can to ensure that people take up the opportunity to increase their activity levels by using this new sport hub and finding something that they will really enjoy taking part in.”
