people and clubs in Annandale and Eskdale have benefited from hundreds of pounds of funding in recent weeks to support sports performance and club development.
5 awards totalling £803 have been presented from the Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee Sports Grants programme, including:
Langholm Youth Rugby Club was presented with a cheque for £380 during a junior training and a Fit Families Session, a joint initiative with Active Schools and Community Sport. The club now has more than 100 children participating in rugby through a partnership approach with primary and secondary schools. The funding will be used to put 3 young people through their UKCC Level 1 Rugby Course and to purchase medical and safety equipment.
Jack Strawhorn [14] from Lockerbie is a member of the current Scottish under 14 Slam winning team and next season will move up to the Asham under 17 Slam which is a series of curling events across Scotland. Jack who is also a member at Lockerbie Ice Rink was presented with a cheque for £150 and will use the funding to support training and competition costs. He will also play with his team in the Scottish Junior Championships, which is the national competition for young curlers aged under 21.
Liam Rogerson and Liam Wilson , both from Lockerbie, were presented with a cheque for £250. The funding was to support them with the expenses of taking part in the World Eightball Pool Federation Championships in Blackpool, representing Scotland at under 23 Level. Scotland was drawn in the same group with England, Morocco, India, Republic of Ireland, Malta and South Africa. They won their matches against South Africa, India and Morocco but narrowly lost against the Republic of Ireland, the eventual winners, meaning the team would finish 5th in the world.
James Fox and Jane Skelton ( amin Image), Annan Ladies Football Club, received £103 to cover 50% of the costs of attending a Scottish FA Football coaching course and for new equipment. The Annan Ladies Football Club, which trains at Annan Athletic, has been running for just over 6 now and has female players participating aged 18 to 47.
Councillor Stephen Thompson, chair of Annandale and Eskdale Area committee, said “I’m delighted that we can support so many sports people and clubsfrom Annandale and Eskdale as they strive to develop and improve. Sports clubs play a vital role in our community and are behind many of the high performing athletes developing in Annandale and Eskdale. Our sports grants show that even relatively small awards can have a big impact.”
Councillor Adam Wilson, vice chair, said:“These awards will help local people participate and improve their sports skills. It’s great to see so many sporting successes in Annandale and Eskdale. These awards will help to see those successes continue.”
