Eighteen projects across Scotland will receive funding to create and improve pitches, changing rooms and pavilions, so that more local communities can access high-quality facilities.Projects have been chosen for their ability to deliver improved facilities in deprived areas, support multi-sport use and increase participation among currently under-represented groups, including women, girls and disabled players. Examples include:

• Drumchapel United in Glasgow - a community club powered by volunteer coaches, which keeps the local community active at all ages from nursery to walking to football, who will use this £150,000 grant to regenerate their pitch.
• Kilwinning Community Football Academy in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire - who have just signed the community asset transfer of the pitch and pavilion and are using this funding to regenerate the pitch as part of wider plans to improve the site. The pitch will support everything from school PE to mental health programmes for the local community. The £120,000 grant will be combined with the club's own funds and funding from North Ayrshire Council.
• Buckie Thistle High School where, combined with funding from the council, the renewed 3G pitch will support year round use for the ladies team there.

The funding, combined with contributions from clubs and other local partners, will improve the quality of community facilities, bring people together to enjoy playing sport in their local area, regenerate communities and enhance social cohesion.It forms part of a £25m UK-wide investment in grassroots facilities during this financial year, out of a total of £230m set to be invested to help to build or upgrade up to 8,000 quality pitches across the UK over the next four years. The funding will also support the construction or refurbishment of clubhouses, changing facilities and community buildings.The Scottish Football Association is delivering the programme on behalf of the UK Government in Scotland.

“Our goal in Scotland is to harness the power of football, with the positive physical and mental wellbeing benefits that football offers being perfect examples of this. This funding will open opportunities for increased participation across many different demographics, including boys’ and girls’ football and para-football disciplines, some of which will be in areas that currently suffer from severe deprivation,” said Ian Maxwell, chief executive of the Scottish FA.