Kilwinning cashes in on new sporting opportunity

The community of Kilwinning, ‘the crossroads of Ayrshire’, is approaching Autumn with reason to celebrate as the sportscotland Lottery Fund announces further investment of nearly £250,000 from its Sports Facilities and Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs) Programmes to develop sport in the area.

In August funding of £200,000 was awarded from the Sports Facilities Programme to build a grass pitch and four new floodlit synthetic five-a-side courts at the Kilwinning Community Sports Club.

This is the first phase of a long-term scheme to improve the multi-purpose sports facilities for an area which has suffered from high employment and low investment over the last decade. It is hoped that the new facility will act as a positive platform to regenerate a community through sport and physical activity.

A further award of £49,132 has also been made through the SIPs Programme to support the posts of Facilitator and Sports Development Co-ordinator based at the club for a second year.

The Sports Development Co-ordinator will deliver a variety of sports programmes targeting the youth in the area. The new facilities will certainly be utilised, as after school sports and activities through school holidays are planned to provide structured healthy pursuits and raise fitness levels. The Facilitator will provide administrative support as well as being on site to enable the club to stay open longer hours, increasing the amount of participation.

Jim McCubbin, Chairman of the Kilwinning Community Sports Club, said: “These awards demonstrate both the sportscotland Lottery Fund’s and Kilwinning Community Sports Club’s commitment to providing quality sporting facilities and opportunities for the community. Above all, our vision is of a socially inclusive community where individuals have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.”

Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland, said: “Targeting areas where social deprivation leads to lower levels of participation in sport is an issue we are striving to address through our SIPs Programme and I am delighted that Kilwinning has received nearly £250,000 from the Lottery Fund to bring sport into the community.

“Sport can have such a positive impact on communities, not only by improving their health and fitness, but also building self- confidence and breaking down social barriers. We want to create a Scotland where sport is available to all and we will continue to work closely within all SIP areas to deliver this goal.”

The SIPs programme specifically targets social inclusion through funding for enhanced sporting opportunities helping communities develop themselves through sport, physical recreation and healthy lifestyle activities.
Eligible organisations may apply for one award towards a single project or for several awards for separate, stand alone projects. The minimum cost of a project is £5,550 and the minimum award is £5,000 in the absence of other external funds.
In common with other sportscotland Lottery Programmes, the SIPs Programme is application based. The programme has an application period of three years from February 2002 to December 2004 and an implementation period of five years through to December 2006.

Under the SIPs Programme every application has to include a level of support from at least one other source.
Applicants will need to provide partnership funding of not less than 10% of eligible cost, in cash or kind.
Application forms and guidelines are available on line at www.sportscotland.org.uk