New year, new funds for Highland clubs thanks to Get Active Scotland

Get Active Scotland is a two-year funding partnership between national and local partners – including the London Marathon Foundation, sportscotland, High Life Highland and Glasgow Life. The Fund is one of Scotland’s largest programmes focused on increasing participation in physical activity, particularly for the least-active children and young people, and communities living in areas affected by deprivation and rural isolation.

The variety of sports being supported in this first round of funding – which is administered by High Life Highland – is vast and includes basketball, ice hockey, shinty, football, gymnastics, athletics, golf, tennis, bowling, rugby and surfing.

Among the clubs celebrating their successful applications are Highland Disability Sport, Highland Bears Basketball, 12^th Inverness Boys Brigade, Ewen’s Room in Lochaber, Golspie Youth Action Project, Grantown YMCA Community Centre, South Skye and Lochalsh Kayak Club, Thurso Community Cafe and Ullapool Golf Club, to name a few.

Darren Reid, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at High Life Highland said: “We were overwhelmed with applications for the first round of Get Active Scotland funding, with some excellent applications all with the aim of helping people to be more active more often. While some clubs will be disappointed that they were unsuccessful this time, we are speaking with representatives to encourage them to try again when applications open again next month.

“We are very grateful to the London Marathon Foundation for the financial investment in Highland – it is already making a difference to local clubs and organisations and in turn will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people living here.”

Mike Diaper, Group Funding and Impact Director at the London Marathon Foundation, said: “It’s fantastic to see such a range of community groups already benefitting from Get Active Scotland funding – and this is just the beginning. We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have in boosting the health and wellbeing of children, young people, and less active communities across the Highlands. With applications re-opening in February 2026, even more groups will soon have the chance to apply for the funding they need to make physical activity accessible, inclusive and a part of everyday life.”

Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, who contributed £500,000 of National Lottery investment to the initiative, said: “This marks an exciting step for the Get Active Scotland parthership and I can’t wait to see the impact this funding will have for clubs and communities. Get Active Scotland shows the power of collaboration. By bringing together national and local partners like the London Marathon Foundation, sportscotland, High Life Highland and Glasgow Life, we’re creating opportunities that wouldn’t exist otherwise. This partnership is helping to remove barriers and ensure that communities across the Highlands have access to sport and physical activity for a healthier, more connected future.”

The London Marathon Foundation awarded £500,000 towards the two-year Fund – the first grant it has made to solely support communities in Scotland. The Foundation is the parent charity of London Marathon Events (LME), and its funding in Scotland has been made possible through LME’s acquisition of Caledonian Concepts Ltd, one of Scotland’s leading providers of mass participation sporting events, including the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running.

Community groups based in Highland can apply for a Get Active Scotland grant of up to £5,000. The next deadline for funding applications is Friday 6 February. To find out more and apply, visit: Get Active Highland Fund – Sport.

The full list of successful Highland Get Active Scotland recipients this time round, is: