Nineteen Highland-based sports clubs are celebrating after successful applications in the latest round of funding from Get Active Scotland, a fund administered by High Life Highland.
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. It's one of Scotland's largest programmes focused on getting more people active, with a particular focus on the least-active children and young people, and communities in areas affected by deprivation and rural isolation. The fund was launched by Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete Megan Keith in September last year.
This latest round supports a wide range of sports, including bowling, sailing, American football, athletics, rowing, shinty, cricket and football.
Clubs share what the funding means to them
On Knoydart, funding will support a new community gym. Alice Lemkes, founder of Knoydart Community Gym, said the project will make a big difference to a community where healthcare is a boat journey away, giving people a dedicated space to get strong and stay strong whatever the west coast weather brings — and meaning the gym can open its doors much sooner than planned.
For Lybster Football Club, the funding will help improve toilet and shower facilities used by players, volunteers, supporters and the wider community. Manager Cameron Mackenzie said funding like this is vital for rural clubs operating in areas of high deprivation, and that it allows them to keep developing facilities that benefit everyone who uses them.
Aviemore Bowling Club has received funding towards new equipment for its intergenerational bowling project, while Nairn Sailing Club's support will go towards its Junior Dinghy Sailing Programme.
American football club Highland Wildcats — the youth programme of Inverness Blitz — are putting their funding towards new football helmets as part of their "Tackling Safety Head First" initiative. Head Coach Ben Senior said the investment in equipment is also an investment in the safety and confidence of young players, helping remove financial barriers for families and welcome more people into the sport.
A growing impact across the Highlands
Darren Reid, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at High Life Highland, said the fund is having a real impact on the ground: "We are very grateful to the London Marathon Foundation for the financial investment in Highland – it is making a massive difference to local clubs and organisations."
Since the fund began, 85 clubs and community groups across the region have shared a total of £331,036.70 in funding.
Mike Diaper, Group Funding and Impact Director at the London Marathon Foundation, said that in less than a year, Get Active Scotland has funded a wide range of initiatives making physical activity more accessible and inclusive across the Highlands, from supporting existing clubs to funding brand-new rural facilities.
The London Marathon Foundation awarded £500,000 towards the two-year fund — its first grant to solely support communities in Scotland. The Foundation is the parent charity of London Marathon Events, whose funding in Scotland has come through its acquisition of Caledonian Concepts Ltd, organisers of events including the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running.
The full list of successful clubs
- 1st Avoch Sea Scouts
- Aviemore Bowling Club
- Boys' Brigade – Highland Battalion
- Ewen's Room
- Glenurquhart Bowling Club
- Inverness Blitz
- Inverness Harriers AAC
- Inverness Netball Club
- Inverness Rowing Club
- Kingussie Camanachd Club
- Knoydart Community Gym
- Loch Broom Sailing Club
- Lybster Football Club
- Nairn Bowling Club
- Nairn Sailing Club
- Northern Counties Cricket Club
- Skye Sailing Club
- The Den Youth Café
- Thurso Bowling Club
How to apply
Highland-based community groups can apply for a Get Active Scotland grant of up to £5,000. The next application deadline is 17 August 2026.
