Over 80 clubs and community organisations across the Highlands have benefited from more than £330,000 of investment through the Get Active Scotland Fund during its first year.
Get Active Scotland is a partnership between the London Marathon Foundation, sportscotland, High Life Highland and Glasgow Life, launched in September 2025 by Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete Megan Keith. As one of the partners delivering the fund in the Highlands, we've seen it help communities across the region become more active, more often.
From bowling and tennis in Badenoch and rugby and golf in Ross-shire to sailing and shinty in Skye, along with swimming and surfing in Caithness, the funding is supporting projects that create new or enhanced opportunities for people of all ages to take part and have fun.
Since the fund opened, 85 clubs and community groups have received grants totalling £331,036.70, helping organisations buy equipment, improve facilities, develop programmes and remove barriers to participation.
Rowing club expands access with new equipment
One organisation benefiting from the funding is Gairloch Coastal Rowing Club, which secured funding for new lightweight oars, a trailer and safety equipment. The investment has enabled the club to expand participation and make rowing more accessible to a wider range of people in their community.
Sue Ward from Gairloch Coastal Rowing Club said the new lightweight oars have made rowing much more accessible for members, and that the new road trailer means the club can now travel to social rowing events and regattas with other Scottish clubs.
Walking programmes and community projects
The fund has also supported Lochaber-based Ewen's Room, whose walking programmes have helped more people get outdoors, improve their physical wellbeing and build social connections. Participants in the organisation's "Walk and Talk" January programme and the more recent "Step Outside" project reported increased confidence, improved fitness and a stronger sense of community.
Beauly Shinty Club received funding to help expand its offering, with investment in its Under 14s Girls Shinty Team, while Aviemore Bowling Club received funding towards new equipment for its intergenerational bowling project.
Gymnastics club upgrades equipment for safety and growth
At Fyrish Gymnastics Club in Alness, the funding is helping develop a wider range of activities, including for disabled young people.
Claire Gordon of Fyrish Gymnastics said the club was pleased to receive Get Active Scotland funding to upgrade its beam matting to competition standard, ensuring the safety of all its athletes. This will allow the club to hold its first four-piece competition, with plans to welcome gymnasts from across Scotland and eventually host a Special Olympics gymnastics competition.
A first-hand look at the fund's impact
On a recent visit to the Highlands, Mike Diaper, Group Funding and Impact Director at the London Marathon Foundation, met some of the fund's successful applicants to hear about its impact first-hand. His visit took in Fyrish Gymnastics Club, Beauly Shinty Club, Loch Broom Sailing Club, Muir of Ord Golf Club and Inverness Rowing Club.
He said that Get Active Scotland began with the idea that combining effort and pooling resources would create a bigger impact, and that seeing the projects in action confirmed this. He added that small amounts of money can make a real difference to local clubs helping people get active in a way that suits them, and that the Foundation is looking forward to supporting more projects in the fund's second year.
Steve Walsh, Chief Executive of High Life Highland, said: "We are incredibly grateful to the London Marathon Foundation and sportscotland for investing in Highland communities, and we are absolutely delighted to be part of this special partnership."
He added that the demand for funding has shown the passion and commitment within Highland communities to create opportunities for people to be active, and that the fund is helping improve health and wellbeing right across the region.
Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said the success of Get Active Scotland in the Highlands shows the difference targeted investment can make, helping people of all ages and backgrounds get involved in sport and physical activity in ways that work for them. He added that local clubs and community organisations are at the heart of an active Scotland, and that the partnership is helping remove barriers to participation across the region.
Small amounts of money can really help local clubs to get people active in a way that is right for them.
Group Funding and Impact Director, London Marathon Foundation
About the fund
The Get Active Scotland Fund is one of the country's largest programmes focused on increasing participation in physical activity, particularly among less-active children and young people, and communities affected by deprivation and rural isolation. With £500,000 split between Glasgow and the Highlands, this is the first time the London Marathon Foundation has awarded a grant dedicated solely to supporting communities in Scotland. The investment has been made possible through London Marathon Events' acquisition of Caledonian Concepts Ltd, one of Scotland's leading organisers of mass-participation sporting events, including the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running.
Community groups across the Highlands can apply for grants of up to £5,000. The next application deadline is 2 November 2026.
Gallery
Apply for Get Active funding
Grants of up to £5,000 are available for Highland clubs and community groups.
