With the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running just days away, a major £1.1 million fund has been launched to help more people across Scotland get active. The new two-year initiative, called Get Active Scotland, will be managed in the Highlands by High Life Highland and in Glasgow by Glasgow Life.

Backed by the London Marathon Foundation, sportscotland and local partners, it will be one of the largest programmes ever created to boost participation in sport and physical activity in Scotland, particularly among children, young people and communities facing deprivation or rural isolation.

The Foundation’s £500,000 contribution marks its first-ever Scotland-only grant and has been made possible through London Marathon Events’ acquisition of Caledonian Concepts, the organisers of the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running. Malcolm Sutherland, CEO of Caledonian Concepts, said the fund would “leave a lasting legacy, beyond the events, for children, young people and communities across the Highlands to enjoy the lifelong benefits of physical activity and sport.”

To mark the launch in Inverness, Olympian Megan Keith led pupils from Kinmylies Primary School in a Daily Mile activity at the recently refurbished Bught Park. Steve Walsh, Chief Executive of High Life Highland, described the fund as “a significant support” for local community clubs, helping them expand their capacity and provide inclusive opportunities.

sportscotland has added a further £500,000 through National Lottery investment. Chief Executive Forbes Dunlop said the project would build on existing work in clubs and communities while addressing barriers to participation that are particularly felt in rural areas.

Applications for grants of up to £5,000 are now open to community groups in the Highlands, with the Glasgow fund due to open in October. Alan Milner, Head of Sport at Glasgow Life, said the initiative would support projects aimed at underserved groups, including children and young people, women and girls, ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities, older adults and those experiencing financial hardship.

If you'd like to know more, visit the Get Active Highlands Fund website.

Image: Get Active Scotland