Forfar’s Strathmore Rugby Club has landed a £75,000 windfall to expand its facilities at the town’s Inchmacoble Park.
The sportscotland award will help the outfit extend their existing clubhouse overlooking Forfar Loch to add extra changing rooms and a gym.
Training has just resumed at the club and officials said the boost will allow the club build on the work of the award-winning Strathmore Community Rugby Trust.
It has pioneered autism-friendly rugby sessions, with Strathie also aiming to be a regional hub for the girls’ game.
Pioneering Angus rugby trust on a roll with national award nominations
The Angus windfall was part of a £900,000 funding announcement from sportscotland’s sports facilities fund.
Eleven projects across 10 local authority areas will share the latest round of support.
Strathie president Bob Baldie said: “We’ve become a community hub and seen a real growth in our membership and playing numbers.
“The success of our charitable partner, Strathmore Community Rugby Trust, has been amazing.
“We want to continue to be an open and inclusive venue and the extension will allow us to welcome more people to our club.”
Battle of the Clans
The funding boost comes amidst an Inchmacoble ‘Battle of the Clans’.
The near 250-strong membership has been invited to take on a range of physical and academic challenges in the quest for bragging rights and club glory.
Four clans – Carnegie, Guthrie, Lyon and Ogilvy – will include coaches and players from all sections of the club, including Strathie Sharks junior and the community trust.
Club vice-president Mark Feighan said: “Lockdown has been difficult but we’re finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and we hope that this challenge will make the journey back to normality a bit easier.
“Battle of the Clans will be a great way to get the players ready for the next season while boosting morale and improving the sense of community that we all look forward to returning.”
Wellbeing
Minister for Public Health and Sport, Mairi Gougeon said: “Over the last year we have seen the vital role sport and physical activity has played in supporting our communities to stay connected and be more active.
“I’m pleased to hear that more projects are benefitting from this latest round of funding which will support local projects to ensure more diverse and inclusive opportunities are available in communities whilst increasing access to sport for all.”
Chief executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: “It’s important to recognise that without National Lottery players this level of investment simply would not be possible.”
The sportscotland sport facilities fund makes awards for capital projects.
Priority is given to those that widen access to participation or allow people to progress further within their chosen sport locally by removing barriers, particularly for under-represented groups, and in rural areas or areas of deprivation.
Other projects to benefit from the latest announcement include Shetland Golf Club (£30,000), Portobello Sailing and Kayak Club (£77,000), Glasgow Watersports (£22,000) and Garioch Sports Centre in Aberdeenshire (£50,000).