Five women’s and girls’ football clubs across the Highlands and Islands have received a welcome funding boost to help tackle some of the practical costs of developing the game across the region.
Clachnacuddin, Fort William, Shetland Women, Sutherland Women and Moray Girls have each been awarded £1,000 through ScottishPower’s annual grassroots funding competition.
The £5,000 will be spent directly on equipment, facilities and travel, reflecting some of the very different challenges faced by clubs operating across the Highlands and Islands.
Clachnacuddin will use its award to improve strength and conditioning equipment, while Fort William and Shetland Women will put their funding towards the considerable cost of travelling to play matches.
Moray Girls will purchase additional equipment to support four against four and five against five training sessions, while Sutherland Women will use its £1,000 to install new dugout facilities at Golspie.
The competition is now in its third year and forms part of ScottishPower’s support for the Highlands and Islands League, after the company became its first title sponsor through a partnership with Scottish Women’s Football.
A total of 15 funding grants have now been awarded to clubs across the region since the initiative began in 2023.
Scottish Women’s Football CEO Aileen Campbell said:
“Congratulations to all five clubs on their funding award, which I know will go a long way towards their development goals.
“The entries to this competition from all clubs reveal the huge challenges faced by grassroots football clubs in the Highlands and Islands when it comes to travel and logistics.
“The commitment shown from ScottishPower to provide this additional support over and above league prize money underlines their commitment to women’s and girls’ football in Scotland at every age and stage, which is why we are delighted that our partnership will continue for another three years.”
The latest awards follow the extension of ScottishPower’s partnership with Scottish Women’s Football for another three years, continuing support for the women’s game from grassroots clubs through to elite competition.
Julie Keough, Brand Director at ScottishPower, said:
“We were once again blown away by the quality of applications and the dedication shown by grassroots clubs working to create opportunities for women and girls across the Highlands and Islands.
“At ScottishPower, we’re committed to supporting women’s football at every level.
“We’re proud that this competition has now delivered 15 funding awards to clubs across the region, from Argyll and Bute to Shetland, helping ensure more players have the opportunity to participate, develop and thrive in the game.”
For clubs covering some of the greatest distances in Scottish football, £1,000 can make a practical difference, whether that means getting a team to its next match, improving the place they play or giving the next generation better equipment with which to develop their game.
