Performance athletes across the Highlands have until Friday 4 September to apply for up to £750 towards the cost of travelling to training and competitions.
The Athlete Travel Award Scheme is being delivered through a partnership between sportscotland and High Life Highland, helping talented athletes who face substantial costs because of where they live.
Successful applicants can receive support towards travel and accommodation as well as free access to High Life Highland facilities to help with fitness and strength training.
For athletes living across a region as large as the Highlands, simply reaching the places where they need to train and compete can become a significant expense.
The national scheme is designed for performance level athletes who regularly need to travel beyond their local area to access competitive and development opportunities.
Support is available for athletes from Highland, the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.
Since the scheme was established in 2020, funding has helped people competing across a remarkably broad range of sports.
Previous recipients have included golfers, snowboarders, runners, surfers, gymnasts, cyclists, rowers and basketball players.
The money can help meet the cost of journeys within Scotland and elsewhere in the UK as well as travel further afield when required for training or competition.
High Life Highland’s Head of Sports Development Darren Reid said:
“We would encourage any performance athletes living in Highland to apply to this scheme if they would benefit from some financial assistance to help with their travel costs.
“Whether that’s trips within the Scotland and the UK for training and competitions or even further afield.
“At High Life Highland we are committed to supporting our talented athletes, ensuring they have the best possible opportunities to excel in their chosen sports at the highest levels of competition.
“We are delighted to be able to play a small role in their success.”
Geography creates a particular challenge for athletes trying to progress through competitive sport from the Highlands and Islands.
Training facilities, specialist coaching and higher level competitions can be hundreds of miles from home, turning sporting development into a regular commitment to lengthy and expensive journeys.
Those costs can accumulate quickly for athletes and their families, particularly when competitions require overnight accommodation as well as transport.
The Athlete Travel Award Scheme is intended to reduce some of that disadvantage and give talented competitors better access to the opportunities they need to develop.
Athletes considering applying for the latest round now have limited time remaining, with applications closing on Friday 4 September.
Please visit the website for more information or to apply Athlete support | High Life Highland
