Six women’s and girls’ football clubs across the Highlands and Islands have received a welcome boost, with £1,000 each awarded to help them grow the game in their communities.
Campbeltown Pupils, Sutherland Women, Orkney Women, Nairn St Ninian, Muir of Ord Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle were named as winners in a ScottishPower funding competition dedicated to grassroots football.
The scheme forms part of ScottishPower’s partnership with Scottish Women’s Football, which became the first ever title sponsor of the Highlands and Islands league last year.
In its second year, the competition has expanded to recognise the unique challenges faced by clubs across some of Scotland’s most remote communities.
The winning clubs each stood out for clear and practical plans to use the funding to create more opportunities for women and girls to play and develop their skills.
For Campbeltown Pupils, based far from regular opponents, the funding will help create new opportunities for local girls to take part in the game.
Sutherland Women will invest in an analytical camera to support player development, while Orkney Women will expand outreach to bring football to girls on some of the more distant islands.
Nairn St Ninian plan to create separate changing facilities for their younger teams, Muir of Ord Rovers will focus on training more female coaches, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle will purchase new kit and balls to ensure all age groups are supported.
Aileen Campbell, Chief Executive of Scottish Women’s Football, congratulated the six clubs and praised the ambition behind their applications.
“Congratulations to all six clubs on their funding award,” she said.
“We know clubs face huge challenges when it comes to travel and logistics, and these applications showed not only the hurdles but the determination to overcome them.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the real difference this funding will make on the ground.”
Julie Keough, Brand Director at ScottishPower, said the standard of entries had been inspiring.
“It’s particularly rewarding to support the game in places like Argyll and Bute, where there have historically been fewer opportunities,” she said.
“This shows how important it is to provide support and funding to women’s football teams at every level and we’re proud to play our part in building the game for future generations.”
The initiative follows last year’s awards to four clubs, bringing the total number supported to ten as ScottishPower’s partnership with Scottish Women’s Football continues to grow.
