Academy picks up £900k award from Scottish Investment Fund

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August 28, 2009

As reported in the Evening News tonight the Academy has just been awarded £900k from the Scottish Investment Fund. The funds, 50% of which is loan funding, will be used to restructure our finances and help us to further develop our work in the community. In particular we will purchase a multi-sport mobile pitch to be used both within the Academy and to take into schools, community centres and other areas in North Edinburgh. The pitch is suitable for sports such as basketball, hockey and even cricket so Development Officer Kenny Cameron will have to throw away some of his prejudices!! The funding will also enable us to develop the South West corner of the site, hopefully creating a flexible area which could be used for many different sports.

Before making the award Social Investment Scotland reviewed in detail both the work we have been doing in the last 9 months and our future plans. They were very impressed with how quickly we have made an impact. Local youngsters are far more active in a variety of ways, and there has been a marked reduction in Police call outs for nuisance calls and indeed knife crime.

Brandon signing his player contract for "Street Football in a Safe Place"

Our Kickstart programme for local unemployed youngsters which ran in early Summer

Tonight’s article by Adam Morris.. ”The community facility has been granted £900,000 from the Scottish Government which will lead to the new facilities and more coaches being hired.

It is the latest in a series of major investments in the club’s revamped Ainslie Park base, and it marks the completion of a project which was kicked off by Scottish football legend Gordon Strachan, who comes from the area.

Spartans chairman Craig Graham said: “The funding package secures our immediate financial position and allows us to implement our plans for growing the work we do in north Edinburgh.

“We have more than 1,500 people using the academy every week across a range of sporting and learning activities, and we are already delivering real benefits.

“This funding will help us to extend into new sports such as basketball and skateboarding, and extend our outreach community programme with the coaches working on site in youth clubs, community centres and schools.”

Much hope has been placed in the Pilton Drive facility by local politicians and community leaders, both to improve the health of local people and get youngsters off the streets.

North Edinburgh is one of the poorest areas in the city and has a litany of social and health problems.

But that could change now with the provision of an all-weather pitch, grass pitch and five-a-side football facilities.

A physio base, eight changing rooms, an education room and a capacity of 3,000 has also boosted the area, as well as the amateur football club which has aspirations of joining the Scottish Football League.

Alistair Davis, a spokesman for Social Investment Scotland, which provided the grant, said: “We’re delighted to announce this latest investment from the fund and, moreover, to be able to assist such an outstanding project which will deliver first-rate work in the community.

“Many young people face a range of challenges in contemporary society and projects such as the Spartans Academy can make a huge difference in terms of making sure young people are given the help and support required to realise their full potential.”

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