While the golf season has wound down for many in Scotland, for some athletes and golfing hopefuls working on their game is a year-round pursuit. With this continual improvement of the sport in mind, MSP Patricia Ferguson today announced an award of £346,082 to the Scottish Golf Union (SGU).

sportscotland is providing a £2 million cash injection to improve sports facilities across the country, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson announced today.

Beauly Camanachd Club will be celebrating this Saturday (3 December) with the official opening of their new pavilion at Braeview Park in Beauly.

sportscotland is committed to promoting a safe environment for children to have protection in sport and believes the principles of child protection should be central to every aspect of development, delivery and decision-making in Scottish sport. To back this objective, sportscotland is pleased to announce a financial investment of £27,500 of sportscotland Exchequer funding to CHILDREN 1st

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland, announced today that Stewart Harris has been appointed as the new chief executive for the organisation.

sportscotland has committed nearly £900,000 to the Scottish Area Institute network over the next 12 months to help develop the country’s most promising young sporting talent.

Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson today announced a £293,000 sportscotland investment in Scotland’s tennis players - improving coaching and development, providing athlete support and assisting Scotland’s tennis clubs as they bring on the next generation of tennis stars.

The notes of the previous meeting were agreed. The note taker, Paul Buxton, was commended for circulating the notes so efficiently and timeously.

sportscotland welcomes the establishment of Scottish Universities Sport (SUS) as the new body to represent sport and physical activity in higher education in Scotland.

sportscotland is pleased to announce that CR CATS, a canoeing club in Central Scotland, has been awarded £6,700 from sportscotland’s Lottery funded Building for Sport Programme.

With Scotland’s basketball training squad for the 2006 Commonwealth Games announced last week, sportscotland has backed this up with an award of £219,950 to basketballscotland.

sportscotland recently awarded badmintonscotland £383,160 as part of a package of funding to seven Commonwealth Games sports, which includes £198,160 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund. The backing from sportscotland will give BADMINTONscotland a welcome boost in what is a crucial season of Commonwealth Games qualification, as well as helping to reinforce the structure and support available to ensure the long-term development of the sport.

sportscotland is absolutely committed to promoting equity and believes the principles of equity should be central to every aspect of development, delivery and decision-making in Scottish sport. That means ensuring diversity in sport is encouraged, supported and celebrated. To support this objective sportscotland today launched its Equity Strategy: Working Towards Diversity and Inclusion in Sport.

Scotland’s National Equestrian Performance Centre is to be redeveloped as part of a funding boost for Scottish sports facilities totalling almost £3 million from sportscotland’s Lottery funded Building for Sport programme.

Rising tennis star, Jamie Baker took a break from training today (Monday 22 August), to cut the first turf to mark the start of work at the Scottish National Training Centre for Tennis. Based at the University of Stirling, the new centre will provide a first class training facility to support the development of talented tennis players, helping them to reach the pinnacle of their sport.

Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland today welcomed the news that the Scottish Executive has given its official backing to a Scottish Commonwealth Games bid for 2014 with Glasgow, following the First Minister’s announcement that the bid is officially up and running.

During her visit to the Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Glasgow today, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson announced nearly £1.4m from sportscotland in support of Scotland’s quest for Commonwealth Games success in 2006 and beyond.

Leading ice skaters John and Sinead Kerr have received a welcome funding boost from sportscotland, as the countdown to their Olympic dream begins.

The Scottish Gymnastics Association (SGA) have a spring in their step this month with the announcement of sportscotland funding totalling £294,000.

With their first crucial World Cup qualifying match approaching, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) have been awarded over £90,000 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund for the women’s national squad programme.

As thousands of people take to the Scottish hills over the summer holidays, sportscotland has pledged their support to the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) with an award of £68,000.

The people of Dalgety Bay will be celebrating this weekend as the brand new Dalgety Bay Bowling Club officially opens on Saturday (9 July), widening sporting opportunities for the community.

Julia Bracewell OBE (41) was announced today by the Scottish Executive as the new Chair of sportscotland. She is the first female chair and the youngest person ever to be appointed to the position.

With summer finally here in Scotland why not try your hand at sailing at sportscotland’s National Centre Cumbrae Open Day on Saturday 9 July.

With the countdown to the Winter Paralympic Games well underway, sportscotland has announced an annual award totalling £195,000 to Scottish Disability Sport (SDS).

The Rt. Hon Lord Munro of Langholm will join the people of Annan tomorrow (Friday 24 June), to celebrate the official reopening of the newly refurbished Annan Swimming Pool.

Both volleyball and netball have netted funding from sportscotland totalling £210,000 to support key areas of the sports’ business plans.

sportscotland is delighted to announce funding totalling £195,000 to the Scottish Canoe Association (SCA), to support key areas of the sport’s development and performance plan.

Scottish Youth Squad riders, Magnus Davidson, Morvern Brown, Hamish Creber and Callum Shields will join mountain bike enthusiasts from across Scotland tomorrow (Wednesday 22 June), to celebrate the official launch of the brand new mountain bike training track at Glenmore Lodge, sportscotland’s national outdoor training centre.

With the countdown to the 2006 Winter Olympics well underway, Patricia Ferguson today announced that sportscotland has awarded £351,181 to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC). The backing is a combination of £241,181 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund and £110,000 of sportscotland Exchequer funding from the Scottish Executive.

The island communities of Mull and Iona are today celebrating the announcement of an award of £192,897 from sportscotlands Lottery funded Building For Sport Programme, to provide a brand new indoor swimming pool with changing facilities.

As Volunteers Week kicks off, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson today announced that sportscotland has appointed six regional development officers for volunteering in sport through a three-year funding package totalling £630,000.

With the countdown to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne well underway, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson today announced that sportscotland has awarded £704,523 to scottishathletics.

As Jim Leishman prepares to lead Dunfermline Athletic Football Club to victory against Dundee tomorrow in his first match as Acting Manager, he will be taking time out on Sunday to join the people of Crossford, to unveil the brand new sports facilities at King George V Memorial Park.

A major funding boost for shinty was announced today by Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson. The Camanachd Association, the sports governing body, will receive nearly £100,000 from sportscotland to help the game’s continued growth.

sportscotland is pushing the boat out this month with an award of £303,537 to the Royal Yachting Association Scotland (RYAS) to support key areas of the sport’s business plan including athlete support, coaching, staffing and club development.

Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland announced today that Ian Taylor has resigned from his position as chief executive for domestic reasons.

As the golf season swings into action, sportscotland is delighted to announce Lottery funding totalling £236,841 to support the country’s most talented golfers.

With their first crucial match of the season approaching, Cricket Scotland have been awarded £270,297 from sportscotland. The backing is a combination of £83,000 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund and £187,297 of sportscotland Exchequer funding from the Scottish Executive.

With the 2006 Commonwealth Games just a year away, First Minister Jack McConnell joined athletes and officials from the Scottish Commonwealth Games Team to celebrate the first major sponsor for the team preparing for Melbourne – Clydesdale Bank.

With the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne only a year away, the Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive in Scotland this weekend visiting some of Scotland’s most iconic locations.

The north east’s first regional curling training and competition venue, Curl Aberdeen, is to be officially opened tomorrow (Wednesday 23 March) in a joint unveiling ceremony by Provost John Reynolds, Aberdeen City Council, and Provost Raymond Bissett of Aberdeenshire Council.

Lloyds TSB and Cricket Scotland took top honours at the Scottish Business in Sport Dinner in Glasgow (Friday 18 March) for their sponsorship of cricket in Scotland.

Ever dreamt of pulling on the revered dark blue of Scotland and running through the tunnel onto the hallowed turf of Hampden? Of proudly lining up alongside your teammates and singing a rallying rendition of ‘Flower of Scotland’ as the haunting cry of the bagpipes pierces the air? Do you dream of the roar of the crowd as the whistle blows signalling the start of the match and hearing the foot soldiers of the Tartan Army chanting your name? Have you ever dreamt of stepping into the boots of former Scottish football legends and into your own piece of Hampden History?

sportscotland is delighted to announce funding totalling £242,860 to Scottish Cycling, to support key areas of the sport’s development plan.

sportscotland has appointed Jessica Lindohf as the new Women, Girls and Sport Officer. The new post, in partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation, will lead the implementation of sportscotland’s Women, Girls and Sport Action Plan, a comprehensive programme of positive action for women and girls encouraging participation, leadership and performance and excellence.

sportscotland is delighted announce funding totalling £193,850 to basketballscotland to support key areas of the sport’s business plan from grassroots development to medal success. The investment includes:£98,900 for club development, staffing and the Volunteer Development programme, £64,950 for athlete support and performance coach development and £30,000 to support the post of National Youth Development Manager.

The community of Dalry, North Ayrshire are celebrating the news of Lottery funding totalling £300,000 from sportscotland’s Building for Sport (BfS) programme today to support a project to build a four-court sports hall as part of a new primary school being built by the Council in the area.

The sportscotland Lottery Fund is delighted to announce funding of over £263,000 to six new projects across Scotland demonstrating sportscotland’s commitment to improving access to healthy lifestyle choices, enhancing sporting opportunities and helping communities in social inclusion areas develop themselves through sport and physical recreation.

With just over a year to go until the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia sportscotland is delighted to announce funding totalling £216,978.22 to the sports of men’s bowls, target shooting and athletics to help athletes prepare for this major competition.

Around 100 coaches from the East of Scotland will come together this weekend for the first of three regional coaching conferences this year. The East of Scotland Coaching Conference, entitled ‘Coaching Counts 2005’, is being held at Midlothian School of Gymnastics on Sunday 27 February and will offer a quality coach development programme to local and regional coaches.

Paul Lawrie MBE, the former Ryder Cup competitor and winner of the 1999 Open Championship, joined forces with the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Patricia Ferguson today (Monday 21 February 2005) to launch firstclubgolf, the national junior golf strategy’s introductory game which plans to make the game accessible to every child in Scotland.

sportscotland is splashing out this month with one of the largest investments ever made to a governing body of sport. £640,000 has been awarded to Scottish Swimming to support key areas of the sport’s development plan including athlete support, coaching, staffing and club development. The award is a combination of £346,000 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund and £294,000 of Exchequer funding and was accepted on swimming’s behalf by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alison Sheppard MBE who also announced her retirement from the sport today.

sportscotland is delighted to announce a major investment totalling £639,029 to the Scottish Hockey Union (SHU) today to support all areas of the governing body’s business plan from grass roots development to medal success. The award is a combination of £359,529 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund and £279,500 of Exchequer funding.

Following the successful passing of the Land Reform Bill through the Scottish Parliament in January 2003, Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland today welcomed Scotland’s new Right of Responsible Access which will come into force tomorrow (9 February) and the associated Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Some of Dundee’s most talented young pro riders will be demonstrating their skills on Thursday 3 February, as part of an evening of celebrations to mark the official opening of the UK’s first purpose built facility for BMX, skateboarding and aggressive inline skating.

sportscotland in partnership with Tennis Scotland and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is delighted to announce Jim Campbell as the new Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Scotland. The post has been jointly funded by the three organisations.

sportscotland today announced investment totalling £89,848 to support the high performance programmes for eleven sports from archery to wheelchair curling. These awards support the high performance programmes for each governing body, focusing on athlete support and high quality coaching with the ultimate aim to increase the number of medallists on the world stage.

Patricia Ferguson, Sports Minister today announced that sportscotland has awarded £207,000 to Tennis Scotland to support key areas of the sport’s business plan. The funding will include athlete support, coaching, player improvement and staffing.

With the first flakes of snow beginning to fall heralding the start of the Scottish winter sport season, sportscotland is delighted to announce an investment totalling over £307,000 to the sports of curling and snowsport. These awards support the high performance programmes for each governing body, focusing on athlete support and high quality coaching with the ultimate aim to increase the number of medallists on the world stage.