Camelon community sports hub celebrates success of programme

Sportscotland chairperson, Mel Young; Falkirk Council leader Cecil Meiklejohn; UK Goverenment Minister for Sport, Nigel Adams and Falkirk Community Trust chief executive, Maureen Campbell with the Hub groups and clubs. Picture: Michael Gillen.

Camelon CSH was established in 2018 and is a partnership between Falkirk Community Trust and a variety of local sports clubs and organisations.

It now has close to 1,100 members taking part in a variety of sports and physical activities including football, rugby, indoor bowling, basketball, table tennis, karate, taekwon-do and baton twirling. As well as targeting younger and older populations the hub seeks to ensure that individuals experiencing poor mental health, physical or financial barriers are given opportunities to participate.

Camelon Community Champion and member of Camelon CSH, Ann Henderson, said: “I am so pleased that it’s all come together – this is what Community Sport Hubs are all about. It makes all the partnership working worth it. I love seeing the success of Camelon Community Sport Hub.”

New figures published by sportscotland – the national agency for sport – has shown that the number of people that are part of Community Sport Hubs (CSHs) across the country has almost doubled since the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

First launched in 2011, the programme brings together sport clubs and community organisations to develop and grow sport at a local level.

The number of CSHs is now at an all-time high of 197, an increase of 50 per cent from 131 in 2013/2014, as sportscotland continues to deliver its key legacy commitment from Glasgow 2014. Over the same period the number of sport club members actively part of hubs rose by 92% from 81,686 to 156,562.

Mel Young said: “The growth of Community Sport Hubs over the last five years has been incredible and is at the heart of the wider sporting network’s commitment to building a more active Scotland. We know from experience the life-changing effect of sport participation and that can be seen in hubs across the country.

“We want to help create a Scotland where people see sport as being a central part of their lives. That is why we are determined to deliver more and better opportunities for thousands of people of all ages and abilities to participate in Scotland’s world-class sporting system. Community Sport Hubs are central to this.”

The UK Sport cabinet was meeting before the weekend’s Solheim Cup in Gleneagles. Minister for Sport Joe FitzPatrick, added: “I’m delighted to see the latest figures from sportscotland showing an increase in the number of people using Community Sport Hubs. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity and enjoy the benefits of exercising.

“I’ve seen for myself how clubs and community groups, supported by their local authority, leisure trust and governing bodies can all work together through Community Sport Hubs to provide opportunities for people to make positive changes to their lifestyles.”