INVERCLYDE Council has secured funding to provide free and low-cost opportunities for young people as part of sportscotland’s 2026 Summer of Sport.
The £20million initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland, will offer young people aged three to 26 the opportunity to get active.
Inverclyde Council has received £165,000 to fund projects through to March 2027.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities said: “We’re proud to support the 2026 Summer of Sport and bring exciting, accessible activities to young people in Inverclyde.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to try something new, get active, and experience the joy of physical activity, whether it’s through sport, outdoor events, or community-based activities.
“Our goal is to make these opportunities available to everyone, regardless of background.”
The council already funds free summer playschemes, free swimming for children living in Inverclyde and additional support needs (ASN) playschemes, in partnership with Inverclyde Leisure, during the school summer holidays.
The Summer of Sport funding has already supported a small grants scheme which has given out £20,000 to community groups to run projects over the summer.
The council says that further details on schemes to be funded by Summer of Sport will be announced shortly.
Councillor Sandra Reynolds, Inverclyde Council’s sports champion, added: “This funding will make a real difference to communities across Inverclyde, giving people the chance to participate in sport and maybe try something new.
“I hope that the people of Inverclyde grab this opportunity to find out what’s going on locally and get involved.
“Bringing children and young people together to be more active and enjoy the benefits of sport is so important and this Summer of Sport funding will help us do more of that.”
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said: “At sportscotland, we believe that sport has the power to strengthen communities and change lives.
“The 2026 Summer of Sport campaign, made possible by Scottish Government investment, is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared ambition to make sport more inclusive and accessible.
“We’re proud to play our part in helping more young people enjoy the benefits of being active as we celebrate a fantastic summer of sport.”
