Funding secures free coaching and inclusion work across Falkirk
Laurieston Bowling Club has been awarded £3,005.88 from SafeDeposits Scotland’s Community Fund to continue and expand its youth outreach work across the Falkirk district. The funding will be used to purchase additional coaching bowls and equipment, enabling the club to sustain free taster sessions and coaching for young people, including pupils with disabilities and additional support needs.
The club currently delivers regular coaching sessions to more than 500 pupils and engages with a number of youth and support organisations in the area. Among the groups benefiting from the club’s work are FK1nclude and Go! Youth Trust, and sessions are delivered in partnership with Active Schools Falkirk to reach pupils with additional support requirements.
- Grant awarded: £3,005.88 from SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund
- Current coaching reach: more than 500 pupils
- Partners: FK1nclude, Go! Youth Trust, Active Schools Falkirk
Club officials said the new equipment will reduce financial barriers for families and open up the sport to more young people. Peter Alexander, head coach at Laurieston Bowling Club and Bowls Scotland youth coordinator for clubs in the Falkirk district, described the funding as a practical step to encourage participation and to improve health and wellbeing among players.
“We received close to 100 applications to this funding round and selected Laurieston Bowling Club’s project to receive a grant as we were compelled by the quality of detail in the application and its potential to support people in its local area.”
The comment above was provided by Carol Bradburn, head of SafeDeposits Scotland, which set up the Community Fund in 2023 to support community-based projects across Scotland. The fund has since been used to back initiatives that deliver local benefit, with this round seeing close to 100 applications from organisations seeking support.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grantor | SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund |
| Amount | £3,005.88 |
| Main beneficiaries | Young people, pupils with additional support needs, local youth groups |
Laurieston Bowling Club’s outreach blends coaching with inclusive taster sessions intended to introduce the sport to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Those taster sessions are offered free of charge through partnerships with Active Schools Falkirk, allowing pupils with disabilities and additional support needs to take part without cost barriers. The new grant will be allocated to buy coaching bowls and other essential equipment so that more free sessions can be scheduled and maintained.
For a sport often perceived as the preserve of older players, clubs in Falkirk and across Scotland have increasingly focused on youth development and widening access. Laurieston’s work with established local youth organisations demonstrates a community-led approach that seeks both to recruit new participants and to deliver wellbeing benefits through regular physical activity.
SafeDeposits Scotland said the quality and local focus of Laurieston Bowling Club’s application were key factors in the decision to award the grant. The fund’s support of the club follows its launch in 2023, when it began making awards to community-based projects across Scotland.
Club volunteers and coaches will now plan how best to deploy the equipment purchase to reach more schools and community groups, while maintaining the regular coaching schedule that already connects with hundreds of pupils in the Falkirk area.
