Highland Rugby Club to use supermarket funding to invest in equipment and kit for youth team
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Highland Rugby Club have received the top prize from Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, giving them a valuable boost to cash reserves.
The supermarket has invested £6500 in sports clubs across the north-east and Highlands, with the biggest recipient the Canal Park outfit at £2500, the maximum possible level.
The Inverness Boys Brigade were the other organisation to receive funding in the Highland capital, getting £500.
Graham Findlater, Highland’s club president, said: “Highland RFC are delighted to have been awarded £2500 by Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, which is helping to promote rugby in the Highlands.
“The funding of £2500 will be used in our junior section, to provide new kit for our under-13s squad, as well as some additional backing for our community coaches.
“Our community coaches work closely with pupils and teachers in secondary schools in Inverness to provide pupils with an introduction to playing rugby.
“The money has been a lifeline in helping to keep our club up and running.”
Richard Holloway, Aldi’s regional managing director for Scotland, added: “It’s brilliant that a wide variety of sports clubs across the north have been able to benefit from our Scottish Sport Fund initiative.
“We know that this year has been incredibly challenging for sports clubs, with many being unable to train for a significant amount of time due to the effects of lockdown.
“It’s very humbling to see how much of a difference extra funding can make to clubs like Highland Rugby Football Club – and also in supporting people across Scotland to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.”
The Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria, from rugby clubs to after school groups and everything in between.
Groups can apply for funding for a wide range of purposes, including new strips and equipment or – like Highland plan to do – to put towards the cost of training facilities and coaching at youth or senior level.
The £6500 figure that Aldi have invested in local sports clubs across the North East and Highlands as part of the supermarket’s annual Scottish Sport Fund only covers 2020.
This year saw a change in how Aldi structured their prizes in a bid to improve investment in grassroots sport, as local sports clubs were given the chance to receive funding between £500 and £2500.
Read the full edition of today's Highland News here.
