A £3.15m fund has been unveiled to help install a Scotland-wide network of full-sized 3G pitches for youth football and rugby development.

The CashBack for Pitches Fund will use money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act to help install synthetic grass pitches, with a focus on projects working with young people in areas that experience problems with anti-social behaviour and crime.

The grants - of up to £300,000 - will also prioritise pitch facilities that will be used to drive youth participation and development at local football and rugby clubs, with the Scottish FA, Scottish Rugby, sportscotland and non-profit environmental body Waste Recycling Environmental Limited (WREN) all involved in selecting the successful projects.

The funding comprises £2m from the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme, coupled with £1m from sportscotland and £150,000 from WREN.


The CashBack funding has come from a £2m payment from Aberdeen-based oil and gas company Abbot Group – the first tranche of £5.6m to be recovered after the firm used the Crown Office’s self-reporting initiative to admit benefitting from corrupt payments made in an overseas deal.

Making the announcement, First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Our hugely successful CashBack for Communities programme takes money seized under proceeds of crime legislation and hands it on to worthwhile projects working with young people all over Scotland.

"Since its introduction, more than £50 million has been redistributed to good causes, with dozens of cutting-edge CashBack-funded sports facilities now open across Scotland, providing a tangible legacy that communities can use and enjoy.

"Today’s announcement will see in excess of a further £3 million invested in a network of 3G pitches to help drive youth participation in two of our biggest sports – football and rugby –particularly in areas with issues with anti-social behaviour and crime.

"Clubs and local authorities across Scotland will now be able to apply for up to £300,000 to enable them to upgrade or install pitches that will help young people participate in sport all-year-round, keeping them out of trouble and helping our sporting bodies unearth the next generation of Scottish talent."

(JP/CD)