SSE Renewables has awarded £200,000 – the largest ever amount from the Griffin and Calliachar Community Fund – to help fund a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) for the Dunkeld and Birnam Sports and Leisure Hub.

The ambitious community project which also received funding from Sportsscotland, Gannochy Trust, local trusts and sports clubs, will offer a wide range of activities, including netball, basketball, 5-a-side football, hockey, tennis, touch-rugby and fitness classes.

The newly upgraded hub which opened its doors in December, was officially opened on Wednesday by BBC and Sky Sports presenter Eilidh Barbour and two members from St Johnstone FC. who were joined by local school children, residents and those involved in the project.

In recent years the memberships to Dunkeld and Birnam Sports and Leisure Hub have grown substantially and the building of this new covered MUGA should increase participation and membership further.


Eilidh Barbour, TV Presenter and Reporter, said: "Growing up here as a kid, it would have been incredible to have a facility like the new MUGA. It's quite a spread-out community, albeit it's a small community, so to have somewhere where you can all meet up with your friends to kick a ball around or play tennis, would have been fantastic growing up. I'm sure the new facility will provide the next generation with a space to do all those things."

Morven Smith, Head of Community Investment at SSE, said: "We're passionate about giving back to local communities near our renewable assets and this £200,000 donation and this facility will benefit residents across Highland Perthshire. This is the largest donation we've made from our Griffin and Calliachar Community Fund and to see it put towards a project that has been a long-held ambition is great.

"As the cornerstone funder, our commitment allowed the group to approach other funders with confidence to raise the remaining balance of project. We hope the new Multi Use Games area has a positive impact in the area by encouraging residents' participation in sport."

Stuart Patron, Chairman for Dunkeld and Birnam Sports and Leisure Hub, said: "Receiving the funding from SSE Renewables at the start of the MUGA process and the fact that it was such a large proportion of the funds required, gave us such anchor and really gave confidence that the project would be delivered. We were able to go to other sponsors knowing that we already had substantial backing which helped attract other funders to the project.

"Since opening in December, we have been busy with more and more people using it daily. It's been really well received by the local residents, and we've seen a variety of people using the facility from football teams to the local school."