BRECHIN CITY FC PART OF BIGGEST SINGLE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL COMMUNITY PROGRAMME IN HISTORY SEES SPFL TRUST ENGAGE MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE VIA LEGACY 2014

Key headlines:

• SPFL Trust launches Legacy 2014 report and reveals 30,596 people engaged across Scotland as part of £500,000 funding provided by the Scottish Government via the Scottish League Cup
• Biggest ever single community programme engagement in Scottish football history
• 40 clubs participated – including all Ladbrokes Premiership teams
• Delivery cost of just £16.34 per person demonstrates value for money and exceptional reach of football in Scotland
• Brechin City FC project involved delivery of FFIT

The Scottish Professional Football League Trust (SPFL Trust) has revealed that 30,596 people across Scotland have been engaged through a Legacy 2014 and Scottish League Cup funding programme with the Scottish Government.

Brechin City FC is proud to have been a part of this record-breaking project, delivering a Football fans in Training programme

As a result of the funding Brechin City FC was able to enable to improve men’ s health and well-being, while providing them with a behind the scenes look at their local football club.

In total, 40 clubs – including all Ladbrokes Premiership clubs - participated in delivering life-changing activity relevant to the needs of the community in which they are based.

The engagement total marks out the biggest single-impact community campaign that Scottish football has ever seen.

A detailed report, including analysis of every participating club, was launched the National Stadium, Hampden Park by former Celtic and Aberdeen star Joe Miller ahead of his former side’s facing each other in this weekend’s Betfred Cup Final (Sunday 27 November, 3pm).

Each club, or its community trust, was invited to apply for a £11,000 grant to deliver a programme of activity which engaged people, often in traditionally hard to reach places.

Activity covered one of 18 different areas of need, and all met key requirements according to the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives.

Over one third of clubs in Scotland are based in areas with the lowest scores on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). With a cost of £16.34 per engagement, the SPFL Trust is convinced of the exceptional return on investment, both financially, and also in terms of widening accessibility.

Some of the key statistics from across the programme include:


• 3,000 young people in rural communities supported
• 260 young people in NEET group in Life Skills Programmes
• 520 accredited qualifications achieved
• 36 employment opportunities initiated
• 36 prisoners engaged in life skills programmes at HMP Dumfries & HMP Barlinnie
• 185 volunteer opportunities crated
• 88 people with disabilities taking part in sport
• People aged two to 90 reached
• 250 schools involved
• 73 elderly & socially isolated people engaged weekly


The report includes a review of every participating club’s programme, assessing achievements, outcomes as well as gathered feedback.

Nicky Reid, General Manager at the SPFL Trust comments:

“The impact as demonstrated in this Legacy 2014 report has been incredible and we are so very proud of the part that Brechin City FC has played in its undoubted success. Scottish football has once again shown its remarkable capacity to engage hard to reach groups, by using the power of each club’s reach within the communities in which they are supported. The Legacy 2014 programme is the single-biggest programme of community engagement Scottish football has ever seen. It demonstrates the value that the SPFL Trust and our clubs working together can deliver to the country.”

Aileen Campbell MSP, Minister for Sport adds:

“This programme demonstrates the on-going legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the power of football – and sport in general – to reach out to people and change lives. Football can be a powerful force for good, and this report underlines that.

“I’m delighted that more than 500 people have earned professional qualifications and dozens of people with disabilities are now enjoying sport and all the benefits that can bring. If people are able to get into employment, or become more active, their health and standard of living can improve immeasurably. Perhaps best of all, much of this work was carried out in some of Scotland’s more deprived communities, helping to reduce inequalities.”

Read the full SPFL Trust Legacy 2014 report, here.

Enquiries: Lawrence Broadie, Electrify Marketing & Communications on behalf of the SPFL Trust – 07966 216 270 / lawrence@electrify.me.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

INTRODUCING THE SPFL TRUST

The SPFL Trust works in partnership with SPFL clubs and external agencies to promote, support, fund and administer activities which empower clubs to meet the identified social needs of the people of Scotland.

OUR PURPOSE

To use football’s unique presence to identify and provide opportunities for people across Scotland’s communities to achieve their goals and improve their life chances.

OUR VISION IS

To work with SPFL clubs to use the unique power of football to engage with communities.

OUR PRIORITIES ARE TO

• Inspire SPFL clubs to meet a variety of local community needs
• Build capacity in SPFL clubs to help them engage with local communities
• Engage with funders to facilitate national projects at local level
• Establish relationships on a national level to ensure that Scotland’s professional football clubs are at the heart of the national vision to tackle social issues

KEY VALUES UNDER PINNING OUR WORK

• We believe the SPFL Trust should be a key player in the delivery of national outcomes
• We believe the SPFL Trust can combine and advocate the best approaches to community social change
• We believe the SPFL Trust can become a leader in community development
• We believe SPFL clubs have the power to engage with all areas in our communities
• We believe SPFL clubs offer an innovative platform from which to improve life chances and social change
• We believe SPFL clubs can be all inclusive
• We believe SPFL clubs are uniquely placed within our communities to effect important social change