Tuesday June 9th 2026
Active Schools volunteers receive their awards on stage at the Active Schools Volunteer Awards
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Inverclyde Council has secured funding to provide free and low-cost opportunities for young people as part of sportscotland’s 2026 Summer of Sport.
The £20 million initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland, will offer young people aged three to 26 the opportunity to get active and maybe try something new.
Inverclyde Council has received £165,000 from the 2026 Summer of Sport campaign to fund projects through to March 2027.
The initiative was officially launched in Inverclyde at the council’s Active School’s annual Volunteer Awards in Greenock Town Hall last night.
Inverclyde Council’s Active Schools service, which is part-funded by sportscotland, held the awards to highlight and recognised the hard work of volunteers during 2025/26 in Inverclyde across five categories.
The winners were:
Lynne Cowan, School Staff Volunteer of the Year
Sandra Malcolm, Community Sports Hub (CSH) Volunteer of the Year
Holly Crowther, Young Volunteer of the Year
Kayleigh Campbell, Sports Leader of the Year
Lynne Bradley, Volunteer Recognition Award
Volunteer certificates were also given out to all volunteers who support Active Schools.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities said: “Our Volunteer Awards are always a fantastic event and this was the ideal opportunity to launch the Summer of Sport in Inverclyde and spread the word about all the fantastic things happening locally.
“Volunteers are the backbones of so many sports activities across Inverclyde and it’s only right that we celebrate the difference that they make.
“We’re proud to support the 2026 Summer of Sport and bring exciting, accessible activities to young people in Inverclyde.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to try something new, get active, and experience the joy of physical activity, whether it’s through sport, outdoor events, or community-based activities.
“Our goal is to make these opportunities available to everyone, regardless of background.”
The council already funds free summer playschemes, free swimming for children living in Inverclyde and ASN playschemes, in partnership with Inverclyde Leisure, during the school summer holidays.
The Summer of Sport funding has already supported a small grants scheme which has given out £20,000 to community groups to run projects over the summer. Further details on schemes to be funded by Summer of Sport will be announced shortly.
Councillor Sandra Reynolds, Inverclyde Council’s sports champion, added: “I was delighted to launch the Summer of Sport at the Volunteer Awards and present the Sports Leader of the Year award.
“This funding will make a real difference to communities across Inverclyde, giving people the chance to participate in sport and maybe try something new.
“I hope that the people of Inverclyde grab this opportunity to find out what’s going on locally and get involved.
“Bringing children and young people together to be more active and enjoy the benefits of sport is so important and this Summer of Sport funding will help us do more of that.”
With Scotland’s men taking part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1998 and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games taking place later in the summer, it is hoped children and young people will be inspired by seeing Scotland on the global sporting stage.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said: “At sportscotland, we believe that sport has the power to strengthen communities and change lives. The 2026 Summer of Sport campaign, made possible by Scottish Government investment, is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared ambition to make sport more inclusive and accessible.
“We’re proud to play our part in helping more young people enjoy the benefits of being active as we celebrate a fantastic summer of sport.”
Find out more about the 2026 Summer of Sport in Inverclyde here: Summer of Sport – Inverclyde Council.
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