Sport and leisure

Many of Scotland’s most popular natural sites are receiving a staffing boost this summer, with Scottish Government funding of £900,000 to support better visitor management and help safeguard the environment for visitors and local communities.

The NatureScot Better Places funding will go directly to 24 countryside, coast and island projects across Scotland, enabling an additional 62 staff to be employed this summer across Scotland.

People in Stranraer are being invited to have their say on a £5m funding bid to kickstart a radical transformation of the town’s economy, community services and local infrastructure. A draft Place Plan for Stranraer has been published which will shape the development of Stranraer over the next 10 years, and it’s now out for formal consultation. 

The Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF) has been hailed a success for supporting 13 major new projects showcasing the outstanding local scenery, wildlife, and culture of the Highlands & Islands.

A Bill to enable councils to invest more in local tourism facilities and services through a levy on overnight stays has been published.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has confirmed £9.5 million funding for Scotland’s flagship Youth Music Initiative (YMI) this year. This includes £500,000 which has been ringfenced to deliver on the commitment to expand the YMI model into other art forms.

YMI funding enables schools and other organisations to provide quality music-making activities for children and young people, which range from after-school drum bands to courses in sound production.

NatureScot is working with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland to display warning messages on electronic variable message signs (VMS) in the areas of the highest risk between May 24 and June 14.

In recent decades, deer populations in Scotland have both increased in number and spread in range, particularly in urban areas and the central belt.

Communities across Scotland are being asked to consider whether their local area could be designated as the country’s newest national park.

Individuals, groups or organisations considering making a proposal can now register early interest. 

A new evaluation estimates that a Scottish Government-funded research programme has contributed £680 million to Scotland’s economy by helping to create jobs and further education qualifications, save carbon emissions and reduce the impacts of animal diseases.

Councils can now apply for their share of £4.5 million to support the provision of after school and holiday clubs for Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

The funding will help improve both indoor and outdoor spaces in the school estate, with schools also encouraged to consider wider community needs.