Work begins on new training and recreation space at Carloway Football Club’s home ground with support from NHS Western Isles

Carloway Football Club has begun to transform an unused, overgrown area adjacent to its main football pitch into a vibrant training and recreation space, thanks to capital grant funding from NHS Western Isles.

£22,000 in capital grant funding will allow the club to develop a green space which will provide the club and wider community with a high-quality area for football training, small-sided games, and a range of other recreational activities.

Designed to be flexible and inclusive, the space will be open to all age groups and will encourage participation in physical activity, skill development and social interaction.

The additional grassed area will complement the existing main football pitch and will offer a safe environment for young spectators who often enjoy kicking a ball around during the matches. This new dedicated space will also provide an alternative warm-up area for the teams, helping to protect and extend the life of the main pitch.  

To ensure durability, the area will be made stockproof, preventing damage from deer and maintaining the quality of the grass.

The development reflects the club’s commitment to promoting health, fitness and community engagement through sport.

Calum ‘Cobby’ Macleod, Club Chair, Carloway Football Club, said: “Carloway FC are extremely pleased to have received this funding from NHS Western Isles and are very excited with the possibilities of the new training and recreational area. The upgraded facility will significantly benefit our junior and senior teams – including our newly created over 40 team – and will also provide a safe place for the numerous youngsters who attend our games to play on.”

Gordon Jamieson, Chief Executive, NHS Western Isles, said: “We are delighted to support Carloway Football Club in creating this fantastic new training space for the community. Encouraging physical activity and providing safe, accessible areas for people of all ages is a key part of improving health and wellbeing across the Western Isles.”

This funding was made available to NHS Western Isles as capital grant funding, separate to revenue and capital core funding allocations for patient care and NHS services/staff. NHS Western Isles understands how difficult the financial situation can be for the third sector and not for profit organisations and bids for Capital Grant funding from NHS Scotland to help support these groups.