sportscotland has announced that it has surpassed the Scottish Government’s target of reaching 150 Community Sport Hubs in 2016.

There are now 153 operational Hubs across the country including two in Stirling and two in Clackmannanshire which support 29 clubs and 3240 members.

The national agency for sport has also announced a new £6 million investment of National Lottery money over the next four years to further develop existing Community Sport Hubs and to help reach a new target of 200 Hubs by 2020.

Investment of £1.5 million a year commenced in 2010, which means that by 2020 £13.5 million will have been invested in the Hubs.

One of sportscotland’s and the Scottish Government’s key Legacy 2014 commitments, Community Sport Hubs bring together sport clubs and key local partners, including local authorities, who want to develop and grow the number of sports and physical activities in the community. They focus on sustainable, community-led approaches that get clubs working together to develop welcoming, safe and fun environments for sport.

Hubs aim to increase the number of people of all ages participating in sport and physical activity across Scotland, and the most recent figures from the end of financial year 2014/15 are extremely encouraging as they show that there were almost 1,000 affiliated clubs with nearly 115,000 active members and over 11,000 people helping deliver sessions in Community Sport Hubs.

Six-time Olympic Champion, Britain’s most successful Olympian, and cycling’s most decorated athlete of all time Sir Chris Hoy said: “Sport has given me incredible opportunities in life and through initiatives like Community Sport Hubs more people will be able to experience all that sport has to offer in a fun and supportive environment.

“While it would be great to think that our sporting champions of the future might be developed at one of the Hubs, and with 115,000 active members in Hubs that’s a real prospect, it’s about much more than high performance sport. It’s an opportunity to find a sport you love and get involved in so many different ways from athlete to coach to volunteer. It’s about bringing together communities and working together to deliver what really matters to the local people. The collaboration between sportscotland, the National Lottery, and local authorities has delivered something really special for communities right across Scotland and I hope it continues to go from strength to strength.”

The target of 50 per cent of Community Sport Hubs being based in schools has also been exceeded as 55 per cent of Hubs are located in schools like the ones in the local area.

Jamie Moffat, Clackmannanshire Community Sport Hub Development Officer added: "It’s great to be part of the network of community sport hubs. For us in Clackmannanshire, the hubs have been a great way to connect to the wider community, schools and key partners to make sport more accessible to everyone. Here’s to the reaching 200.”