Cambuslang Community Council has made the final awards from the Morriston Park Fund to two deserving community projects – the Cambuslang Summerfest Fair-Play Football Tournament and Kirkhilll Lawn Tennis Club’s centenary coaching programme.

The Morriston Park Fund was created in 1989 when the playing fields at Morriston Park were sold by the University of Strathclyde to developers to build the current Morriston Park estate.  To compensate the community for the loss of the playing fields, Cambuslang Community Council member, Alistair Hamilton, negotiated an agreement with the University to create a community fund of £10,000 from the proceeds of the sale. Initially this was to develop an alternative recreation ground in the area, but it was later decided by Cambuslang Community Council that “all local residents should have the chance to benefit and that the money should be distributed as widely as possible”.

Over the 16-year life of the Fund, Cambuslang Community Council has made 28 awards to 22 different clubs and groups in the Cambuslang area. With accrued interest, a total of almost £18,000 was awarded over the lifetime of the Fund. Much of the funding went to football clubs to buy new strips, training equipment, kitbags and first aid kits, but support was also provided for archery, bowls, canoeing, hillwalking, pool, rugby, running and tennis.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said: “I am delighted that the University of Strathclyde has been able to support so many worthwhile community projects in Cambuslang over a 16-year period. Our original purpose in setting up the Fund was to help promote local sports and recreational activity, and this has demonstrably been achieved. Strathclyde University takes sports education seriously, and we have recent students and alumni who have competed in both the London Olympics and Glasgow Commonwealth Games. However, we are very aware that this success is built on grassroots opportunities for young people to get into sport. Cambuslang Community Council are to be congratulated on their effective management of the Fund, and we are very pleased to have worked with them in partnership in making a real difference to local sports opportunity in the Cambuslang area. Cambuslang Community Council are to be congratulated on their effective management of the Fund, and we are very pleased to have worked with them in partnership in making a real difference to local sports opportunity in the Cambuslang area”.

A full report on the history and use of the Morriston Park Fund is available here.