Glasgow 2014 Unveils Charity Partnership

Ambitions to help nurture the next generation of Commonwealth sporting stars were unveiled on Thursday with the launch of a new official charity partnership between the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust (SCGYT).

According to the official release, the SCGYT will invest in promising young athletes by offering them a range of support, including scholarships, and sports fans will also be able to play a key part in sculpting a future for young athletes.

Every purchase of Team Scotland merchandise will help support the work of the Youth Trust, with a proportion of all royalties from the Glasgow 2014 Team Scotland range going to the Trust. 

Former gymnast and Commonwealth Gold Medallist, Steve Frew, helped launch the partnership at the Scottish School of Sport at Bellahouston alongside Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) Chairman Michael Cavanagh and Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive David Grevemberg. 

Steve, who won Scotland’s first ever Commonwealth Games Gold medal in Gymnastics at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, joined pupils at the school which has produced Glasgow 2014 medal hopefuls such as Michael Jamieson and Kirsty Gilmour to raise awareness about the Trust. 

To date, the SCGYT has raised funds largely through donations and fundraising activities at Commonwealth Games Scotland Annual Awards Dinners. Recently it has focused on making small awards to Scottish athletes in the lead up to the Games and Commonwealth Youth Games. 

The Trust has also provided funding for scholarship support of athletes from Commonwealth Games sports attending the University of Stirling and support of junior Commonwealth Championships for specific sports held in Scotland. 

SCGYT now aims to expand its existing activities and create a Glasgow 2014 Fund to introduce a new Commonwealth-wide programme to bring young Commonwealth athletes and coaches to Scotland and to send young Scottish athletes and coaches to Commonwealth countries to build on relationships, understanding and co-operation developed in the 2014 Games and thus help to further develop and perfect sporting abilities in the spirit of the Commonwealth movement. 

The SCGYT Glasgow 2014 Fund will raise income in several ways including Team Scotland merchandising royalties and other Games related packages.

The partnership will provide a significant boost to the wide-ranging sporting legacy of Glasgow 2014, both in Scotland and across the Commonwealth.    

Michael Cavanagh, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: ‘The Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust has played a long time role in supporting Scottish athletes and this partnership takes things to the next level.  When we bid for the Games we wanted to ensure that not only Scottish athletes had long term benefits and that the close relationship between Scotland and the athletes and coaches from across the Commonwealth could continue to flourish, as we have much to learn from each other. This exciting new initiative will make this aspiration a reality.’

David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014 added: ‘Glasgow 2014 is very proud to support the Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust as one of our charity partners. Through the Commonwealth Games we share a common ambition to engage and empower young people to build an interest in and stay active in sport throughout their lives. Royalties from Glasgow 2014 sale of Team Scotland merchandise will go to the charity. So, by showing your support, you are actually giving your support to Team Scotland and its aspiring hopefuls.’