An anonymous benefactor has once again donated £100,000 to The Scottish Football Partnership Trust in support of Scottish Women’s Football (SWF). This is the third tranche of investment from the donor and comes on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Scottish Women’s Football Association and will further support the continued growth of the women’s game from the grassroots up. It follows on from a donation in the same amount given to the SWF as part of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
James Clydesdale, chair of the Scottish Football Partnership Trust who have supported SWF with grants and sponsorship over the last decade said “This is another great boost for women’s football and recognises the work the SWF does in building participation and coverage of the game from the grassroots up. It is very encouraging that this benefactor is prepared to reinvest in women’s football at a time when the status and progress of the women’s game is becoming increasingly visible.”
Aileen Campbell, CEO of Scottish Women’s Football said “We have seen incredible growth and a fantastic recovery for women’s football since the pandemic, and that has been in no small part thanks to the generous help from this donor, so it is humbling that they have once again decided to invest in the growth of the women’s game, offering more opportunities for more women and girls to enjoy and succeed in their football. Since the last donation we have developed the performance pyramid with a new national SWF Championship and SWF League One and are in the process of aligning our regional SWFL leagues within that structure. That opens up a route for any club in the country with a commitment to sporting success, providing pathways for youngsters and the wellbeing of their players to reach the top of their potential.”
Vivienne MacLaren, Chair of SWF, said “This further donation is hugely positive news for our clubs across Scotland and is testament to the hard work of SWF staff in developing, running and promoting a robust pyramid with sporting integrity. While the last donation helped keep women’s football alive during lockdown, what has happened since has been a period of enormous change in the game, and thanks to this donation, women’s football can continue to grow across the country.”