Hansard

It would be a great honour to represent one's country in one's chosen sport and a great challenge to compete at the highest level. I am sure that many in the chamber have harboured dreams of scoring a goal or being the first at the finish line for Scotland or Britain. While, for most of us, that is only a dream, others have the aptitude, the ability and the determination to make their dreams a reality. They have managed to get near or even to the top of their chosen sport.

However, some sports do not have enough resources to fund all the costs of their athletes. In some sports in Scotland, it is even mandatory for international athletes to purchase squad tracksuits or other equipment from their own funds. That can be an expensive business, especially for those from low-income backgrounds.

That is one area in which the Hamilton International Sports Trust comes into its own. I pay tribute to the work that the trust has done and continues to do to promote sport and assist athletes to achieve the best that they can. I pay tribute also to the athletes from Hamilton and Blantyre—and indeed from a wider area—who have achieved recognition.

As members will realise, it is not all about recognition. I am sure that members will agree on the important broader benefits of sport—health and fitness, personal confidence and community spirit.

The Hamilton Advertiser is one of the best-known local papers in Scotland. It is currently campaigning against the anti-social behaviour that blights so many people's lives. Headlines such as

"Call halt to neighbours from hell"

appear all too often in that campaign. The Hamilton Advertiser would rather spend its time highlighting more of the successes that organisations such as the Hamilton International Sports Trust can inspire. I have no doubt that the same could be said in a great many communities throughout Scotland.

The Hamilton International Sports Trust was established in 1986 for local amateur athletes who are of, or are potentially of, international standard in their chosen sport. The trust provides up to 75 per cent of the expenses that are incurred in representing Scotland or Great Britain. It also provides a £250 grant towards general training costs which, in some sports, can be a considerable burden.

The trust has gone from strength to strength over the years since 1986 and has increased the aid that it provides by a factor of around 20. The trust's main fundraising efforts—an annual gala dinner and a professional-amateur golf tournament—are a big hit locally. Prominent local individuals, businesses and other groups contribute to the events' success. That a very high percentage of the businesses that supported the idea 16 years ago are still sponsors is a testament to the commitment of some of the long-standing trustees, such as Hugh Waters, Ronnie Smith, Jim Raeburn and Alastair Murning. The partnership between the local council, local business and trustees to give freely of their time is a model that could be repeated throughout Scotland.

I acknowledge sportscotland's work in encouraging and promoting athletic involvement. A recent award of £10,000 to the Blantyre and north Hamilton social inclusion partnership was most welcome. However, the Hamilton International Sports Trust received a start-up grant of just £1,000 16 years ago and has received nothing since. I believe that the template that it has established could be a model for the rest of Scotland, with adjustments to suit local circumstances. There is also a case for start-up grants that are meaningful in today's terms—for example, £10,000 per trust—and for some form of match funding to act as an incentive to any trust when it sets its targets for each year.

The Hamilton International Sports Trust's expenditure last year was around £30,000. That is not bad for a locally based group. However, that figure is meaningless until we know how that money is put to good use. The trust has given aid in the form of nearly 1,000 grants and scholarships. Aid has been given to many different sports, from aquatics to athletics, and in particular to minority sports.

There have been many success stories. The trust has supported Pamela Pretzwell, a young tennis star. She is now number 1 in Scotland and number 2 in Britain in her age group. The trust also builds long-term relationships. It has supported a young badminton player named Jamie Neil for seven years, starting when he was in the under-12 age group. He is now in the under-19 group, number 1 in Scotland and challenging hard for the top in the United Kingdom and beyond. Such examples demonstrate the opportunities that exist for young people whom the trust and the local public support.

The impact of sport and physical activity on young people is enormously positive. Sport provides an opportunity for personal and social development, as well as a positive alternative to crime, drugs and alcohol abuse. Sport channels young people's energies constructively. With essential assistance from family members and a local community, it can be a means of bringing and area together.

There is nothing like people getting together and supporting their local school team or children's sports squad. Sport has so much to offer young people. It improves health and fitness and it can boost confidence and self-esteem. It teaches leadership, teamwork and social skills that can be used in all aspects of life. Sport also offers worthwhile lessons on the value of both winning and losing, and teaches the benefits of hard work and how to treat others with respect.

Television, video, computers and increasing concerns over children's safety have led to a decrease in the activity levels of children and young people. Although most children take part in some form of sport or physical activity in the course of an average week, there are worrying trends with regard to the level and frequency of that experience.

Local sports trusts can offer real benefit to communities such as mine in Hamilton. Too many communities are blighted with the results of poor diet and dangerous lifestyle choices, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. If we start with people at a young age and provide positive role models, we can change behaviour and improve our communities. That is why initiatives such as the Hamilton International Sports Trust and investment in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas, are important if we are to combat those trends.

The Hamilton International Sports Trust is unique. It assists excellence in sport and encourages others to strive towards it. It is an example to other communities, with the local community collectively backing its own people. I commend the Hamilton International Sports Trust for its work. I believe that it and local projects like it are worthy of suitable support from the Scottish Executive, and I look forward to the Executive's response today.