Community Grant Scheme Awards Announced with Support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The Camanachd Association is delighted to announce that there were 13 successful recipients of the 2026 Community Grant Scheme, delivered with the backing of The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This programme will support a wide range of projects dedicated to preserving shinty’s rich history and celebrating its place at the heart of communities. From oral history recording to photographic archiving, creative exhibitions to documentary filmmaking, the awards demonstrate the breadth and vitality of heritage activity across the sport.

Thanks to National Lottery players, clubs and community groups will now be able to capture stories that might otherwise have been lost. These projects will ensure that the voices, memories and experiences of shinty people are protected.

To help every awardee achieve the best possible outcomes, the Association has appointed Highland Historian Andrew Grant McKenzie as Heritage Co-ordinator. Andrew will provide expert guidance to all funded groups and help ensure a consistent and high-quality approach to archiving.

At the end of February, he will deliver an online training session outlining practical methods for digitising photographs, capturing oral histories and organising material. He will also provide shared templates and a style guide so that all projects contribute to a unified national archive.

This structure will allow local work to feed directly into Shinty’s Story – Sgeul na Camanachd and future heritage initiatives. Use of the agreed framework will be a condition of the grant, ensuring that the benefits extend well beyond individual projects.

If your club is not involved in this project but is interested in archiving, there are free of charge spots available to utilise, please contact Aarron.macleod@shinty.com.

A Snapshot of Funded Projects

The range of successful applications highlights the creativity and commitment of the shinty community.

Several clubs will focus on digitising historic photograph collections, protecting fragile originals while making images accessible for schools, outreach events and community gatherings.

Others are establishing or expanding Shinty Memories groups, creating welcoming spaces where older generations can share experiences with younger members, strengthening wellbeing and social connection.

Innovative projects include the creation of heritage trails linking shinty sites to local history, as well as the development of bilingual exhibitions and films exploring the sport’s deep relationship with Gaelic language and culture.

One recipient will produce a documentary film capturing shinty as a living tradition, while another will safeguard a famous moment in club history through music and permanent display.

The thirteen successful groups are listed below:

  • Aberdour Shinty Club
  • Badenoch Shinty Memories
  • Beauly Shinty Club
  • English Shinty Association
  • Glenurquhart Shinty Club
  • Kinlochshiel Shinty & Community Sports Club
  • Lochcarron Camanachd
  • Lovat Shinty Club
  • Oban Camanachd
  • Oban Heritage Group
  • Skye Camanachd
  • Strachur-Dunoon Shinty Club
  • Uddingston Shinty Club