The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) has awarded £2,744 to Catrine Games Hall to fund new equipment for kids play and other indoor activities, so they can continue community engagement and activity.

Catrine Games Hall is the last of its kind, after all other halls in the surrounding areas of East Ayrshire were forced to shut. Run by committed volunteers, Catrine Games Hall provides social and recreational facilities for its members, offering formal classes run by qualified instructors in dance, gymnastics, taekwondo, judo, football, badminton, and squash, as well as a small multi gym.

The main hall offers the only soft play venue in the area and is a popular destination for kids’ parties and events. In order to provide the safest experience for the children, the hall floor required additional matting to avoid the risk of injury as it currently consists of tiled concrete. The generous donation from CRT will provide additional mats, which will also allow the taekwondo and judo classes to be able to expand, enabling more people to take part and enjoy. 

In the last year prior to Covid, the hall was a great space where people would come to have fun, exercise, and socialise with friends, recording more than 25,000 individual uses. During the pandemic, the hall served as a vaccination centre for the elderly and those with special needs.

 Bob Young, CRT Trustee in Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to support Catrine Games Hall and provide funding for new equipment. It is so important for people of all ages to get out, be active and have fun. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact this funding will have on the local community.”

 Jack Gillies, Catrine Games Hall, said: “Catrine Games Hall Trust are very grateful for the funding grant supplied to us by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. The money will be used to upgrade equipment, allowing us to provide a safer and more diverse experience for the young people who use our facility. We are honoured to be associated with CRT and the great work that they are doing, supporting former mining communities.”