A new £800,000 fund has been created to get Scotland’s least active people moving as part of the legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund will aim to reach those people who are classed as physically inactive – meaning they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Around 21 per cent of people in Scotland currently fit that category, with groups most at risk including those with a disability or long term health condition, older people, teenage girls and some ethnic minority groups.

This week marks the one year anniversary of the Games, which have already been found to have made an impact, with Sportscotland recording impressive increases in participation levels across the 17 Scottish sports that featured at the Games. The new fund is hoped to continue this trend and help foster a lasting legacy of physical activity.

Funded by the Scottish government and managed by Spirit of 2012 – an independent trust and Legacy 2014 partner – the initiative will see grants of up to £70,000 made available for projects that encourage physical activity in local communities.

“We have always been determined to ensure that the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will leave a lasting legacy,” said Jamie Hepburn, minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health.

“One of the key parts of that is putting in place long term changes that will encourage Scotland to be more physically active. We need a culture change where more people understand that being physically active is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and can take action to be more active in their daily lives.”