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Summer of Sport is game on for North Ayrshire

Summer of sport flyer with sun and people doing sports

A nationwide summer programme of free and low-cost sporting activity continues and North Ayrshire's sessions are being delivered alongside North Ayrshire Council in partnership with sportscotland.

The £20 million 2026 Summer of Sport initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland, will offer young people aged three to 26 the opportunity to get active and maybe try something new.

This summer, it’s game on, and the 2026 Summer of Sport has offered a unique opportunity for communities across Scotland to embrace the excitement of sport and physical activity.

With activities running throughout the summer and beyond, young people across our North Ayrshire’s six localities will have access to a range of free events, helping to remove barriers to participation and ensure more young people have the chance to get involved.

The Connected Communities team has also engaged with primary and secondary aged school children over the last few months to identify the types of activities they would like to see in the area.

Alongside our main partner KA:Leisure, North Ayrshire Council’s Community Learning and Development Service including Locality Teams, North Ayrshire Youth Work and North Ayrshire Active Schools, are working with a network of partners to ensure these opportunities are available to everyone, regardless of background.

The funding will enable the delivery of activities designed to help young people develop healthy habits, build stronger social connections, and foster a lifelong love of movement.

Council officers will be working to ensure that the breadth of 2026 Summer of Sport activities positively influence as many young people as possible, fostering engagement in sport and outdoor activities across all communities.

Quote: North Ayrshire Council is proud to be one of the 32 Scottish local authorities to be benefitting from the 2026 Summer of Sport programme. This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people aged 3 – 26 to try something new, get active, and experience the joy of physical activity in their local communities. Whether it’s through sport, outdoor events, or community-based activities and family fun days, our goal is to make these opportunities available to everyone, regardless of background.”

Quote from: Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Islands

Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said: “At sportscotland, we believe that sport has the power to strengthen communities and change lives. The 2026 Summer of Sport campaign, made possible by Scottish Government investment, is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared ambition to make sport more inclusive and accessible. We’re proud to play our part in helping more young people enjoy the benefits of being active as we celebrate a fantastic summer of sport.”

The programme is designed to remove barriers to participation, helping young people build confidence, make new friends, improve wellbeing and develop a lifelong love of being active.

A wide variety of activities will take place across communities throughout the summer, with specific sessions, venues and times listed for each local area.

Confirmed events for August can be found in the catalogue on the Community Planning Partnership Website and are listed below:

August Events - Summer of Sport

Arran

  • All Summer of Sport events in Arran Locality have now concluded

Three Towns

Bookable events – book here: https://tinyurl.com/3cswwaum

  • Monday 17 August Intergenerational Football for Wellbeing (Young Men) at Auchenharvie 12-2pm
  • Various August sessions (12, 13 August) Outdoor Bowling Taster Sessions and Coaching and Auchenharvie Academy and Ardrossan Outdoor Bowling Club 1-3pm BOOK NOW!
  • Various August sessions (10, 12 August) Pool and Darts, age 11+ Ardrossan Youth Centre 12-2pm BOOK NOW!

Kilwinning

  • Friday 14 August Kilwinning Sports Club Tennis sessions with 2 coaches, 10-12pm primary age, 1-3pm secondary age

Irvine

Bookable events – book here: https://tinyurl.com/5ec7y5ww

  • UPDATED VENUE: Wednesday 12 August Community Sport at Greenwood Academy 11-2pm BOOK NOW!
  • Various sessions Football, Volleyball and Basketball on Thursday 13 August at Greenwood Academy 11-2pm

North Coast

  • Thursday 13 August Inverclyde Sports Club Pop Up Sports days 1-4pm

Garnock Valley

Bookable events, book here: https://tinyurl.com/mz5ra6rw

  • Various dates (11, 15 August) Beith Park Pop Up at Beith Orr Park and Beith Community Centre
  • Wednesday 12 August Kilbirnie Park Pop Up 2-4pm
  • Thursday 13 August Badminton morning session Beith Community Centre 11-12pm BOOK NOW!
  • Friday 14 August Akido evening sessions Beith Community Centre 4.30-7.30pm BOOK NOW!

Have a great summer of sport everyone! Head on over to the North Ayrshire Council newsfeed for more on what is happening this week!

Published: 11 August 2026

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