Scottish Catholic Observer

This round of funding follows on from the government’s investment of £9 million over three years.

It will be used to support a wide range of projects committed to tackling sectarianism at a grassroots level throughout Scotland.

Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, Paul Wheelhouse (above), announced that the cash will be allocated to 38 community projects throughout Scotland.

“The Scottish Government is committed to tackling sectarianism,” Mr Wheelhouse said. “We have already invested £9 million over the last three years to support, among other things, community-based efforts in dealing with sectarianism and this additional £3m of funding will allow the issue to continue to be addressed at a local level.”

Mr Wheelhouse said ‘religiously aggravated offending is falling and is now at its lowest level in a decade—last year alone there was a 15 per cent decrease.’

“Communities are at the heart of our work to tackle sectarianism and that is why we have committed a further £3m to support this agenda and to continue to work with, and in, local communities to tackle this issue in the most appropriate way,” he said. “We are confident that these projects will help us to continue to reduce sectarian attitudes and behaviours and help to finally rid Scotland of the prejudices of the past.”