THREE Glasgow communities are to share in a £3.5million funding pot.

Foundation Scotland, a charity that distributes funding to communities, has chosen the Gorbals, Calton, and Ruchhill and Possilpark to receive support.

They have been chosen from 31 bids from across the city thanks to Spirit of 2012, a new charity established by the Big Lottery Fund.

Rachel Searle-Mbullu, Foundation Scotland's Head of Community Investment, added: 'We are looking forward to working with and learning from these three Glasgow communities.

"Each one has loads of experience and knowledge about what makes their community tick and provides an ideal platform and springboard to make a real difference."

The initiative has been dubbed Fourteen and will see 14 communities around the UK benefit from the £3.5million. The communities in Glasgow are the first three to be announced.

Each will design and run a range of activities to increase participation in sport, arts and volunteering.

Glasgow's money has gone to ng homes in North Glasgow, Scottish Sports Futures (SSF) in Calton and New Gorbals Housing Association.

John Fury, chairman of ng homes, said: "We look forward to working with the people of Ruchill and Possilpark, Spirit of Trust 2012 and Foundation Scotland to give them a real say in the decisions that affect their communities and create opportunities for them to get involved."

Ian Reid, founder and Chief Executive of SSF, added: "Having lived in the immediate neighbourhood of Calton, I am well aware of the challenges which face the local community.

"The opportunity to address some of these inequalities is both timely and welcome and we look forward to working in partnership with others over the next three years and beyond."

Raymond Shannon, chairman of New Gorbals Housing Association and lifelong Gorbals resident, said: "This exiting initiative will help the community harness its assets to transform the live spirit of the 2014 Games into a vibrant legacy in the Gorbals."