The money will be used to buy new sports equipment for the Dunblane Centre, which has a popular coffee bar and offers a range of activities including badminton, Pilates classes and toddler groups attended by hundreds of local people every week.

It has faced financial difficulties in recent years and manager Dionne Ward, who represents Dunblane Youth & Sports Centre Trust, said the money from Dandara is a very welcome boost for the charity.

The donation will be used to buy a range of equipment including badminton racquets, nets and shuttlecocks, netball stands and net, football goal nets, basketball nets and outdoor games.

Ms Ward said: “At the moment the hall is mostly used for external hires, so having our own equipment will enable us to offer more of our own sports sessions and generate much needed income to keep the centre running.

“Like anywhere else, Dunblane has many residents who are struggling with the cost of living crisis and the Centre prides itself on being able to offer opportunities regardless of age, income, or background. Having adequate sports facilities enables us to offer much needed space and equipment to all of the community, whether it be our senior citizens, children with additional support needs and their parents, or young people.

“Donations from benefactors like Dandara are hugely important and we are so grateful to them for their generosity.”

Tony Williamson, sales director at Dandara East Scotland, said: “We are currently building new homes in the Dunblane area and heard about the great work the Centre does and wanted to do what we could to help out.

“Dandara is proud to be supporting sports at a grassroots level. Lots of sporting stars started their career in sports halls exactly like this one and hopefully the equipment will help foster Dunblane’s next generation of world class athletes.”

Dandara recently launched a development of 18 three-bedroom bungalows and four- and five-bedroom homes at Wallace View in Dunblane.