National Lottery Heritage Fund
What is the National Lottery?
The National Lottery – and with it National Lottery funding for good causes like heritage, arts, sport and charities – was established in 1994. Every ticket sold contributes funds to good causes across the UK.
National Lottery funding through the National Lottery Heritage Fund is one of The Wildlife Trusts most important sources of income and has helped us to achieve many amazing things for people and wildlife over the years.
About the National Lottery Heritage Fund
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK.
Since its creation in 1994, The Wildlife Trusts have worked closely with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to connect people to nature and each other, save precious wildlife-rich places, create new woodlands, wetlands, meadows and many other habitats and protect rare and endangered species.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has invested a total of £7.1bn in 40,000 heritage projects.
The hundreds of Wildlife Trust projects across the UK supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund have benefited thousands of people from all walks of life – helping them to experience the joy of wildlife in their daily lives; from children and young people to older generations; from those living in urban areas to those in the countryside, or by the coast.
Players of the National Lottery are helping Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK give a new lease of life to wildlife and wild places, and ignite the passions of individuals and communities to care for the wildlife on their doorstep.The Wildlife Trusts
Empowering people of all ages and backgrounds
© Iain Green
© Maurice Macdonald The Prince's Trust
How the National Lottery Heritage Fund has helped Wildlife Trusts transform places and lives
Since 1994, National Lottery players have helped every eligible Wildlife Trust (that’s 44, by the way!) right across the UK deliver over 600 projects using money awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
This has helped Wildlife Trusts to work alongside volunteers and other members of the local community to transform areas ranging from city roadside verges to vast areas of land and coast.
Involving local communities does not just benefit wildlife – it also helps people to reconnect with local wild places, people experience improved health and wellbeing and it helps them to help themselves and others by learning new life skills or about subjects that can help society as a whole.
Here are just a few examples of the huge variety of projects that are run by Wildlife Trusts across the UK, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Creating Natural Connections – Scottish Wildlife Trust
This fantastic 4-year project in Cumbernauld builds on the hugely successful “Engaging Communities” project, also funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, which won the 2017 Nature of Scotland Youth and Education Award.
Creating Natural Connections is currently in its development phase and if the Round 2 application is successful, the project will work with schools and groups across Cumbernauld to improve the town’s environment for the benefit of wildlife and the local community.
The project will also build a network of people who care about, and have the skills to care for, the town’s greenspaces into the future.
Wild Paths – Dorset Wildlife Trust
This has been a hugely successful and popular programme of educational conservation placements run by five Wildlife Trusts in the South West of England, and now in its 10th year!!
Nearly 90% of the 88 young people who signed up to this scheme are now working in the natural heritage sector – that is great news!
© Dorset Wildlife Trust
Explore Dunsmore – Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
A precious slice of landscape and wildlife on the outskirts of Coventry and Leamington, spreading across to the Fosse way linked by woodland, hedgerows and meadows all brimming with life to entice you to explore and enjoy this “access for all” landscape.
Take part in hedge-laying, meadow creations, coppicing and tree planting, or follow the woodland sculpture trail. Let your imagination run wild and free!
© Warwick Wildlife Trust
Guardians of the Deep – Kent Wildlife Trust
Undersea Explorers, Coastal Guardians, how to build a basking shark out of a bottle or crochet a jellyfish as part of a chalk reef! These are just some of the ways that local people are taking part in this multi-partner project whilst learning about, helping to protect and enjoy Kent’s unique coastal environment.
© Leon Roskilly
Bringing People Closer to Nature
With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund we are helping people of all ages and background to draw inspiration and strength from wildlife and wild places.
This video shows how the amazing Access, Community and Education (ACE) project, run by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is bringing people closer to nature.
Saving special wild places and threatened species
Working together within their communities Wildlife Trusts are saving special wild places and threatened species around the UK.
This video of the Be There For Barn Owls project, led by Ulster Wildlife Trust, shows that people taking action for wildlife where they live and is a powerful force for change.
Click here for information on other Natural Heritage projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.