The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Shoresearch at Colwell

© Amy Marden

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

What is the National Lottery?

The National Lottery – and with it The National Lottery Heritage Fund 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 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.
Stephanie Hilborne OBE
The Wildlife Trusts

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.

Our National Lottery Heritage Fund Projects:

Secrets of the Solent

Secrets of the Solent is an exciting new 4-year project which aims to open people’s eyes to the world beneath the waves and the wonderful marine heritage they have right on their doorstep and encourage local people and sea users to take positive action to protect the Solent. If you want to find out more or find out how you can get involved then visit the project page.

Shoresearch at Lee-on-Solent beach

© Caroline Meech

Watercress and Winterbournes

Watercress and Winterbournes is a new project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, focused on celebrating and protecting the headwaters of the Test and Itchen rivers. The new project aims to work with seven communities on headwater streams - Pilhill Brook, Upper Anton, Bourne Rivulet, Upper Test, Candover Brook, River Arle and Cheriton Stream - to develop and put in place plans to protect the rivers in the area.

Working with seven local communities, the early plans include:

  • Restoring wildlife habitats and heritage buildings along the river, improving access and raising water quality
  • Celebrating our heritage through an education programme for schools, sharing walking routes, and a conservation programme for our native crayfish
  • Showing how people can take action to improve our headwaters, including improving water efficiency, switching to eco-friendly products, and raising awareness of the problem of non-native species
  • Training and skills development for communities, landowners, and people who volunteer as ‘River Keepers’ to manage stretches of the river better

 For more information, please see the project page.

Watercress and Winterbournes - Hurstbourne Tarrant

Milton Locks

This 2 year project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, is focused on Milton Locks, a small 2-acre coastal nature reserve in urban Portsmouth. The project, which finished in June 2018, successfully brought the site back to the heart of the Milton community by providing opportunities for residents to explore and understand this important piece of heritage on their doorstep. The project involved over 4,000 people getting involved in events, educational visits, volunteering or even providing their memories of Milton Locks – a really successful project involving all of the community.  To find out more about this project visit the project page.

Art Open Day at Milton Locks nature reserve

© Paul Gonella

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