The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Bats Devon Treem Planting at Camphill

(C) R Testa

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

640 + Wildlife Trust projects supported since 1994 ()
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Every eligible Wildlife Trust has been supported ()
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Thousands of young people closer to nature ()
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Thousands of hectares of land aquired ()

What is the National Lottery?

The National Lottery – and with it National Lottery funding for good causes including 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, formerly known as the Heritage Lottery 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. Together we have connected people to nature and each other, saved precious wildlife-rich places, created new woodlands, wetlands and meadows and protected rare and endangered species and habitats.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has invested a total of £7.9bn in 43,000 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.

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.
Craig Bennett, CEO
The Wildlife Trusts

Empowering people of all ages and backgrounds

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 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 sections of land and coast.

 Involving local communities does not just benefit wildlife – it also helps people to reconnect with wild places, improving health and wellbeing and helping people to help themselves and others by learning new subjects or life skills 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.

Nextdoor Nature – UK-wide

In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, The National Lottery Heritage Foundation has partnered with The Wildlife Trusts to launch Nextdoor Nature, a community engagement project empowering people across the UK to bring nature onto their doorsteps. The project will engage almost 200 rural and urban communities in micro-nature projects like turning grass verges and roundabouts into wildlife havens.

Creating Natural Connections – Scottish Wildlife Trust

This fantastic 4-year project in Cumbernauld builds on the hugely successful “Engaging Communities” project, also funded by HLF, 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.

National Lottery

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!

Heritage Lottery Fund

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!  

Heritage Lottery Fund

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.

Heritage Lottery Fund

(C) Leon Roskilly

Dynamic Dunescapes – Lincolnshire, Cornwall and Cumbria Wildlife Trusts

Sand dunes are listed as the most at risk habitat in Europe and are at the heart of this hugely exciting and ambitious rejuvenation project.

It is being delivered in 9 key areas across England and Wales and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cumbria Wildlife Trust are proud to be key delivery partners.

Find out more about what this project aims to achieve for people, communities and wildlife.

Dunes

Callum Deveney

Your Shore Beach Rangers

The Your Shore Beach Rangers work across Cornwall to engage and inspire young people to protect the marine environment. The Beach Rangers team works with schools, colleges, youth groups, and local community groups throughout Cornwall, and encourages everyone to get involved.

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.

For information on other Natural Heritage projects, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund click here

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