The Cors Dyfi nature reserve near Machynlleth has today been awarded a National Lottery Awards trophy, after receiving over 10,000 votes in the annual search for the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.

The project at the 360 Observatory was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and was the only Welsh project competing against six others from across the UK.

Nestled in the middle of a remote wetland, the innovative 360 Observatory allows visitors a fantastic panoramic view of a rich mix of wildlife – in particular the rare ospreys. High definition cameras offer a unique ‘nest-eye view’ of the birds up close, which last month caught the pair’s chicks flying the nest for the first time, which you can see for yourself on the Dyfi Osprey Project website.

Manager of the Dyfi Osprey Project, Emyr Evans, explains what winning the award means to his team: “It’s a testament to the hard work and belief of our staff, volunteers, and our many supporters. 

“Lottery money delivered through HLF in Wales allowed us to design and build an observatory for everyone, where families can come and ask questions, where teachers and pupils can learn about the environment, where older people can enjoy nature, and where the community can volunteer and help communicate with visitors - there isn’t a building anywhere in Britain like it.”

National Lottery players raise over £34million every week which goes towards supporting a wide range of people and projects across the UK. You can catch the National Lottery Stars awards event on BBC One on 21 September, or why not pay the project a visit yourself - directions and information can be found on the Dyfi Osprey project website.