Last updated: 9 February 2022

In June 2022, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. To mark the milestone, we’re committing £7m to help communities across the UK re-connect with nature and support young people to take their first step towards a career in natural heritage.

"Not only will individuals from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to work in nature, but nature’s spaces will be kept safe for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Our investment will be divided between:

• £5m to help communities improve nature ‘on their doorstep’, particularly in economically and/or nature deprived areas. From wilding verges and sowing meadows, to digging ponds and creating highways for nature – we want to see green spaces flourish as a legacy of the Platinum Jubilee.
• £2m to support paid traineeships in a range of environmental charities for 70 young people from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. We know that people from diverse ethnic communities are under-served in the natural heritage sector. These traineeships will help young people develop skills and qualifications working with wildlife and nature, providing a lasting legacy for both the individuals and organisations.

Creating a legacy

Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Simon Thurley, said: “I am excited that we will be bringing people together from across the UK during this special year with the shared purpose of celebrating, conserving and improving their unique community green spaces.

“The protection of our natural heritage is vitally important. On a grand scale it affects our ecology, our climate and the air that we breath. For individuals, it inspires wellbeing and joy.

“I am delighted that, thanks to players of the National Lottery, not only will individuals from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to work in nature, but nature’s spaces will be kept safe for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

Find out more

We’ll share further details about our £7m Platinum Jubilee investment in February 2022. Follow us on social media and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear more.

Project applications

We are also accepting applications for Jubilee-related projects through our National Lottery Grants for Heritage.

You might want to explore what it was like to live in your neighbourhood 70 years ago or preserve the memories of a range of local people from the past 70 years.

We're particularly interested in seeing projects that document the experiences of different generations in your community over the years. This could take the form of an exhibition or publication and could be explored through anything from the food people eat to where they've worked or the objects and photographs that mean something to them.

Check what we fund and the outcomes we expect your project to achieve. If you need more information or advice on your idea, contact your local office.

Elsewhere in the National Lottery family

Other National Lottery distributors are also marking the Platinum Jubilee:

• The National Lottery Community Fund is launching the £3.5m Platinum Jubilee Fund, which will provide grants of up to £50,000 to 70 impactful community projects across the UK. They will also hold The Big Jubilee Lunch on the Platinum Jubilee weekend, 2-5 June 2022, helping people celebrate the Jubilee while getting to know their neighbours.
• Arts Council England is launching the £5m Let’s Create Platinum Jubilee Fund, administered by UK Community Foundations. Grants of up to £10,000 will support community-led organisations in England to develop creative and cultural activities. 
• Sport England will commit up to £5m towards a Queen's Platinum Jubilee Activity Fund, opening at the beginning of 2022. The fund will focus on the role of sport and physical activity in tackling inequalities and building stronger communities. 
• The BFI is launching the free Platinum Jubilee themed BFI Player collection in 2022. This collection of archival films, digitised mostly with the support of National Lottery funding, will chart the development of film as seen through recordings of Royal Jubilees spanning well over a century.