Community heritage
![Visiting the 1950s hairdresser at Beamish Museum. Credit: Nigel Roddis The interior of a 1950s hairdresser's shop. A visitor is having their hair styled by a stylist in vintage clothing. A child sits in a high chair next to the visitor.](/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_desktop/public/media/imgs/Visiting%20the%201950s%20hairdresser%20at%20Beamish%20Museum%20credit%20Nigel%20Roddis%202.jpg.webp?itok=9ra5SSfo)
Visiting the 1950s hairdresser at Beamish Museum. Credit: Nigel Roddis
Celebrating community heritage can help people come together, feel pride in where they live and save stories and traditions.
Since 1994 we have awarded £460million to more than 24,100 community and cultural heritage projects across the UK.
What do we support?
We fund projects that are researching, conserving and celebrating the heritage of a community or place.
These projects could include lots of types of heritage, such as people celebrating living customs or improving a historic green space. What's most important is that the project involves and benefits the community.
Project ideas
Our funding could help people:
- research the impact of a historical event on their town, and share their findings through displays, talks and online
- investigate the names on a war memorial
- crowdsource documents and photographs linked to the LGBTQ+ community, creating an online archive and exhibition
- set up an audio trail around a range of buildings, parks and monuments in a town
- enable a youth group to research their local history and create an animated film about their learnings
For more inspiration, see the stories below or browse projects we've funded.
How to get funding
If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you.
![Dathlu cyfeillgarwch diolch i’r Loteri Genedlaethol Preswylydd â Syndrom Down yn cymryd rhan yn y prosiect Clywed y Cyn-Guddiedig](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/ely_hospital_0.jpg.webp?itok=V4OxH51q)
Preswylydd â Syndrom Down yn cymryd rhan yn y prosiect Clywed y Cyn-Guddiedig
News
Celebrating friendship thanks to the National Lottery
An innovative project capturing the real life stories of friendships and relationships experienced by people with learning disabilities has been awarded nearly £400,000 of National Lottery funding.
![National Lottery cash helps mark 70th anniversary of the NHS Aneurin Bevan, Minister of Health, on the first day of the NHS, at Park Hospital, Davyhulme](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/anenurin_bevan_minister_of_health_on_the_first_day_of_the_national_health_service_5_july_1948_at_park_hospital_davyhulme_near_manchester_14465908720.jpg.webp?itok=bqFFAn31)
Aneurin Bevan, Minister of Health, on the first day of the NHS at Park Hospital, Davyhulme
News
National Lottery funding helps mark 70th anniversary of the NHS
Thanks to National Lottery players, The University of Manchester will create the first shared social history of the NHS.
![Children helping restore the river at the Eden Rivers Trust](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_body_full/public/media/imgs/landing-blocks/Nth_Eden%20Rivers%20Trust%2C%20Restoring%20Eden_HG-03-00320_HaytonSchoolJune09008.jpg.webp?itok=K_9smKj8)
Publications
Funding for community asset transfer
Research examining how National Lottery funding has provided for projects that enable, support or follow a community asset transfer.
![£3.5m National Lottery boost spells plain sailing for historic north Wales harbour town Sir Peter Luff, HLF Chair and Ioan Thomas, Harbour Trust Chair](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/caernarfon-5.jpg.webp?itok=1Vnaiw_M)
Sir Peter Luff, HLF Chair and Ioan Thomas, Harbour Trust Chair
News
£3.5million National Lottery boost spells plain sailing for historic north Wales harbour town
HLF has awarded nearly £3.5million to regenerate the former slate quay on Caernarfon waterfront, transforming it into a vibrant shopping and tourist hotspot fit for the craftsmen of today.
![Y Gwynt Yn Hwyliau Caernarfon Artistiaid Argraff – Caernarfon](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/artist_impression_caernarfon_0.jpg.webp?itok=37pzb_xA)
Artistiaid Argraff – Caernarfon
News
Caernarfon’s Quay to Success
North Wales harbour town set for a prosperous voyage thanks to £3.5million National Lottery boost.
![The bride holds a wedding bouquet Manchester's invited to a Big Fat Asian Wedding!](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/img_1725resized.jpg.webp?itok=XcRJOtIF)
Manchester's invited to a Big Fat Asian Wedding!
News
Manchester's invited to a Big Fat Asian Wedding!
Run by the charity Community on Solid Ground (COSG), the ‘Big Fat Asian Wedding’ project will introduce people all of ages, faiths and backgrounds to South Asian culture by researching the Islamic Nikah, or marriage ceremony, from the 1940s to the present day. The project aims to improve community
![Dyfodol muriau tref ganoloesol Penfro yn gadarn, diolch i chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol Muriau Trefol Penfro](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pembroke_town_walls_image_1.jpg.webp?itok=yOck2x0-)
Muriau Trefol Penfro Grwp
News
National Lottery players ensure the future of Pembroke’s medieval town walls
For the next 800 years Dating back to c. 1280 the walls were built after the outer ward of Pembroke Castle was completed, and now the Pembroke Town Walls Trust want to protect and preserve them for future generations. Modern Pembroke has successfully retained much of its medieval layout and
![Helen Joy, Cael y Cyfle, Beirniad 3ydd Act Helen Joy](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/helen_joy_2_1.jpg.webp?itok=aOyfJVOo)
Helen Joy
Blogs
From factory floor to centre stage
Helen Joy reviews ‘Tic Toc: the beginning’ – a musical about the vital role women played in Welsh manufacturing which was made possible thanks to National Lottery players.
![Barwnes Kay Andrews Cadeirydd Pwyllgor Cymru Barwnes Kay Andrews](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/kay.jpg.webp?itok=YrYDAsVk)
Mae'r Farwnes Kay Andrews yn cyflwyno Cynllun Lle Arbennig yng Nghymru
Blogs
How the Great Place Scheme will help communities thrive
Wales is launching a Great Place Scheme to put culture at the heart of the local vision and ambition for the community.
![Treftadaeth a Diwylliant yw Calon Lle Arbennig Aberystwyth](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/aberystwyth_view_duskjbax0330a.jpg.webp?itok=tcDVQAes)
Aberystwyth
News
Heritage and culture at the heart of Wales' great places
£1.5million National Lottery investment to promote a partnership approach to regeneration in Wales.
![Stephen Barlow, Rheolwr Datblygu CDL Cymru Stephen Barlow yn gwenu at y camera, gwisgo crys glas](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/img_1996.jpg.webp?itok=VKZsYm2I)
Stephen Barlow, Rheolwr Datblygu CDL Cymru
Blogs
Why do we celebrate LGBT heritage?
HLF Wales Development Manager Stephen Barlow reflects on the importance of celebrating his community's heritage
![Golwg newydd ar hen dreftadaeth Digwyddiad i bobl ifanc yn edrych ar hanes modern a chanoloesol drwy ffotograffiaeth](/sites/default/files/styles/hlf_xlarge/public/media/pressnews/history_through_photography_2.jpg.webp?itok=jsb7lqIS)
Digwyddiad i bobl ifanc yn edrych ar hanes modern a chanoloesol drwy ffotograffiaeth
News
Heritage, but not as we know it
Thanks to National Lottery players, young people across Wales are about to embark on a game-changing project that looks at the past in a whole new light.