The National Lottery at 25
The National Lottery celebrates its 25th Birthday in 2019 and the £40billion raised for good causes in that time has had an extraordinary impact on life here in the UK, ushering in a golden age for UK heritage.
Since the first draw took place on 19 November 1994, The National Lottery has brought about a renaissance in our national heritage, transforming many of our great institutions and reaching into every community in the land.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s investment amounts to £8billion so far. From Bute to Blaenavon and Derry to Dungeness, we’ve funded more than 44,000 projects in our 25 years.
Explore below to discover stories of people across the UK celebrating, reviving and sharing their heritage thanks to The National Lottery.
News
Chris Packham and Jamal Edwards celebrate 25 years of funding for nature
Funding conservation across the UK Over the past 25 years, The National Lottery has injected £829million into natural heritage conservation across the UK, to help protect and conserve wildlife. This includes: £548m on biodiversity projects £227m supporting important and historic landscapes over 70
News
25 years of National Lottery love for the UK's great outdoors
Since 1994, more than £550million of National Lottery funding has been invested in over 9,220 nature projects, making sure the UK's special wild places are safeguarded, full of life and open to people across the country. “National Lottery players have contributed so much to the UK’s amazing and
Stories
25 years: reviving the forgotten heritage of The Broads
Great Yarmouth A stone’s throw from the heart of The Broads and its sprawling landscape in the East of England, is the seaside town of Great Yarmouth. As we hear more and more that our coastal towns are suffering from neglect, National Lottery funding over the last 25 years has aimed to buck the
Blogs
How The National Lottery has helped Wales' museums
The exciting events of Welsh Museums Festival would not be possible without the hard work of museum staff and volunteers, plus crucial investment from The National Lottery.
News
25 years: UK’s top 10 haunted historic sites named this Halloween
Spectrum Paranormal Investigations have teamed up with The National Lottery to highlight their top 10 historic venues where you can experience ghostly goings-on. Eilish McGuinness, Executive Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “After 25 years funding tens of thousands of historic
Stories
25 years: inspiring passion, people and pride in Rochdale
“The River Roch ran beneath our feet encased in slabs of grey concrete but now it runs again so free as once it was and so should be..."* Set on the foothills of the sweeping Pennines, Rochdale was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. A hub of the ancient wool trade, by the 1900s the booming
News
Saving the nation's heritage for 25 years
As Historic England publishes its annual Heritage At Risk Register, we celebrate some of the places we have helped save over the past quarter of a century.
News
Let the celebrations begin: The National Lottery is 25
Today marks the beginning of six weeks of celebrations for The National Lottery’s 25th Birthday.
Stories
25 years: the cultural renaissance of Dundee, City of Discovery
Dundee: rising from the River Tay Scotland’s fourth largest city, with a population of 150,000, sits on the Firth of Tay on the east coast of Scotland. Today, the river that shaped its past is helping define its future. Home to innovation and industry Dundee began as a strategic trading post and
Stories
25 years: from church to grime, Waltham Forest celebrates its heritage
“Thank you Lottery, I feel like a winner!” - Rory Sky What links a church, a dry cleaners and grime music? A difficult question but in this London borough at least, it’s clear – it's National Lottery investment and a growing sense of pride. A place of heritage In Lloyd Park, just outside the William
Stories
25 years: discovering the origins of grime and connecting communities in Waltham Forest
Since the National Lottery began 25 years ago, more than £20million has been invested in Waltham Forest’s heritage. It’s restored historic buildings, helped nature thrive and rejuvenated streets. It’s also explored some incredible community stories, including the history of grime music. “It’s helped
Stories
25 years: Derry Girls star takes us on a tour of her home city
Derry~Londonderry Also known as the Walled City thanks to its historic 17 th-century walls, Derry~Londonderry is Northern Ireland’s second-largest city. It is home to over 150,000 people and a wealth of heritage treasures, including museums, arts venues, cathedrals, parks and waterways. Over the