What is the National Lottery?
The National Lottery – and with it National Lottery funding for good causes like heritage, arts, sport and charities – was established in 1994. Every ticket sold contributes funds to good causes across the UK.
Since 1994, the National Lottery Heritage Fund (previously the Heritage Lottery Fund) has invested £7.1 billion in 40,000 heritage projects. Of this, £119 million has been invested in natural heritage and landscapes in Scotland.*
There is an average of 144 National Lottery projects per postcode district, so the chances are the last nature reserve, public park, museum, theatre or sports centre you visited has benefited from National Lottery investment.
How the Heritage Fund supports the Scottish Wildlife Trust
To date, the Trust has received over £12.5 million for 16 projects, including:
- £2.46 million for the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels – Developing Community Action project. Over the next five years the project will enlist volunteers from communities in three key regions to carry out practical work to protect and strengthen red squirrel populations in their local area, and in turn safeguard squirrels across Scotland. The project will provide high quality training and support to hundreds of local people and land managers to take on a vital role in the long–term protection of the country’s red squirrels.
- £2.9 million for the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape Partnership, one of the largest landscape-scale restoration projects in Britain. The five-year project provides local training and employment opportunities, and brings together a range of expertise to conserve important natural habitats. Locals and visitors alike now engage in the story behind the remote, rugged and interdependent north-west Highlands landscape.
- £73,600 for Urban Greenspaces in Cumbernauld. Despite its grey image, Cumbernauld in the Central Belt is made up of over 50% green spaces. This project enables marginalised young people to learn about, value and celebrate their local natural heritage as well as gaining skills to make a lasting improvement to their local environment.
- £37,000 for Montrose Basin Visitor Centre (Angus), which greatly enhances the experience of visitors to Montrose Basin on the River South Esk, making the experience accessible to all ages, and providing internship and volunteer opportunities for Wildlife Interpreters.
*Award data from 1994 to March 2016.
