Leading conservation charity, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, is issuing a special holiday season thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their support during the last year.
Overall, players have raised £2.8million for the Trust, with the organisation receiving £500,000 this year alone.
This money is used by the Trust to carry out vital work for its various projects and maintaining its 120 reserves around Scotland.
Chief Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Simon Milne, said: “On behalf of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, I extend an enormous thank-you to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
“The money they raise makes a massive difference to wildlife across Scotland and allows the Trust to carry out its conservation work for the future of Scotland’s amazing wildlife and wild places.”
In Aberdeen, money from players of People’s Postcode Lottery was used to purchase three trail cameras for the Scotland’s Saving Red Squirrels project.
When one of the cameras was placed in the city’s Hazlehead Park, it confirmed the recovery of the area’s red squirrel population.
Northeast Scotland Project Officer for Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, Steve Willis, said: “The Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project is extremely grateful to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, as the money they have raised allowed us to confirm that red squirrel numbers are on the increase in the area.
“This money continues to make real differences on the ground for the conservation of this prized native species.”
At Upper Nethan Gorge, a recently acquired reserve extension for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery has been used to plant trees which will link sections of forest along the river by expanding the native broadleaved woodland in the area.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserve Manager for the South of Scotland, Steve Blow, said: “Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery are making a real difference to the conservation work the Trust can achieve, not only in this area but across the country.
“The project at Nethan Gorge to plant trees is not only increasing the amount of native broadleaved trees in the area, but also expanding the natural green network which builds more habitats for wildlife to thrive.”
Head of Reserves for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Alan Anderson, said: “Money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery goes to funding our ranger programme to ensure the safety of species access the country.
“People’s Postcode Lottery Peregrine Ranger is one of the posts in particular which ensures the safety of our breeding peregrine falcons at the Falls of Clyde in New Lanark.
“This ranger, with the help of volunteers, allows the Scottish Wildlife Trust to protect these birds from disturbance and persecution.”
People’s Postcode Lottery, whose parent company Novamedia, has just been announced as the world's second largest private charity donor, having awarded £441 million to charitable causes across the world in 2013.