Major sports organisations and charities from across England have joined a nationwide campaign to thank National Lottery players for helping to fund grassroots sport.
Since it was launched in 1994, the National Lottery has invested more than £5.7 billion into community sport and helped people live active lives.
Representatives from organisations such as the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board and England Netball, as well as our own chief executive Tim Hollingsworth, have signed an open letter to National Lottery players highlighting some of the things that wouldn't have been possible without the investment.
Over the last 25 years, the funding has been used to build facilities, maintain playing fields and increase opportunities for millions of people.
-
Read the letter
Click read more to expand
Read moreRead lessDear National Lottery Players,
Millions of people all over the UK are able to enrich their lives through grassroot sports, all because you play The National Lottery.
This month, The National Lottery celebrates its 25th Birthday and over that quarter of a century, you’ve helped provide £5.7 billion of funding to over 100,000 grassroots sport projects, creating opportunities for millions of people in the UK to get active.
On behalf of the wide range of organisations, charities and sports bodies who’ve received this funding throughout the last 25 years - whether for refurbishing football and rugby changing rooms, establishing Zumba, yoga and dance classes, walking and running groups, swimming classes and netball coaching, building or improving thousands of new facilities and leisure centres in local communities, physical activity classes for older people, revamping BMX centres for young children, dance classes and thousands of other examples - thank you.
Because you play The National Lottery, British Cycling has influenced 8.86 million people to cycle, the ECB have trained 2,000 female volunteers, who can now become coaches and role models in their communities, and Mencap have offered 45,000 hours of sport to those with learning disabilities in England helping them to be more active. Because you play, England Athletics can support 1,400 affiliated clubs (covering track and field, road running, fell, hill, trail and cross country clubs), allowing 181,000 registered athletes and 400 affiliated organisations to prosper.
Thank you for creating more involved, happier and healthier communities.
Thank you for inspiring confidence in people through sport, for tackling loneliness and for having a positive impact on the mental and physical health of the nation.
Because you play, over 7,000 schools in the UK now take part in The Daily Mile running programme, keeping 1.7-million children in the UK active.
Without you, Northern Ireland Netball couldn’t have increased the number of clubs by 50% and the Welsh FA wouldn’t have made such huge strides in youth participation with over 51,000 boys and girls playing every week.
The best part of any game and activity is the opportunity to play, and grassroots sport is one of the things we feel most passionate about in the UK. It is an essential part of our national life, of our children’s lives, and of our future as a country.
Because you play, there has been a 40% increase in participation in young people at school and universities playing wheelchair basketball in the UK and over 160 aquatics clubs in Scotland have been able to be supported and developed allowing thousands to be active in the water.
Because you play The National Lottery, you’ve positively impacted millions of people’s physical and mental health, helping them to define and push their limits.
Because you play, grassroots sport is changing lives across the UK.
Thank you,
Andrew McKinlay,
CEO of Scottish GolfAnne Adams-King,
CEO of Welsh CyclingAntoinette McKeown
CEO of Sport Northern IrelandBeverley Smith,
Interim Chair of Welsh GymnasticsBrian McAvoy,
Provincial Secretary and CEO of Ulster GAAChris Jones,
CEO of England AthleticsDominic McKay,
COO of Scottish RugbyDouglas Bryce,
CEO of Judo ScotlandElaine Wyllie MBE,
Founder of The Daily MileEuan Lowe,
CEO of Scottish SwimmingFergul Carruth,
CEO of Irish Athletic Boxing AssociationFergus Feeney,
CEO of Swim WalesFiona Reid,
CEO of Disability Sport WalesGethin Jenkins,
CEO of England BoxingJane Nickerson,
CEO of Swim EnglandJulie Harrington,
CEO of British CyclingKevin O’Neill,
CEO of Disability Sport NILisa Pearce,
CEO of British Wheelchair BasketballMarcus Kingwell,
CEO of Exercise, movement and dance partnershipMark Munro,
CEO of Scottish AthleticsMartyn Phillips,
Group CEO of Welsh Rugby UnionMatt Newman,
Chief Executive of Welsh AthleticsMark Bullingham,
CEO of The Football AssociationEngland Netball
Neil Ward
CEO of FAW TrustOonagh Smyth,
Executive Director of MencapPaul Farmer,
Chief Executive of MindSarah Powell,
CEO of Sport WalesStewart Harris,
CEO of sportscotlandStuart Younie,
CEO of Mountaineering ScotlandTim Hollingsworth,
CEO of Sport EnglandTom Harrison,
CEO of The England and Wales Cricket Board
A short film, entitled “Because You Play”, reiterates this link as high-profile sports stars, amateur participants and volunteers explain how the money has helped change lives.
Max Whitlock, Great Britain’s most successful gymnast who features in the video, said a lot of things wouldn't have been possible without the general public buying National Lottery tickets.
“It’s so important to invest in grassroots sport, and help people get active and get fit,” he said. “There are so many benefits to taking part in sporting activities, and National Lottery players are making it possible.”
Winter Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold, Lioness Fran Kirby, England’s Men’s Cricket World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan and Commonwealth and European swimming champion Duncan Scott also feature.
The video shows how funding from the National Lottery has been crucial for grassroots sport across the UK, with athletes and participants showing their thanks for everything that's been achieved, including improved facilities and more opportunities to play.
The film and letter are part of a season of events to celebrate the National Lottery’s 25th birthday. The events reflect the legacy, celebrating projects and people who've benefitted from National Lottery funding over the last quarter of a century.
You can discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has had on your community over the past 25 years by visiting www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using the 25th hashtag: #NationalLottery25