Kelly Brook leads the hunt for Wales’s favourite community heroes as 2022 award campaign begins

An incredible £131.8 million of National Lottery funding went to projects in Wales in 2020/21, according to new figures released today to mark the launch of this year’s National Lottery Awards.  

A total of 3,327 National Lottery grants were allocated in this period, providing crucial support to arts, sports, heritage and community organisations in Wales.

The National Lottery Awards are an annual celebration of the inspirational individuals and groups who do extraordinary things in their community with the help of National Lottery funding.

More than 1,500 inspirational people and projects were nominated for last year’s National Lottery Awards, and now the search is on once again for 2022’s nominees.

The National Lottery is looking to highlight the exceptional work of local heroes who have gone the extra mile and made a difference in their community>

Anyone who has received National Lottery funding is eligible for nomination.

Wales certainly shone at last year’s awards, scooping three accolades in total. Katherine Hughes, a volunteer and the Secretary of Caerphilly Miners’ Centre for the Community (The Miners), was crowned as the UK winner in the Community and Charity category for her unwavering voluntary efforts over the years and as one of the driving forces behind saving the historic local landmark for future generations. Wales’ gold medal Olympic boxing champion, Lauren Price, was crowned Olympian of the Year following her exploits in Tokyo, and the Green Valley Conservation and Heritage project in Abercynon, which uses gardening and nature as a way of improving people’s employability skills and wellbeing, was named as the 2021 National Lottery Wales Project of the Year.

Kelly Brook, who is leading the hunt for this year’s favourite National Lottery-funded people and projects, said: “It’s a real honour to be supporting this year’s National Lottery Awards, which highlight inspirational champions all over the UK.

“There are so many people up and down the country working tirelessly to make a difference in their communities, so it’s really important that we take a step back and recognise that.

“I hope lots of people put forward their nominations, because there are so many who deserve one of these awards.

“It’s thanks to National Lottery players that so much funding goes towards helping these local heroes carry out their vital work.”

Jonathan Tuchner, from the National Lottery, added: “The National Lottery has continued to make an incredible contribution to life in the UK ever since it was first established in 1994.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, an incredible £30 million of funding is raised for good causes every single week.

“The National Lottery Awards seek to honour those who have stepped up and work tirelessly on behalf of others. We want to thank them and celebrate their incredible efforts.”

The National Lottery Awards will seek to celebrate outstanding individuals in the following categories:

• Community/Charity
• Art, Culture & Film
• Sport
• Heritage
• Environment
• Young Hero (Under 25s)

A new addition for 2022, the Environment category, will look to celebrate an individual who has gone above and beyond to keep their community on the green path.

Winners of these categories will be chosen by a judging panel made up of members of the National Lottery family and partners and will receive a £5000 cash prize in addition to an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy.

In addition, any projects that have benefitted from National Lottery funding are also eligible to enter the Project of the Year category.

The nominees will be whittled down to 16 finalists, with a UK-wide public vote in September deciding the winner.

To make your nomination for this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or complete an entry form through our website www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards . Entries must be received by midnight on 1st June 2022.

**Kelly Brook will not be available for interviews. Please note, there will be a broadcast media day with another celebrity who is also working on the NLAs w/c 25th May. **