2023 National Lottery Awards campaign is on the hunt for Derry heroes

The National Lottery Awards are back for 2023, in search of the inspirational individuals and organisations who do amazing things with the help of National Lottery funding.

An incredible £4.7 million of National Lottery funding went to projects in the Foyle constituency in 2021/22 according to new figures released this week to mark the launch of the 2023 National Lottery Awards.

A total of 89 National Lottery grants were allocated in this period, providing crucial support to local arts, sports, heritage and community organisations.

The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of the ordinary people and projects who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding and attracted more than 1,300 entrants last year.

Again, this year, The National Lottery is looking to highlight the exceptional work of local heroes who have gone the extra mile to make a difference in their communities, especially during these challenging times.

Any person or group who has received National Lottery funding is eligible for nomination.

Jonathan Tuchner, from the National Lottery, said: “Since it was established in 1994, The National Lottery has continued to make a remarkable contribution to life in the UK.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, an incredible £47 billion has been raised for good causes, with £30 million supporting people and projects around the UK every single week.

“The National Lottery Awards seek to honour those who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the people around them. In difficult circumstances, this selfless dedication has never been more important, and we want to thank them and celebrate their incredible efforts.”

The National Lottery Awards will recognise outstanding individuals in the following categories: Community & Charity; Arts, Culture & Film; Sport; Heritage; Environment; and Young Hero (Under 25s)

There will also be a Special Achievement Award to mark the accomplishments of an exceptional individual who has gone above and beyond to make the lives of people that little bit better in their local community.  

Individual winners will be chosen by a judging panel made up of members from The National Lottery family and partners and will win a £5,000 cash prize and an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy.

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

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

An Tobar, a community wellness centre and social farm, in Silverbridge, south Armagh was named Northern Ireland National Lottery Project of the Year in 2022 and received their award from actor and comedian Ardal O’Hanlon.

To make your nomination for this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses  using the hashtag #NLAwards with your suggestions or complete an entry form through our website: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards. Entries must be received by midday on 16 May 2023.