Because of You

Claudia Winkleman is travelling the nation to highlight the difference made to people’s lives each time someone buys a National Lottery ticket.

In a series of short films, the TV presenter gets to see first-hand the impact National Lottery players have on their local communities. In each film, Claudia is accompanied by a National Lottery player who experiences the life-changing impact of buying a ticket on a project in their local area. It’s proof that the difference is made ‘Because of You’.

Claudia’s journey starts at Bloom Sheffield, a community flower garden for women and non-binary people. The project, which has received £269KThousand in National Lottery funding across the past four years, enables hundreds of people to escape the daily grind and improve their physical and mental wellbeing by growing and picking flowers at several inner-city allotments.

A new project on Claudia’s tour will be revealed each month; from a wheelchair rugby club in Wales to a farm supporting disabled people in Northern Ireland. Each of the powerful and emotive films shows the difference National Lottery funding is making to grassroots projects supporting the arts, communities, heritage and sport.

Claudia, said, “Everyone plays to be in with a chance of winning a life changing prize, but we are revealing the unwritten story of the difference National Lottery funding makes in every community in every corner of the country. Your play is literally making a difference to the lives of millions of people every single day, and I cannot put into words the gratitude and happiness I saw at every single project.

“I want to share with the nation a small insight into the difference you make each and every time you buy a ticket – this is all made possible because of you.”

In her role as Ambassador-in-Chief, Claudia will continue to champion the inspiring stories and incredible people across the country whose lives have been transformed by National Lottery funding. She will be working with The National Lottery to tell these stories as part of a long-term partnership.

Supporting her this autumn will be a star-studded cast who will surprise projects with news that their applications for National Lottery funding have been successful. For example, singer Beverley Knight MBE will be visiting a project close to her heart and revealing it will receive over £240KThousand to preserve the art and history of the Windrush generation.

More projects are set to be surprised across the community, heritage, arts and sport sectors ahead of The National Lottery’s 31st birthday in November. Since National Lottery funding began in 1994 more than 650,000 projects have been funded by more than £50BN raised by players. Every week, on average, National Lottery players raise more than £30MMillion, which funds projects across every postcode area in the UK.

Published 20th October 2025.