From Suffragettes to pumpkin trumpets (yes really!), thanks to you

You're making the arts more accessible

• There were 240 films shown from 72 countries at 16 cinemas over 12 days, including lottery–funded Suffragette and The Lobster – at The London Film Festival. That's a lot of red carpets
• Pumpkin trumpets are a thing. Really. So are courgette trombones… and Mums and Dads donning superhero costumes to listen to a classical concert – some of the fun things happening at over 5,000 events to make up the lottery–funded Family Arts Festival, encouraging everyone to access the arts
• You've helped to bring the Turner Prize Exhibition – Europe's most prestigious contemporary visual art award exhibition to Scotland, now being hosted at Glasgow's Tramway.
• Shakespeare's masterpiece got a modern makeover starring Michael Fassbender as 'Macbeth' and hit the big screens
• Drawing Festivals. Also now a thing. And lottery–funded The Big Draw is now the world's biggest drawing festival involving 26 countries, with 414,000 people attending over 1,800 events

You're helping to make connections

• The Tees Transporter Bridge can now carry up to 200 people at a time across the Tees River in under 90 seconds thanks to you
• "Speed dating" sessions at the Science Museum saw young people paired with heritage experts to help them bring to life their dream projects

Our past is being preserved thanks to you

• The beautiful Luxulyan Valley in Cornwall was preserved thanks to a £3.4 million conservation project – so whether Captain Poldark keeps his shirt on or not, it'll all look beautiful on screen
• The birthplace of the wellington boot, the modern motor car tyre, and the first ever traffic cone – Castle Mill Works was transformed from a derelict shell into a world–class visual arts centre and creative hub
• British Summertime is over for another year, but it was lovely to have an extra hour in bed! The British Horological Institute (BHI) also enjoyed the £2.8 million to train a new generation in clock restoration and repair skills

And last but not least, you helped create opportunity for a whole host of people

• From the 20 community groups across England that shared in more than £29 million of funding, including projects like 'Over the Wall' which provides holiday camps and volunteering opportunities for children with life limiting illnesses
• To the 61 projects focusing on tackling poverty, homelessness and helping people back into work that now have over £132 million to share
• And more than £4.1 million went to help seven community groups in Scotland that support carers, families facing break–up and children recovering from domestic abuse
• Thank you. Since the National Lottery began, you've supported over 450,000 projects across the UK and raised over £34 billion.