22 Mar 2021

Players’ support tops £1.3m

A contractor in a blue t-shirt and anti-midge mask removes Rhododendron ponticum as part of Project Wipeout

Project Wipeout is possible thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Support for Scotland’s heritage from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery has exceeded £1.3 million.

The news came at the charity lottery’s 2021 annual gala where they announced another £425,000 to help us continue our vital conservation work, despite the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cumulatively, since 2014, that takes the total support raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery to £1,398,695, awarded through the Postcode Earth Trust.

In that time, the funding has been put to good use at National Trust for Scotland properties across the country:

At Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, this support enabled the creation of the estate’s popular play areas – Adventure Cove and Wild Woodland.
At Glen Rosa on Arran, this support meant that 40,000 trees were planted, to reforest this area.
At the Hill House in Helensburgh, the funding made it possible to repair stained glass windows at the historic house.
At Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire, a new gallery space was created thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
At Inverewe in the North-West Highlands, the funding meant our charity could purchase machinery that helped us catalogue the thousands of plants that thrive there.

In 2020, funds raised by players went to the Trust’s Project Wipeout, an ambitious project that aims to eradicate invasive non-native plants from a number of Trust places across the country. Since August last year, Project Wipeout has cleared over 40 hectares of the most destructive plants including Rhododendron ponticum, Japanese knotweed and American skunk cabbage at eight sites across Scotland.

Quote

“We cannot thank the players of People’s Postcode Lottery enough for their longstanding commitment to and support of our charity’s conservation work.”

Philip Long OBE

Chief Executive

A man in a navy suit stands in a garden beside a sundial, on a sunny day. Kellie Castle can be seen in the background.

Philip continued: ‘Over the past seven years, so many important projects have only been possible because of these funds.

‘With this help, work like Wipeout, which is making a real difference to Scotland’s environment, has been able to continue over the past year. Thank you for helping to protect Scotland’s heritage, now and for future generations.’

Will Humpington, Climate Change and Environment Advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery said: ‘We are delighted that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are continuing to support Project Wipeout and helping to eradicate non-native invasive species which are so damaging to Scotland’s wildlife. It’s great to celebrate the support of players for National Trust for Scotland projects over the past seven years, and their positive impact for Scotland’s heritage.’