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Athlete and commentator Colin Jackson has launched the Welsh leg of The National Lottery's Britain Has Balls tour, which is celebrating the great things ballsy Welsh people do with Lottery funding to support talent, charities and communities up and down the country.

Lottery-funded projects joined Colin at Queen Street on Thursday 25 February. Street dancers from Urban Circle; drummers from Valleys Kids; lifeguards from Aberavon Surf Lifesaving Club and members of the Construction Youth Trust were all challenging Colin to try his hand at the activities they demonstrated to the public.

Over this week The National Lottery's Britain Has Balls tour is visiting some of the projects in Wales that have benefited from the 27,000 Lottery grants given out over the past 15 years. Every week Lottery players raise £25 million for Good Causes and thousands of people across Wales have been using Lottery funding, plus a huge amount of hard work and dedication, to make a big difference to people and places in their communities.

Colin Jackson explains, "Meeting the projects here today has been fantastic. I'm really proud of the people of Wales for making such good use of the Lottery funding they've received. In particular I'm impressed by the amount of projects which support disadvantaged kids and give them a focus, which is so important."

Luke Belmont, now 21, is one of thousands of young people who has benefitted from Lottery-funded projects. Luke has been attending Construction Youth Trust courses in Newport for the last 18 months to learn the carpentry and construction skills which led to him getting a job with the Penrhys Partnership: "Before I took part in the Carpentry OCN with the Construction Youth Trust, I had no qualifications and was not interested in learning. I spent all my time hanging out with friends and playing computer games. On the course I learnt loads of new skills and it really helped build my self-confidence and sparked an appetite for learning.

"After taking part in a few other taster courses in plastering, tiling etc. I was encouraged to volunteer, which then led to a job and I am enjoying putting my skills to use. It's just the start of my working life and I would like to thank Lottery players and  Construction Youth Trust for all the help and support they have given me, without which I would still probably be unemployed."

Over £1 billion of Lottery funding has been given to arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and environment projects in Wales since the Lottery began in 1994. To find out more, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/britainhasballs

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For further information contact:

sally.thompson@redconsultancy.com / 020 7025 6533

gabbi.naylor@redconsultancy.com  / 020 7025 6405

jackie.aplin@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk / 02920 678278 / 07917 791873

Notes to editors:

Lottery-funded projects participating in the Cardiff event:

• Urban Circle is an inclusive youth-led organisation which promotes and sustains positive community relationships by encouraging young people in Newport to showcase their talents for the benefit of local communities. It has received over £235,000 from Big Lottery Fund.
• The Valleys Kids charity works to change children's lives for the better in South Wales through sport, arts and performance. It has received a number of grants from the Big Lottery Fund, HLF and Arts Council for Wales totalling over £2 million over since 1995.
• The Construction Youth Trust supports and inspires young people to access training and employment in the construction industry. It has received over £350,000 from Big Lottery Fund and Awards for All.
• The Aberavon Surf Lifesaving Club patrols local beaches and has saved lives thanks to the skills of its members. It has received over £170,000 from Sports Council for Wales

Lottery funding facts you might not know:

• Nearly £10 million Lottery funding has gone into redeveloping arts centres, galleries and theatres across Wales which has transformed and invigorated many Welsh communities
• Thanks to Lottery funding, over £45 million has been invested in land and biodiversity projectsin Wales, conservingan area the size of over1,300 rugby pitches
• Morethan £35 millionof Lottery funding has beenawardedto projectscelebrating Wales' industrialheritage such as Big Pit atBlaenavon
• £50 million of Lottery funding has been invested in refurbishing and building PE and sports facilities for schools and communities across Wales
• Lottery funding is pivotal to the UK's sporting successes, aiding many of our sporting heroes of recent years, including Welsh gold medallist Cyclist Nicole Cooke. In fact, 437 Olympic and Paralympic medals have been won by British athletes since Lottery funding began, with the Beijing Olympics bringing home the best medal haul for 100 years
• Over half of all Lottery grants are under £5,000, helping projects make a big difference.