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World-Renowned artist, David Mach, unveils new artwork at a newsagent to celebrate the impact of The National Lottery over 25 years

16th October 2019

Today, a new piece of modern art by world-renowned artist, David Mach RA, is
being unveiled in the unlikely setting of a Manchester newsagent to celebrate
the start of six weeks of celebrations for The National Lottery’s 25 th birthday.

Today, a new piece of modern art by world-renowned artist, David Mach RA, is being unveiled in the unlikely setting of a Manchester newsagents to celebrate the start of six weeks of celebrations for The National Lottery’s 25th birthday.

The artwork features a mix of famous and lesser-known national treasures including people, places, projects and icons that have been part of extraordinary things which have been made possible by The National Lottery. They have been brought together in one iconic image to represent The National Lottery's incredible impact on life in the UK over the last 25 years – across sports, film, heritage, the arts, and community projects.

From the Morecambe Brass Band, one of the first projects to ever receive National Lottery funding; to Idris Elba, Governor for The National Lottery funded British Film Institute; to Tracey Emin, Rio Ferdinand, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Betty Webb, a World War Two codebreaker from Bletchley Park and more. The impressive line-up features against a backdrop of National Lottery funded venues, including The Kelpies, Jodrell Bank, The Principality Stadium and Giant’s Causeway, composed in David Mach’s signature style. All of these individuals and places have one thing in common: they have all been positively impacted by The National Lottery over the past 25 years.

David Mach’s new artwork, titled ‘United By Numbers: The National Lottery at 25’ is being unveiled on 14th October and exhibited for the day in the window of Booth & Howarth on Mauldeth Road, Manchester, a shop that has been selling National Lottery tickets for 25 years.

An online, interactive version of the artwork is available for people to access at [insert url].

David Mach by Iain Clark at Cass Art - 2018 - L1110825 - Version 2

“For the past 25 years, there is barely a part of our cultural, sporting and community life that has not been positively influenced by National Lottery funding. As someone who is involved in charities and institutions, and has artwork commissioned from National Lottery funding, I know the impact it has had on the UK. I wanted to help people to get a sense of this impact with this artwork through 25 stories and to have it shown on a local high street for anyone to view is fitting.”

David Mach, Reflecting on the inspiration for his new piece, and his own connections with The National Lottery

“The National Lottery helps thousands of athletes across the country reach for their dreams and inspire the nation. It helped fund those amazing experiences in 2012 that we all remember and cherish; and I doubt I would have been able to win Olympic gold without it. It is an honour to be chosen by David for this amazing artwork to represent the impact playing The National Lottery has had on the Olympics. I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming celebrations to mark the 25th birthday of what has become such an important institution.”

2012 Olympic gold medalist, Victoria Pendleton, who features in the artwork

“It’s a privilege to be part of this special celebration and appear in this wonderful image. Bletchley Park is a key-part of our heritage, and The National Lottery has helped tremendously in ensuring it can be enjoyed for future generations.”

Betty Webb, was a code breaker at Bletchley Park during World War 2 and features in the artwork

Over the next six-weeks (14 October – 6 December), The National Lottery is hosting a range of activities, including free events for the whole of the UK to enjoy. The 25th birthday celebrations will be designed to reflect the amazing impact of the work National Lottery players have helped to fund, from building local communities, sports teams, protecting the environment, unleashing creative talent, looking after the elderly and supporting youth projects.

“Since the first draw 25 years ago, The National Lottery has raised a staggering £40 billion for good causes across the UK. This funding has made an enormous difference to people’s lives and the issues they care most about. “The 25th birthday is a moment to celebrate this impact and say a sincere thank you to every National Lottery player.”

Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

“Since The National Lottery launched in 1994 it has changed lives across the UK, helping people and places to flourish. The range of people - from arts, heritage, charities, community, and sport - who are featured in this iconic image shows just how big a part of the fabric of life The National Lottery is.”

Dawn Austwick, Chair of the National Lottery Forum

Discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has had on your community over the past 25 years by visiting www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using the 25th hashtag: #NationalLottery25.

Nodiadau i olygyddion



Pictures, interviews and case studies of people and projects who have benefitted from National Lottery funding are available upon request.

Interviews available on request (and availability depending) with:


David Mach, RA (Scottish Painter and Sculptor)


Victoria Pendleton (2012 Olympic gold medalist)


Dawn Austwick (Chair of the National Lottery Forum)




For further information, please contact:

Antonia Brook, Associate Director at freuds 02030036345 | 07747630301 Antonia.Brook@freuds.com


Chris Mounsey-Thear, Director at freuds 02030036679 | 07912514388 chris.mounsey-thear@freuds.com


Paul Smith, Associate Director at freuds 07540913774 | 02030036474 paul.smith@freuds.com


Or email nationallottery@freuds.com

All assets can be downloaded from this Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m4a... interactive version of the image will be made available via a url.

List of people, places and icons celebrated in David Mach’s ‘United by Numbers: The National Lottery at 25’ artwork:


1. The Kelpies

The world's largest equine sculptures in Falkirk's Helix park were designed by Andy Scott and funded by The National Lottery.


2. Katerina Johnson-Thompson and Dina Asher Smith

Gold medal winners as part of the Great Britain and N.I. Team at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, both are supported by National Lottery funding


3. Courtney Cooper

Courtney is from Monkstown Boxing Club in Northern Ireland whose #INYOURCORNER project helps improve the health, well-being and employability of young people in the area, with funding from The National Lottery.


4. Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson

One of the greatest athletes in history and winner of 11 Paralympic gold medals, received National Lottery funding during her career.


5. Dementia Dogs Project

The National Lottery has supported the Dementia Dogs Project, which helps those caring for loved ones with early stage dementia by providing assistance dogs in Scotland.


6. The Hendrix Flat

The legendary rock guitarist’s flat at 23 Brook Street, London was permanently restored thanks to a grant from The National Lottery in 2014.


7. James Nesbitt

Star of the film Bloody Sunday, patron of WAVE Trauma, Action Cancer, and Big Telly Company; and Chancellor of Ulster University - all recipients of National Lottery funding.


8. Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton

Gold medal winning Olympians whose careers culminated at London 2012; the Games that would not have be possible without National Lottery funding.


9. Morecambe Brass Band

One of the first-ever projects to receive National Lottery funding back in 1994. Funding was secured by Bernard Vause and the band is still going strong to this day.


10. Sir Tim Smit

Founder of the popular Eden Project and The Big Lunch, which were both made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery.


11. Giant’s Causeway

The National Lottery supported the building of a Visitor Centre at the Giant's Causeway that provides a beautiful view of the North Coast landscape and facilities.


12. Ray and Barbara Wragg

After winning £7.6m on The National Lottery, Ray and Barbara Wragg are some of the most generous winners after giving away £5.5m, mostly to charities in Sheffield.


13. ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’ soldiers

(also far right)

This artwork, devised by Jeremy Deller and principally funded by The National Lottery, saw 1,400 volunteers dressed in First World War uniform appearing at locations across the UK on 1st July 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.


14. Tracey Emin

Tracey Emin’s artwork has been exhibited at National Lottery funded galleries across the country, including at The Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in her hometown of Margate.


15. Gurinder Chadha

English film director whose film ‘Bend it Like Beckham’ has become one of the UK’s best loved films and is just one example of the films funded by The National Lottery.


16. Jodrell Bank

Supported by The National Lottery, the First Light Project conserves the heritage of The Jodrell Bank Observatory for future generations.


17. Edna Smith

A volunteer for 15 years with the National Lottery funded charity Home-start. Edna has helped hundreds of families recover from post-natal depression.


18. Ewan McGregor

Actor who featured in Trainspotting 2, one of the first productions to benefit from Creative Scotland’s Production Growth Fund, supported by The National Lottery.


19. Rio Ferdinand

Pundit and former England footballer whose ‘Rio Ferdinand Foundation’ which exists to help tackle social issues, is part funded by The National Lottery.


20. Suffragettes

The National Lottery has supported projects across the country exploring the history of the suffragette movement, including the 2015 film, Suffragette; The Face of Suffrage artwork and the East End suffragettes project.


21. Idris Elba


Award-winning actor, producer and governor for the BFI. With the help of National Lottery funding he made his directorial debut in 2018 with Yardie.


22. Betty Webb

Betty is a 96 year-old veteran of Bletchley Park. In 2011, The National Lottery helped restore the decaying huts in which Betty and other codebreakers worked.


23. The Principality Stadium

Ahead of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, National Lottery funding was secured to build Cardiff’s iconic stadium.


24. Paul Sinton-Hewitt

Founder of parkrun, the free weekly 5K runs open to all enjoyed by over 2 million people across the UK, National Lottery funding has supported parkrun to allow communities to benefit from free, weekly, social activity in open spaces.


25. Krystal Lowe

Dancer for Ballet Cymru, which received funding from The National Lottery allowing them to expand its outreach work with local communities.


David Mach has strong and historic links to The National Lottery since its inception in 1994. In fact, some of David’s most famous pieces were commissioned by the National Lottery including ‘Train’ (the largest piece of public sculpture when it was commissioned in 1997 & nominated for ThenTurner Prize) (1997) in Darlington, ‘Big Heids’ (1998), ‘Elevator’ (2006). Other links include:

A 3m x 70m collage for the Millennium Dome that featured many images of British people at work and at play

Royal Academy Schools, and Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Royal Scottish Academy

National Portrait Gallery



About The National Lottery and its 25th Birthday celebration:


The National Lottery’s celebrations are running for a six-week period (from 14 Oct until the end of November). There are some incredible activities planned across the UK to celebrate the good causes that have been made possible thanks to National Lottery players over the last 25 years.


Since The National Lottery’s first draw took place on 19 November 1994, more than £40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community.


The 25th birthday is a moment to celebrate the extraordinary impact The National Lottery has had on the UK, and to say thank you to National Lottery players for contributing around £30 million to good causes every week.


The National Lottery has made more than 5,500 millionaires but its primary purpose is giving to good causes - over 565,000 individual grants have been awarded across the UK, that’s the equivalent of 200 life-changing projects in every UK postcode district.