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National Lottery plays a starring role as film industry celebrates British success

7th January 2014

As Bafta announce this year’s awards nominations today, The National Lottery has released an infographic to highlight its funding of the British film industry and to celebrate Day 8 of its Just Imagine campaign.

Just Imagine is The National Lottery’s new nationwide campaign, launched January 1, to raise awareness of the massive impact that £31 billion in project funding has had across the UK since the first National Lottery draw 20 years ago this year.

Throwing the spotlight on a number of blockbuster facts, the infograph shows how the National Lottery has funded some of the most popular and commercially successful films in British history.

The National Lottery began funding the British film industry in 1994 and has contributed a massive £431 million to 12,837 UK film projects. 18 of these British movies have gone on to win a total of 31 Baftas between them. Winners include favourites such as Billy Elliot, The Last King of Scotland, The King’s Speech and The Iron Lady.

Not only that, but five of those National Lottery funded films also caught the eye of the judging panel on the other side of the Atlantic, resulting in a total of five Oscars.

To enable people to learn more about National Lottery funded projects in their area, the National Lottery has launched a ‘Good Cause Finder’. To see projects in your area, or to find out more about Just Imagine January, visit www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

Notes to editors

For press enquiries relating to the Just Imagine campaign:
Alex Bake: alex.bake@fasttrackagency.com, 07552 289 290
Jim Williams: jim.williams@fasttrackagency.com, 07814 068 349

For press enquiries relating to the National Lottery:
Michael Thompson, Head of Media at the National Lottery Promotions Unit: michael.thompson@lotterygoodcauses.org.uk, 07734 295745.

Weblinks
Twitter: @lottogoodcauses #JustImagine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LotteryGoodCauses


About the National Lottery Promotions Unit
The National Lottery Promotions Unit (NLPU) is responsible for raising awareness of Lottery funding to Good Causes. Amongst other initiatives, NLPU manages the annual National Lottery Awards.

About National Lottery Funding
National Lottery funding is awarded through 12 distributing bodies: Big Lottery Fund, UK Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport NI, Sport Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Arts Council Wales, Arts Council NI, Creative Scotland and the British Film Institute.
Over £31 billion has been awarded to good cause projects across the UK since the launch of the National Lottery back in 1994. Currently, £33 million of good cause funding is raised every week by National Lottery players.