First things first: 30 years of notable ‘firsts’ funded by The National Lottery

14th February 2025

With 2025 and the Lunar New Year both up and running there’s double reason to reflect on beginnings. And as The National Lottery celebrated its 30^th anniversary year recently, looking across three decades of data certainly throws up some notable firsts.

The stage is set Kingussie — The stage is set at Kingussie High School, Scotland. The lighting and sound system, funded by the first National Lottery grant back in January 1995, are used to the present day. (Photo courtesy of Ian Adamson)

First of many

The first National Lottery money for good causes reached people in January 1995. Since then, hundreds of thousands of grants have been awarded. That huge array of projects, people, and places across the UK had to start somewhere.

“I didn't know that Kingussie High School was one of the first National Lottery funded projects way back in 1995,” says Ian Adamson, Head Teacher at Kingussie High School in The Cairngorms. In fact, theirs was the first grant logged in the data, 6^th January 1995.

“The money helped develop the performing arts in Kingussie. The red curtain that you see [pictured] isn't the one funded by The National Lottery as unfortunately we had a bad flood in 2014. The lighting and sound system will be the same though.”

Mr. Adamson confirms that two of the pupils (pictured) have gone on to perform dance and drama post-school. ‘The Tin Man’ (leaping) currently performs in Matilda at London's West End.

Boy leaps for joy at Kingussie — Small steps, giant leaps... Head Teacher Mr Adamson says that ‘The Tin Man’ went on to a career in London's West End. (Photo courtesy of Ian Adamson)

First and foremost

Within the mix of grants awarded there are too many notable firsts to highlight. And it’s impossible to gauge all the impacts, but here’s a quick sense of what matters most:

New buildings and facilities that are useful, accessible and inclusive
People innovating new solutions to old (and new) issues that can be scaled and replicated elsewhere
Projects addressing new social needs or identifying unmet needs
Organisations supporting new (e.g. refugee) communities or indeed existing communities that are under-served, overlooked
Aiding medical research toward breakthroughs
New infrastructure for places (e.g. major bridge linking Newcastle and Gateshead).

First of its kind

Some projects are so unusual they must be the first (and, likely, the only) of their kind. Take ‘Pianodrome’ in Edinburgh: the project salvages and recycles pianos, teaches piano repair, and has created the world’s first amphitheatre made entirely from up-cycled pianos.

First among equals

There are the first grants awarded in each nation, or the first grants to the arts, charities, heritage, science, sport... you name it. All have had local impacts, some lasting to this day:

Communities breaking new ground
People making new connections
Innovative projects breaking the mould
Sports people winning podium spots, plhaveaudits or personal bests
Toddlers taking their first steps
Scientists on their way to breakthroughs
Artists making something never-seen nor heard before
Students making their first attempts in learning
Pioneers, innovators, and trailblazers making their mark.

Of course there’ll always be new beginnings: for instance, Artificial Intelligence [A.I.]. Back in 2001, the first grant with a focus on A.I. got National Lottery funding. Since then, over twenty projects with A.I. at their core have shared £750k.

From A.I. to Zoology and everything in between, there’s an ever-growing range of projects, people, and places funded. Find out about a small selection of notable firsts in the chart below.