The National Lottery celebrates £1.6B milestone for good causes in NI with giant sand sculpture

Representatives from Mae Murray Foundation with service users at Portstewart Strand

The National Lottery has marked the landmark achievement of distributing £1.6 billion to more than 35,000 Good Causes in Northern Ireland with the unveiling of a striking 7ft sand sculpture on Portstewart Strand.

The sculpture, depicting the iconic Fingers Crossed symbol, was revealed on the award-winning beach alongside members of the Mae Murray Foundation – a Larne-based charity that works to create inclusive environments for people of all abilities.

Since 1994, National Lottery funding has supported projects ranging from grassroots sport and arts initiatives to heritage preservation and health and wellbeing services.

Inclusive celebration at Portstewart Strand

Portstewart Strand, recently named the best beach in the UK by The Sunday Times (2025), has benefitted directly from National Lottery support through the Mae Murray Foundation, which provides accessible beach experiences.

Kyleigh Lough, CEO of the Mae Murray Foundation, said:

“This funding has been truly life changing. Many of our members have never been able to access the beach or experience the joy of the seaside until now. Thanks to The National Lottery, we’re creating more inclusive opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.”

East Londonderry MLA Maurice Bradley also praised the positive impact of National Lottery support:

“The National Lottery funding has been transformational for countless groups and organisations across Northern Ireland.

“In my own constituency, I’ve seen first-hand how these grants empower local people to change lives every day. Raising £1.6 billion for good causes is a remarkable achievement and a clear sign of the positive legacy that The National Lottery continues to provide.

“It’s our duty to protect this institution that has driven such powerful change, to ensure the next generations in Northern Ireland can also benefit from life changing funding.”

Transforming communities across Northern Ireland

Representatives from Mae Murray Foundation with service users at Portstewart Strand

The first National Lottery grant in Northern Ireland was awarded in April 1995, when Belfast City Council received £195,000 for a pavilion at the Mary Peters Athletics Track. Since then, major beneficiaries have included:

• The Odyssey Trust – £45 million to support entertainment and educational facilities, including the construction of the SSE Arena.

• Ulster Folk Museum – £10 million to preserve heritage for future generations.

• Millennium Forum, Derry – over £8.4 million.

• Rural Community Network NI – more than £6.1 million.

• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – over £4.5 million since 2000.

• Dolans Social Farm, Fermanagh – £178,000 for educational farming visits.

National Lottery funding has also supported athletes such as Hannah Scott, who became the first woman from Northern Ireland to win Olympic Gold since Lady Mary Peters in 1972.

Hope, positivity and lasting legacy

Gillian Taylor, Northern Ireland Director of Communications at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said:

“We’re thrilled to celebrate this major milestone which reflects over three decades of support for Northern Ireland. None of this would be possible without National Lottery players – it’s because of them that more than 35,000 good causes across Northern Ireland have benefitted.

“Today’s celebration and the Fingers Crossed sand sculpture, symbolise everything The National Lottery stands for – hope, positivity and making a real difference to people’s lives. We’re proud to support organisations like the Mae Murray Foundation, that show the difference this support makes to lives every day.”

The Portstewart installation is part of a series of Fingers Crossed sculptures appearing across the UK this summer, celebrating the hope and optimism National Lottery funding has brought to communities for more than 30 years.