The iconic Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff features in a series of powerful images released by The National Lottery today to highlight what some of the UK’ most cherished landmarks and venues could look like if we don’t start taking action against serious environmental issues and taking better care of our planet.

To mark the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, model and environmentalist, Daisy Lowe, has teamed up with The National Lottery to visually highlight the scale of some of the environmental and climate change challenges we face in Wales and encourage us all to take action. Daisy also brings a message of hope by showcasing some of the amazing projects funded by The National Lottery good causes which are striving to make our communities greener.

Daisy features in a series of striking before and manipulated after images at iconic National Lottery funded venues and landmarks, to showcase the potential impact on the environment, should we continue down the path we are on without making some real changes. 

  • Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff: reimagined as if sea levels were to rise beyond 1.5 degrees with the exterior building submerged in water.
  • Shakespeare’s Globe, London: mountains of plastic waste illustrate that less than 10% of everyday plastic gets recycled in the UK.  
  • The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland: engulfed in litter to illustrate the alarming amount of marine litter found on UK beaches
  • The Falkirk Wheel, Scotland: clouds of thick smog illustrate the issue of air pollution and how this is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK.  


The images mark the findings of new research from The National Lottery Community Fund announced today which reveal what Wales is most concerned about when it comes to addressing climate change. 

When asked what they would do to address climate change if they were a global leader, Welsh adults are most likely to say they’d reduce single use plastics (63%) , followed by supporting the circular economy (53%). Just over a quarter say they would reduce the number of flights people can take per year (29%), while 24% would reduce the sale of non-electric cars. 

Whilst almost half of Welsh adults (43%) agree COP26 will motivate them to take more personal action to combat climate change, research by The National Lottery earlier this year also found that seven in ten (73%) of us admitted we are not doing enough to save the planet.

 Committed to doing more for the environment, model and activist, Daisy Lowe, said: “The climate emergency is everybody’s business, and we all have a responsibility to protect the environment for future generations. Hopefully these images will capture people’s imagination into taking action as we can all see what the repercussions might look like and its rather terrifying. Thankfully the news isn’t all bad and you can make a big difference. Perhaps there is a disused rooftop that could be turned into public space or a green area near your home that could be conserved.  If you have always wanted to make a difference in your local community, why not look at the funding available from The National Lottery.”

Over the last decade £2.2billion in National Lottery funding has supported environmental good causes providing a much-needed and vital injection for our communities in the fight against climate change. In the last year alone, £60million has been awarded to 730 green projects from community groups preserving natural habitats, to art installations educating young people on climate change, to full-scale landscape restorations. Thanks to this funding, these projects are leading the way in approach, technological innovation and engagement as we collectively work to save the planet.

National Lottery funded good causes making their areas greener across Wales include Llandysul A Phont-Tyweli Ymlaen Cyf, who set up Dolen Teifi – a community transport system that operates electric vehicles. Thanks to National Lottery funding of more than £446,000, the project has developed an ultra-low emission, low carbon and fully accessible transport solution tailored to address the lack of provision of transport for people to access key local and regional services.

In Rhondda Cynon Taff, reducing waste that goes to landfill is one of the main aims of the Play It Again Sport organisation. With the support of nearly £115,000 from The National Lottery, Play It Again Sport based in Rhondda collect unwanted sportswear from local communities as well as end of line clothing and equipment from sports companies to be recycled and re-sold at affordable prices or even donated to families who can’t afford to buy new sport clothing.

Meanwhile, thanks to £260,000 from The National Lottery, the Lost Peatlands Project in Neath and Port Talbot is helping to restore over 540 hectares of neglected landscape and habitat, once known as the Alps of Glamorgan. 

 From developing sustainability action plans; setting targets such as reducing emissions by 5% annually; committing to net-zero emissions by 2030; reducing the amount of waste diverted to landfill; or improving recycling rates - all National Lottery funding distributors are taking measures to manage their own environmental impact and are seeking to ensure that organisations receiving National Lottery grants manage their funding in an environmentally responsible way.  

Ros Kerslake CBE, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chair of the National Lottery Forum, said: “While the world focusses on COP26, we must each focus on what we can do, as organisations and as individuals, to slow the rate of climate change. We ask that projects funded through The National Lottery each play their part, whether its small changes, such as introducing community recycling bins, to large-scale environmental projects restoring precious peatlands. Across the country, we are working together with the good causes we support to lead, inspire and raise awareness of how and why we need to change our behaviours in order to protect the future of our planet.”

If you have a great idea that can make a positive difference to the environment in your community, then why not look at the funding available from The National Lottery. Please search ‘National Lottery Funding Finder’ for more information www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/funding