Over the past 25 years, The National Lottery heritage Fund has been the largest dedicated grant funder of the UK's heritage, awarding over £8billion to more than 44,000 projects across the United Kingdom.

Nature is very much part of our heritage and over the years the wildlife charity has received Heritage Lottery Fund support for a variety of projects from archaeology at Druridge Bay, red squirrels and coastal conservation to the Kielder Wildwood project which is restoring one of the wildest landscapes in England, Restoring Ratty project brought the iconic water vole (aka’ Ratty’) back to the region’s water courses and the Catch My Drift project on its 185-hectare East Chevington reserve.

In 2012, the Trust was awarded funds to develop its Dynamic Druridge project that included a new Wildlife Discovery Centre on its Hauxley nature reserve.  The Centre was built by an army of volunteers and opened in June 2017 by television presenter and wildlife cameraman Simon King OBE.

However, do not just take the Trust’s word for it, why not add a trip to the reserve to your 2022 ‘To Do’ list and be amazed at all the reserve has to offer.

Alex Lister, Druridge Bay Living Landscape Manager, says: “Thanks to National Lottery players we’ve been able to do some fantastic work over the Druridge Bay area for a number of years.

“Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre forms a big part of that and is testament to how valuable National Lottery players and the Heritage Lottery Fund are; so why not come along to the Centre’s Lookout Café and taste one of our famous scones and see our very own piece of heritage treasure.”

Lookout for other fantastic projects across the UK at #HeritageTreasuresDay and @heritagelottery