Fife artist’s work celebrates 25 years of The National Lottery

The piece, which is being unveiled today features 25 people, places and projects that have been part of extraordinary things which have been made possible by The National Lottery.

Among them are Scotland’s most successful Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy,who credits funding from the organisation with helping him achieve his Olympic dream; actor Ewan McGregor, who starred in Trainspotting 2, which received £500,000 in support; and the iconic Kelpies which were designed by Andy Scott and funded by the lottery.

They have been brought together in one iconic image to represent the lottery’s impact on life in the UK over the last 25 years – across sports, film, heritage, the arts, and community projects.

Methil-born artist David Mach said: “For the past 25 years, there is barely a part of our cultural, sporting and community life that has not been positively influenced by National Lottery funding.

“As someone who is involved in charities and institutions, and ahs artwork commissioned from National Lottery funding, I know the impact it has had on the UK.

“I wanted to help people to get a sense of this impact with this artwork through 25 stories and to have it shown on a local high street for anyone to view is fitting.”

Mach’s new artwork, titled ‘United By Numbers: The National Lottery at 25’ is being unveiled and exhibited for the day today in the window of Booth & Howarth in Manchester, a shop that has been selling lottery tickets for 25 years.

Also featured in the image is an assistance dog from the National Lottery supported Dementia Dogs Project, which helps those caring for loved ones with early stage dementia and is run in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Dogs for Good.

Dawn Austwick, chairman of the UK National Lottery Forum, said: “Since The National Lottery launched in 1994 it has changed lives across the UK, helping people and places to flourish. The range of people - from arts, heritage, charities, community, and sport - who are featured in this iconic image shows just how big a part of the fabric of life The National Lottery is.”

Others to feature in the image include the Morecambe Brass Band, one of the first projects to ever receive National Lottery funding; Idris Elba, Governor for The National Lottery funded British Film Institute; to Tracey Emin, Rio Ferdinand, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Betty Webb, a World War Two codebreaker from Bletchley Park.

The impressive line-up features against a backdrop of National Lottery funded venues, including Jodrell Bank, The Principality Stadium and Giant’s Causeway, composed in David Mach’s signature style.

All of these individuals and places have one thing in common – they have all been positively impacted by The National Lottery over the past 25 years.

Over the next six-weeks, The National Lottery is hosting a range of activities, including free events for the whole of the UK to enjoy.

The 25th birthday celebrations will be designed to reflect the amazing impact of the work National Lottery players have helped to fund, from building local communities, sports teams, protecting the environment, unleashing creative talent, looking after the elderly and supporting youth projects.

An online, interactive version of the artwork is available to view here