NEW figures reveal that more than £84 million of National Lottery funding has been invested in Ceredigion since the National Lottery began almost 25 years ago.

Around 2,200 National Lottery grants have been awarded in the county since 1994, helping to strengthen communities, power sports teams, protect the environment, unleash local creative talent and look after the elderly and those at risk.

A wide variety of local projects have received National Lottery funding over the last 25 years, including the restoration of Cardigan Castle.

A £6.5m grant helped transform the 900 year-old site into a new heritage attraction, complete with luxury accommodation, riverside restaurant and events programme

Most National Lottery grants, however, are for £10,000 or less to help out at play groups, local village halls or sports clubs.

Since 1994, the National Lottery has also invested nearly £40 billion pounds in over half a million good causes which has transformed the lives of people in communities the length and breadth of the UK.

Any organisation that has received National Lottery funding has the chance to gain nationwide acclaim by entering the 25th Birthday National Lottery Awards – the search for the UK’s favourite ever National Lottery-funded projects.

National Lottery Awards winners will receive a £10,000 cash prize and national recognition at a glittering ceremony broadcast on BBC One later in the year.

To enter your favourite project in this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or complete an entry form through our website www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards<http://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards> . Entries must be received by midnight on April 30.