As part of the National Lottery’s 30th birthday, A giant land artwork – the size of four Olympic swimming pools - was revealed at Whitby Abbey on Tuesday 1^st October.  Unveiled on Tuesday (1st October) by actor and broadcaster, Sir Tony Robinson, the artwork celebrates the extraordinary achievements of seven Heritage ‘Game Changers’ - including Chantelle Lindsay, a Project Coordinator at London Wildlife Trust and CBeebies Co-Presenter breaking down barriers to wildlife.

Created by globally renowned artist David Popa, known for creating huge  artworks made out of natural materials, ‘The Heritage Tree’ marks 30 years of The National Lottery, and was unveiled by actor and broadcaster, Sir Tony Robinson.

The vast artwork, measuring in at 5,400 square meters – Popa’s largest and most complex piece to date – commemorates the achievements of seven Game Changers, including London Wildlife Trust Project Coordinator Chantelle Lindsay, to recognise their extraordinary impact on heritage and conservation with the help of National Lottery players who raise £30 million every week for good causes.

The breathtaking installation used the renowned abbey’s vast landscape and natural pigments painted on the ground to show Chantelle and the other Game Changer’s hands holding the roots of a tree.

Chantelle is a Project Coordinator at London Wildlife Trust, Co-Presenter of children’s wildlife programme ‘Teeny Tiny Creatures’ on CBeebies and a public speaker. She has been fascinated by the natural world since she was a child, and is passionate about breaking down barriers to wildlife and conservation for black people and other global majority communities, encouraging young people to appreciate and see themselves as part of nature.

In 2019, Chantelle took part in a youth programme called ‘Keeping it Wild’, part of The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ‘Kick the Dust’ project – named by young people because they wanted to stir up the world of heritage. The initiative invested £10 million in 12 large-scale projects to make heritage relevant to the lives of young people aged 11-25. Following this, Chantelle went onto become London Wildlife Trust’s Project Officer for the ‘Great North Wood’ project, another National Lottery Heritage Fund programme, which aimed to restore and conserve the remaining fragments of an ancient woodland in south London, and keep it alive in the hearts and minds of people, both locally and further field. She continues to work with London Wildlife Trust to make heritage relevant to young people everywhere.  

Chantelle Lindsay said: “I’ve always found a calm awe and wonder in nature. Having moved around a lot as a child, it’s always been the one thing where I haven’t felt I’ve had to work to fit in – it’s always felt natural to me.’ Keeping it Wild’ was just the most life changing experience, it helped me fall further in love with the natural world and gave me the experience to get properly into wildlife conservation professionally.  

“I feel so blessed to be working with an organisation as wonderful as London Wildlife Trust, and grateful to The National Lottery for funding projects like ‘Keeping it Wild’ and the ‘Great North Wood’ that which level the playing field and open up conservation and heritage to everyone.” 

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive officer, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Our heritage is incredibly diverse, from archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to sweeping landscapes and rare wildlife.

“At the root of each part of our heritage are people. People who believe in the value of heritage, who dedicate their lives to preserving and enriching it for all to enjoy, people who are game changers for heritage.

“The creation of a stunning ‘Heritage Tree’ installation at Whitby Abbey honours seven of those extraordinary Game Changers and beautifully symbolises the deep roots and ever-growing impact of each, reflecting our shared ambition to strengthen heritage. It’s thanks to players of The National Lottery over the last 30 years, and those to come, that our shared heritage will be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”

To mark the 30th anniversary of the first draw in 1994, The National Lottery is celebrating 30 inspirational people - Game Changers - who have achieved amazing things across the UK in the last 30 years, with the help of National Lottery funding.

The Game Changers were nominated by members of the public and selected by a panel composed of members of The National Lottery family and partners.

They were selected as examples of inspiring, tenacious and committed individuals who developed and delivered National Lottery funded projects to preserve heritage and enhance science and the environment.

National Lottery funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund helped them to make heritage stronger and more financially resilient benefitting communities and economies throughout the UK.

28 Game Changers will be revealed in September and October at four installations which will focus on an area of National Lottery funding including, the arts & film, heritage, sport and community.

The final two Game Changers will be announced on The National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash scheduled for broadcast on ITV on 31 December.

For 30 years, money raised by National Lottery players has helped fund thousands of projects that value, care for and sustain the UK's heritage for everyone.

Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided £1.55bn funding to support 4,800 projects in London. Across the UK, £430m has been invested in 23,700 community, cultures and memories and intangible heritage projects.

Find out more about the National Lottery Heritage Game Changers