NEARLY £2.5m has been ploughed by the People's Postcode Lottery into the Yorkshire Dales in the past decade helping to plant hundreds of thousands of trees, protect the environment and promote education and training.

The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust has been given a further £400,000 for 2020 to carry on the work. The cash has meant the charity is continuing long-running projects such as woodland planting and wildflower meadow restoration as well as putting more into delivering education and training, outreach and community grants.

Since it's launch in 1996 the YDMT has planted 1.5m trees and given 13,000 adults and young people from disadvantaged urban backgrounds the chance to go into the Dales for the first time to take part in many activities and adventures.

Chief Executive David Sharrod said: "We are more than grateful for players’ support and the significant difference it makes to the people, landscape and wildlife of the Yorkshire Dales. In 2020, we will receive £400,000. This incredible, ongoing and flexible support has transformed us as a charity and continues to have a huge impact on what we can achieve."

Clara Govier, managing director at People’s Postcode Lottery said they have raised over half a billion pounds for charities such as the Millennium Trust since being launched. "This is a vitally important milestone for charities across Britain and beyond. Our players are making a real difference, this couldn't have been achieved without them," she added.