From 3-9 December 2018, selected RSPB reserves are offering free entry to National Lottery players as part of national #ThanksToYou celebrations.

Trails at RSPB Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex, RSPB Dungeness, Kent, and RSPB Rainham Marshes, London, will be free to National Lottery players during the week of 3-9 December 2018. The RSPB nature reserves are joining hundreds of participating National Lottery-funded visitor attractions across the UK in saying ‘thanks’ to people who have raised money for good causes by buying a lottery ticket.

The idea is simple: any visitor who presents a National Lottery ticket or scratchcard at selected venues on 3-9 December inclusive gets free entry in return.

The three RSPB reserves above have received over £2,000,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The money has helped to pay for extensive habitat works and has enabled RSPB staff and volunteers to undertake vital wildlife conservation, protecting historic breeding grounds of wildlife in severe national declines. It has also funded significant improvements to visitor facilities at RSPB Rainham Marshes and RSPB Dungeness, allowing visitors to get even closer to the nature they are helping to protect.

RSPB Pagham Harbour in West Sussex, which is free to visit all year round, has also received significant investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which helped fund improvements to the education areas as well as improving disability access at the site.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “December is a wonderful time to experience the UK’s rich, diverse and exciting heritage, which has been transformed by more than £7.8bn National Lottery funding since 1994.  This is a small gesture of thanks and a way of giving something back to the people who buy tickets.”

Nic Scothern, the RSPB's South East Regional Director said: “Thanks to National Lottery players we’ve been able to make a huge difference for people and wildlife, providing much needed homes for some of our rarest wildlife, and helping people, especially families and those with limited mobility, get even closer to the nature we work hard to protect.”

For more information, please go visit

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/events-dates-and-inspiration/thanks-to-you