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Since the first draw in 1994, The National Lottery has raised over £49bn to bring positive change to communities across the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. Thanks to the players of The National Lottery, good causes have been awarded over 690,000 individual grants to strengthen local communities, power sports teams, support environmental projects, unleash creative talent, empower the elderly and unlock young people's potential.
To mark The National Lottery's 30th birthday, they're launching a campaign celebrating the game-changing impact that they have collectively delivered, to help inspire the next generation of good causes and players.
As Into Film is one of the organisations awarded National Lottery good cause funding, this week we're highlighting five of our own inspiring young game-changers, whose remarkable achievements would not have been possible without the work that National Lottery funding allows us to do.
Youth Aspire Connect
Youth Aspire Connect are a group of young people from the Hull area, aged 11-18, who are blazing a trail in what youth voices can do to combat racism in our society.
Their animated anti-racism film Just Ignore It won our special Time For Action category at the 2024 Into Film Awards. The category asked young people to create a film that raises awareness of issues important to them and explores the changes they would like to make in the world, whether big or small; personal or society wide.
Just Ignore It is an accessible yet hard-hitting and honest animation that recounts true stories of racism experienced by the young people that make up Youth Aspire Connect and their families, and sets out some simple advice and guidance for how we can all help tackle racist behaviour when we encounter it.
Upon collecting their award at the Into Film Awards, one young representative from Youth Aspire Connect gave a remarkable anti-racism speech on stage. "We are here not just as ourselves today, but as advocates against racism. We believe that if racism was a question, our voices would be the answer."
The power of the speech was felt throughout a room filled not only with young people from around the UK, but also many high profile figures from across the film industry, and garnered rapturous applause from all. That such powerful words could come from one so young spoke volumes about the importance of our mission to give diverse youth voices a platform through filmmaking.
We believe that if racism was a question, our voices would be the answer.
A representative from Youth Aspire Connect
Just Ignore It has been featured as the lead story on BBC Look North, is being used by Hull University Teacher Training, and has featured in Black History Month events across the city.
As well as their brilliant short film, the group has also written an Anti-Racism Policy for schools that has already been adopted in educational settings across the UK.
We're proud that, as a direct result of the BFI, awarding National Lottery good cause funding (as well as other key funders), Into Film have been able to support Youth Aspire Connect to spread their vital message.
Thank you to the BFI, everyone who plays the National Lottery, and to the National Lottery themselves, for their continued support, allowing Into Film to discover, support and develop game changers like Youth Aspire Connect.
