Artwork the size of four Olympic swimming pools at Whitby Abbey marks National Lottery's 30th birthday

The anniversary is being marked with an epic 5,400 square metre ‘Heritage Tree’ land-art enveloping the English Heritage site.

Unveiled by actor and broadcaster, Sir Tony Robinson, the artwork celebrates the extraordinary achievements of seven Heritage ‘Game Changers’ - including the founders of the Eden Project and Windrush Foundation

The breathtaking installation – pictured here in a stunning aerial photo - is created by land artist, David Popa, who used the abbey’s vast landscape and natural pigments painted on the ground to show the Game Changer’s hands holding the roots of a tree.

The ‘Heritage Tree’ honours the seven inspirational people who have "changed the game across heritage, land and nature” over the last three decades.

The seven ‘Game Changers’ who inspired the artwork are:

- Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of The Eden Project – a visionary entrepreneur who transformed a reclaimed clay pit in Cornwall into a world-renowned ecological attraction to inspire people to reconnect with the natural world, and challenge how we view our role in it.

- Arthur Torrington CBE, co-founder of the Windrush Foundation – Arthur has travelled across the UK collecting the powerful narratives of the Windrush Generation to elevate the 'Empire Windrush' to an iconic status.

- Teresa Anderson MBE, Director of Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement – a British physicist championing science as a form of cultural heritage, leading to Jodrell Bank being recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019

- Chantelle Lindsay, presenter, Project Officer with the London Wildlife Trust and advocate for diversity and inclusivity in wildlife.

- Sandy Bremner, convener for the National Parks Authority - Sandy is currently overseeing The Cairngorms 2030 programme, the £10m National Lottery funded initiative to transform the Cairngorms into the UK's first net zero national park

- Lisa Power MBE, trailblazer for LGBTQIA+ rights and Pride Cymru volunteer – a prominent sexual health and LGBTQIA+ rights campaigner dubbed ‘the matriarch of LGBTQIA+ activism’, Lisa was the first openly LGBT person to speak at the United Nations

- Heidi McIlvenny, project leader for Ulster Wildlife's Sea Deep initiative until June 2022 - Heidi launched a first-of-its-kind shark-tagging programme in Northern Ireland and coordinated efforts to gather vital data about local sharks, skates and rays

Sir Tony Robinson – who has visited Whitby, Robin Hood’s Bay and RAF Fylingdales while filming the BBC Coast to Coast programme – said he was “deeply honoured” to support the project.

“Given the hugely important work of all seven, I am deeply honoured to support The National Lottery’s celebration of these extraordinary people,” he added.

"Across the spectrum of our heritage and conservation, the impact of the causes and projects championed by these Game Changers is evident.”

The National Lottery, through which more than £30m is raised every week for good causes, celebrates its 30th birthday on November 19.