To mark the beginning of this year’s UN Climate Change Conference, award-winning TV presenter and scientist Liz Bonnin, along with radio and TV presenter Mollie King, today unveiled Habitats of Hope, an immersive exhibition at the Horniman Museum and Gardens created by The National Lottery.
The new exhibition celebrates the lesser-known UK species that have been saved through the incredible work of projects run by various organisations supported by National Lottery funding.
Every week, National Lottery players raise around £30 million for good causes across the UK and since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has given almost £2bn to support more than 4,600 land, nature and biodiversity projects.
The exhibition highlights seven of these beneficiaries whose inspiring efforts have saved creatures as small as the narrow-headed ant at less than 1cm to as large as the flapper skate, which reaches more than two and a half metres.
Each species has been reimagined by artist Georgia Tucker, who specialises in building immersive and sensory experiences that focus on sustainability and social challenges. The Habitats of Hope exhibition takes visitors on a journey through four different habitats, exploring the land, sky and sea, where they have a chance to meet some of the rarest creatures in the UK.
The organisations featured in the exhibition include Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, RSPB, and the Wildlife Trusts, all of whom have received National Lottery funding in the past.
Renowned for her work as a science, wildlife and natural history presenter with shows such as Our Changing Planet, Arctic from Above and Secrets of the Jurassic Dinosaurs, Liz Bonnin is passionate about finding new ways to make a difference and educate where it matters most.
Liz was also appointed as President of the Wildlife Trust, one of the beneficiaries showcased in the exhibition which has been supported by National Lottery funding.
Liz Bonnin said: “The Habitats of Hope exhibition celebrates the organisations dedicated to saving our endangered species at this crucial time for wildlife and biodiversity in the UK, while also helping to foster a collective sense of custodianship for our natural heritage.
By showcasing the tireless efforts of those who are fighting for nature, this stunning exhibition not only highlights the importance of protecting the incredible wildlife on our doorstep, and how much we need healthy ecosystems to be able to thrive, but it's a testament to what humans can achieve when at our best, inspiring us all to act for nature too.”
Radio and TV presenter Mollie King has a long-lived passion for supporting and protecting animals, advocating for various causes, including animal rights and trophy hunting. Along with being the founder of the sustainable fashion brand, Feel Good Feed, Mollie uses her voice to work with conservation charities.
Mollie King said: “The Habitats of Hope exhibition is a great opportunity to share the incredible conservation work of many organisations supported by National Lottery Funding who make such a difference to the greater good of various animal species – protecting not only their future but also their habitats.
“The exhibition also aims to inspire people to make a change by doing whatever they can in their own lives to support animal wellbeing.”
The Habitats of Hope exhibition will be open to the public and free to visit from now until 10 December at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in Forest Hill, London. In July, it was awarded £5.7m of National Lottery funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for a project to redevelop its historic Natural History Gallery and transform two under-used areas of the gardens into a Nature Explorers Adventure Zone and a Winter Garden.
