The National Lottery has marked its 30th birthday by awarding a major funding boost to a charity.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust announced the funding to its Team Wilder initiative.

The four-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund will help the trust's goal of getting one in four people involved in the initiative by 2030.

Team Wilder encourages people to support nature by creating wildlife-friendly gardens, restoring habitats, or advocating for conservation in their local communities.

Dawn O’Malley, senior engagement manager at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: "People are the key to nature’s recovery. We need nature to thrive, yet we’ve never been more disconnected from it.

"Through Team Wilder, we’re building a movement where individuals, schools, businesses, and communities are standing up for nature and taking direct action.

"We’re so grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund as this grant will allow us to strengthen our support for these efforts, bring more people on nature’s side, and work with communities and other partners to create a wilder future for local people and wildlife."

With the lottery funding, the initiative will expand across Basingstoke, Petersfield, Southampton, Winchester, and the Isle of Wight.

Team Wilder started in Portsmouth in 2019 with funding from Southern Co-op and has since engaged thousands in the region.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: "The awarding of a four-year grant will provide funding required to grow the Trust’s Wilder Communities work, supporting progress towards the ambitious goal of inspiring one in four people to join Team Wilder and take action for nature by 2030.

"With this new funding, the initiative will deepen its impact by empowering individuals and communities across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to reconnect with nature and take meaningful steps toward nature’s recovery.

"By the end of the four-year project, the Trust aims to have empowered thousands of people to take action for nature, built a strong network of community-led projects, and fostered lasting connections between people and their local environments."

The trust will continue providing training, mentorship, and resources to equip individuals with skills and knowledge for conservation projects.

To learn more about Team Wilder, visit hiwwt.org.uk/team-wilder