Dear National Lottery Players,

As we celebrate the 25th birthday of the National Lottery in the UK, we want to say thank you.

Since the National Lottery came to the UK in 1994, grassroots sport across the nations has benefited so much from funding that comes from your lottery ticket. Here at EMD UK your contribution has helped us provide activities for so many people.

 Because you play The National Lottery, we have seen so many communities benefit from lottery funded activities. You are helping us get the nation healthier and happier.

London Youth Games started in 1977 to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Since that time, the games have evolved to include a wide variety of sporting activities. Over a nine-month period, the annual competition gives young people the opportunity to compete for their school or borough in thirty-three different sports competitions across thirty annual event days, aimed at inspiring sporting passion and participation in young Londoners.

In 2015, we began working with London Youth Games to add a dance competition to the games. Through Lottery funding via Sport England, as well as support from the Greater London Authority, the first dance competition was launched. Children from KS3 and KS4 would choreograph their own original piece of dance to perform at London’s Copper Box Arena. A vast of array of genres were on display, from street to jazz, contemporary to tap, and everything in between. Working with schools across London, 1,163 children were engaged in dance activity, with over 330 going on to compete in the dance competition itself. By 2016, the number of competitors had doubled, with 27 London boroughs competing for the prize.

In the three years EMD UK partnered with London Youth Games, over 3,000 children were engaged in dance activities. Many children went on to take our Intro to Dance Fitness course, allowing them to deliver dance fitness sessions to their peers in the presence of an instructor.

From everyone at our organisation, thank you. Because you play, dance fitness and group exercise have been able to get people happier and healthier.

Thank you,

EMD UK