A host of stars launch free offers for National Lottery players at hundreds of the UK's best-loved treasured and historic places

British rapper and TV star Big Narstie today launches hundreds of free offers to say thank you to people who buy National Lottery tickets and give them a chance to see how their money has transformed the UK’s heritage over the past 25 years.

To launch #ThanksToYou for 25 Years, Big Narstie visited London’s Kenwood House, one of more than 600 lottery-funded places that are offering either free entry or other exclusive treats to people who turn up with a National Lottery ticket from 23rd November to 1st December

Watch the full video here, where, in his unique style the MC gives an MTV Cribs- style take on the much loved 17th century house nestled in London’s Hampstead Heath, you could be mistaken for thinking he owned it!

Big Narstie leads the way alongside three other celebrities, who all seem to think they live in these treasured and historic places across the UK: Derry Girls’ Jamie- Lee O’Donnell at SS Nomadic in Belfast, Comedian Ellis James at Cardiff Castle and Love Islander Anton Danyluk at Scotland’s Abbotsford with a special cameo from his mum.

The tours showcase just a handful of the thousands of treasured and historic places funded by the National Lottery over the past 25 years, which together have brought about a renaissance in UK’s heritage.

Thousands of our most beautiful, iconic and historically important sites have been opened up to the public and given a new lease of life, from castles to museums; historic houses to gardens and waterways; from steam railways and canals to historic ships and places that mark our greatest industrial and scientific achievements.

As a result of this funding:

• Brand new museums and galleries including V&A Dundee, London’s Design Museum and Imperial War Museum North and around 900 more refurbished and modernised.

• Over 400 buildings have been taken off national heritage at risk registers

• More than 120 ships and boats have been saved, preserved, refurbished and opened to the public including the Mary Rose, HMS Caroline, the Daniel Adamson and SS Great Britain.

• Landmark monuments that have been restored, improved or opened up to public including Stonehenge.

• Over £900m has been invested in more than 6,000 places of worship project, including major restoration projects at York Minster, Lincoln Cathedral and Bevis Mark Synagogue

94 out of the top 100 most-visited tourist attractions in the UK – from Stonehenge and the Tower of London, to Edinburgh Zoo and Shakespeare’s Globe have received National Lottery funding. These locations attract almost 110.3 million visits each year1 and are a major contributor to the UK economy.

To celebrate The National Lottery’s 25th birthday, iconic venues such as Kenwood House will also be opening their doors to the public with free entry or other special offers anyone arriving with a National Lottery ticket from 23 November – 1 December, as part of the celebration Thanks To You for 25 Years. The offer also includes free entry at 100 National Trust Properties, special guided tours and free days out at some amazing places such as the World Heritage Site Jodrell Bank in Cheshire.

And it’s not just heritage sites taking part. A National Lottery ticket will also get exclusive discounts and special offers at National Lottery funded arts, sports and community attractions - all the places that make the UK such a great place to live.

Visit thankstoyou.org.uk to find the full list and search all the offers taking place in your area and filter by specific interest, everything from free entry to a Royal Navy Submarine, to discounted theatre tickets and free guided walks at some of the beautiful RSPB conservation areas.

There are 26 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the UK, 22 of which have received National Lottery funding. Over 19,500 historic buildings and monuments have been restored thanks to National Lottery players.

It’s not just the big things. More than 3,000 people have undertaken work-based training in heritage skills. And National Lottery funding has helped close to a quarter of a million volunteers engage with heritage.