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The Eden Project, the unique environmental attraction based in St Austell, Cornwall, will open to the public tomorrow (Saturday 17th March 2001). The landmark project, which is funded with a £43 million Lottery grant from the Millennium Commission, promotes the understanding of the vital relationship between humans and the environment. Around 500,000 people - twice as many as expected, have already visited ‘The Gateway to Eden’ visitor centre at the project to watch the world’s largest greenhouses being constructed. Now complete, the unique biomes will house whole ecosystems of plants from the tropical rainforest and the Mediterranean, enabling people to see plants as whole populations rather than individual species. Rt Hon Chris Smith MP, Chairman of the Millennium Commission, said, “The Eden Project is a symbol of the Millennium Commission’s commitment to sustainable environments and the responsibility we all share for the future. This magnificent and inspiring project in a dramatic setting will help to make environmental issues both understandable and thought–provoking.” Mike O’Connor, Director of the Millennium Commission said “The Eden Project has really captured the imagination of people all over the world - around half a million people have already visited ‘The Gateway to Eden’ and now that the project is fully open, I am confident it will continue to attract people from across the UK and far beyond. The impact of this lasting legacy will be felt for years to come.” The Millennium Commission is distributing a total of over £2 billion of lottery money around the UK with nearly a third going to environmental projects, Award schemes to individuals and community festivals. Projects range from initiatives such as the environmental visitor attraction Ecos in Ballymena, Northern Ireland to the Millennium Seed Bank in Sussex which is preserving seeds from around the world for the future. In addition, lottery money is reaching communities at a grass roots level through the creation of new woodlands, green spaces and cycle paths. Over 14,500 small grants have also been given to individuals across the UK to put a bright idea into practice to benefit themselves and their wider community through the Millennium Awards Scheme. A huge range of innovative projects have been undertaken from artists skills sharing groups to community support groups. For example, a mother from Truro has set up a not-for-profit community café.
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Notes to Editors
1 The Millennium Commission is one of the good causes funded by the National Lottery. 2 The Millennium Commission has also supported:
• Around 200 new buildings, environmental projects and visitor attractions on over 3000 sites across the UK.
• A UK-wide programme of community festivals which began on New Year’s Eve 1999 and culminated on New Year’s Eve 2000 with celebrations in 32 towns and cities across the UK.
• The Millennium Experience at Greenwich and the National Programme. 3 The Millennium Commission also works with over 100 Awards Partner organisations to distribute Millennium Awards to individuals for community based projects. Over 14,000 people have already received a Millennium Award and there are still thousands of Awards available. Further information is available on 0800 06801 2000. For further information contact: Millennium Commission Press Office on 020 7880 2007, out of hours 07775 573263. The Millennium Commission web sites can be accessed at www.millennium.gov.uk and www.starpeople.org.uk For television enquiries please contact Marc Leuw at The Television Consultancy on 020 7435 4343.
Millennium Commission 16-Mar-2001
Categories: News Archive
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