The Quilt Museum in York and Wentworth Castle, Barnsley have both had the good fortune to be voted to the final stage by the general public. The third finalist is Northern Ireland based project ‘We Were Brothers: WW1 A Shared Heritage’.

With the final round of public voting now open it is your chance to put one of these fantastic projects forward to secure the prestigious title.

The two Yorkshire based finalists in the Best Heritage Project category are:

• Unfolding the Quilts, York
  The Quilt Museum and Gallery in York opened in 2008, displaying the Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles’ collection of more than 800 historic and contemporary quilts. The Lottery-funded Unfolding the Quilts project enables the Museum and Gallery to work with volunteers and with the wider community.  Lottery funding has also enabled it to recruit and train up to 80 volunteers who support the Museum and Gallery through stewarding, education workshops and conservation and also to teach sewing and quilting skills to over 7,000 children, young people and others in the wider community.
• Wentworth Castle (Trust) and Stainborough Park, Stainborough, Barnsley
  Wentworth Castle Trust was created in 2002 to rescue the historic Wentworth Castle Estate from dereliction through a phased programme of restoration, and to provide extensive public access to this 18th-century estate for the first time. More than 200 volunteers regularly give up their time to maintain the estate and the 26 listed buildings within it. Phase one of the Lottery-funded project included protection works to the conservatory to save it from collapse, the restoration of parkland and the planting of 21,000 trees.

The National Lottery Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects and celebrate the difference that these organisations make to local communities. The winner of the Best Heritage Project will receive national recognition at a star-studded event later this year, broadcast on BBC One, as well as a £2,000 cash prize to spend on their project.

This year’s National Lottery Awards are supported by Lottery draw show host, Myleene Klass, she says:  “The National Lottery Awards recognise the immense impact that Lottery-funded projects have on people and communities across the UK. Lottery players raise a massive £28million a week for Good Causes, that’s almost £3,000 every minute.  This funds something for everyone from big projects like museums and art galleries to helping local sport, heritage and community groups.
 
“These finalists showcase the selfless volunteers and unsung heroes who are using Lottery funding to improve the lives of others. This is your final chance to pay tribute to them by voting for your favourite project. Please get behind your favourite project and secure them national recognition - every vote counts!”

To register your vote for Wentworth Castle call 0844 836 9718 or log on to the National Lottery Good Causes website. 

To register your vote for Unfolding the Quilts call 0844 836 9716 or log on to the National Lottery Good Causes website. 

Notes to editors

• This is not a Lottery grant. All projects have already received Lottery funding and this cash prize is in addition to the Lottery money they have already been awarded.
• All voting is independently adjudicated and verified by Electoral Reform Services.
• Calls cost no more than 5p from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may vary, calls from mobiles could cost considerably more. Callers are advised to check with their telephone network provider to be certain of the cost. No profit will be made from the cost of the phone vote by The National Lottery. 
• Public voting for the final is now live and ends at midday on 26 September 2011.