THREE lottery-funded projects with York connections are appealing for your vote to reach the finals of a national award ceremony.

The Altogether Better Programme, Unfolding The Quilts at the Quilt Museum and Gallery in York and The Open Air Laboratories project (OPAL) are going head-to-head in a public vote in the semi-finals of the National Lottery Awards.

The awards recognise the difference lottery-funded projects have made to communities across the UK.

Liz Whitehouse, the chief executive of the Quilt Museum and Gallery, in Peasholme Green, said: “It’s a great accolade to have reached the semi-final. I think it shows the quality of the work the staff here have been doing since we opened in 2008. It would be tremendous publicity to win.

“Now we just need votes to help us to the final.”

There are seven categories in the awards representing the arts, sport, heritage, health, environment, education and voluntary/charity.

The winner for each category will receive national recognition at a star-studded event to be broadcast on BBC1, as well as a £2,000 cash prize to spend on their project.

The Altogether Better programme, which has received £6,800,000 of lottery funding, has been short listed for the best health programme. The project sees trained community health champions working to motivate and support communities in improving their health and has worked in disadvantaged areas across the region, including areas of York such as Westfield, Clifton, Guildhall and Heworth.

Meanwhile, Unfolding The Quilts at the Quilt Museum and Gallery, which was granted £193,500 in funding, has been shortlisted for the best heritage project. The Unfolding The Quilts project sees the museum working with volunteers and the wider community. It has recruited and trained up to 80 volunteers at a time to run education workshops, conservation and to teach sewing and quilting skills to morer 7,000 people.

Finally, the Open Air Laboratories project, which has received a total of £13,022,441 for projects across England, is competing for Best Environment Project.

The programme, which runs sub-projects with the University of York, encourages involvement in nature through a range of initiatives which aim to inspire people get outside and explore their local environment. In doing so, it brings “communities, scientists and nature enthusiasts together”.

To register your vote for Altogether Better Programme phone 0844 836 9700, for Unfolding The Quilts phone 0844 836 9716 or for The Open Air Laboratories project, phone 0844 836 9694.

Alternatively, you can vote online at lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards

Voting ends on June 20 and then the three projects with the most votes in each category will go through to the final round of public voting.