Paul Lewin, Director and General Manager of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, has been nominated in the 2023 National Lottery Awards for the ‘outstanding individuals’ category for his incredible work with the heritage railway.

The annual awards recognise everyday individuals and organisations which achieve remarkable feats with the support of National Lottery funding.

The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway is not only the longest heritage railway in the UK but is also the largest tourist attraction in North Wales, and the award nomination recognises Paul’s dedicated and lengthy service keeping the railway flourishing today and into the future.

The awards for 2023 have seen an enormous 3,780 people and projects across the country recognised for their incredible work. This number has been whittled down, seeing Paul as just one of five other people shortlisted in the Heritage Category.

A panel of representatives from The National Lottery and its partners will make the difficult choice of selecting the winner for each category over the summer. Autumn will see the winners revealed and awarded a £5,000 prize for their organisation alongside a National Lottery Awards trophy.

Paul is a longstanding rail enthusiast who volunteered with the heritage railway from his teenage years, working up his skills from Fireman to Driver prior to becoming General Manager some 20 years ago.

Paul’s impressive work has seen millions of pounds of National Lottery funding utilised to support the continuation of the wonderful and well-loved Ffestiniog and West Highland Railway in a bid to encourage tourism, create opportunities for the local community whilst enabling the railway’s financial future.

Recently, Paul has overseen a two-year training scheme for young people with £450,000 of National Lottery Heritage Fund support. The programme has seen 20 trainees trained in traditional skills in order to bridge the gap in the young age group, which are essential to keeping the heritage railway sector viable into the future.

Alongside the training scheme, Paul has also achieved further funding via the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for the ‘Interpretation and Boston Lodge Redevelopment Project’.

The four-year project will see £4 million invested via the grant and will support training, interpretation and conservation seeing the buildings at the Boston Lodge Rail Works in Penrhyndeudraeth, which is recorded as ‘the oldest railway engineering workshop in continuous operation in the world’ – maintained for future generations.

The large-scale project will also create employment and training opportunities for local people whilst boosting the local economy with growth in visitors each year.

Paul said: “This has been a lifelong passion of mine and I feel very honoured to work in an industry which I love. To be nominated as a finalist in the Awards is truly humbling, especially when you consider the thousands of nominations they received from across the UK. It’s nice to feel that people recognise your efforts.”

“Whether it’s the restoration and conservation of buildings, engines and carriages; work, training, and volunteering opportunities for the community; or massive capital projects to reopen old, abandoned railway lines and connect communities – The National Lottery has been part of the very fabric of everything we have done here for decades, and we wouldn’t have been able to deliver half of what we have without its support.”

Jonathan Tuchner, from The National Lottery, said: “The National Lottery Awards honour those who have stepped up and have gone the extra mile to make a difference in their communities, especially during these challenging times.”

Thanks to National Lottery players and the £30 million raised each week for good causes, thousands of individuals throughout the UK, like Paul, have been making an incredible difference in their areas, and this is our chance to highlight and celebrate the exceptional work of these selfless local heroes.”