Mar Lodge: Bought for you by The National Lottery

Descriptor: First we see two young girls running towards a grey tent and sitting on foldable chairs in front of it, before being joined by one more girl.

Ashley: Come on.

Sarah: Hurry up.

Ashley: We’re a group of students from the Adam Smith College in Fife. We’re here today at the Mar Lodge Estate in Braemar to find out how buying lottery tickets has helped The National Lottery fund and make Mar Lodge Estate a Good Cause. Now let me introduce you to the crew.

Descriptor: As Ashleigh Middlemass, the Camera Operator speaks, we see a side view of her crouching over a camera bag.

Ashleigh: Hi I’m Ashleigh Middlemass and I’m Camera Operator.

Descriptor: We are now introduced to Sarah Rowlands, the Sound Operator, who we see standing with a large boom microphone in her hands.

Sarah: I’m Sarah Rowlands and I’m the Sound Operator and Editor for the project.

Descriptor: Finally, we meet Ashley Whitelaw, the Director of the film, who we see sitting in a pink folding chair.

Ashley: I’m Ashley Whitelaw and I’m Director.

Descriptor: Once again, we see all three girls sitting on folding chairs in front of a grey tent, before they all get up and run towards and past the camera.

Ashley: Now that you know who we all are, let’s go and explore the Mar Lodge Estate.

Descriptor: We now see a blue map of the UK on a red graphic background, which zooms to Braemar on the map, where a white caption reads, “Mar Lodge Lottery Funding - £10,276,993”. We then see various shots of Mar Lodge and the surrounding area of the Cairngorms, including shots of snow covered scenery, and the exterior of the lodge building at sunset.

Narrator: Located at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, Mar Lodge is the largest estate in Scotland, covering some 29,340 hectares. World renowned for its wild landscapes, the estate provides a tranquil environment for both people and wildlife. It is thanks to the funding raised through the sales of National Lottery games that the estate, nestled in the stunning Scottish countryside, still exists today.

Descriptor: We are now introduced to Chris Hewitt, who is the Property Manager, and is seen standing with Mar Lodge in the background. As he speaks, we see a black and white illustration of the lodge and the surrounding area, with the caption "Picture Courtesy of RCAHMS", before we move on to various interior shots of the lodge.

Chris Hewitt: Mar Lodge goes back to about the 1700’s, when it was established as a sporting estate in the Highlands for the Dukes of Fife. It remained in private ownership until 1995, when it was again put up for sale, and so The National Lottery was approached at that stage to see if they could help fund that purchase.

Descriptor: We are now shown various shots of the estate of Mar Lodge, including a river surrounded by snow, with trees on the banks, wide shots of the land, and the exterior of the lodge itself, before moving back to Chris Hewitt, who describes the importance of the money from The National Lottery. Lastly, we see a shot of cars parked in the local town.

Chris Hewitt: Mar Lodge has a very varied estate here, it’s got forestry, it’s got open countryside, there’s the lodge itself, so we have a huge range of skills that are employed on the estate. I’ve now begun to realise that the lottery fund and the support from the lottery has really been essential, not only in securing the property, but also the knock-on effects to the local community.

Descriptor: As the narrator speaks, we pan down a river outside the lodge before once again seeing exterior and interior shots of the lodge, and the facilities it provides.

Narrator: As a result of people playing National Lottery games, Mar Lodge has prospered in many areas and now provides a five star holiday retreat for visitors.

Descriptor: We now see a guest, standing in front of the lodge, who describes what she has enjoyed whilst staying at the lodge.

Woman: I’ve been staying here for a week and there’s plenty of things to do for the kids, there’s plenty of space to run about.

Descriptor: We now see a wide shot of a man fishing in the river and a man hiking, before moving on to various shots of stag heads mounted on the walls inside the lodge.

Man: You can come here and just be part of Highland life, and enjoy some of the history that’s all around you.

Descriptor: We then focus on a wide shot of the snow covered Cairngorms, before seeing a fast flowing river with a small waterfall running into it.

Narrator: National Lottery funding has meant that the estate is able to provide visitors with the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the lodge’s surrounds.

Descriptor: We are now introduced to Matt Arris, a Park Ranger, who is standing next to a large green vehicle. As he speaks, we see him leading a group of people down a path.

Matt Arris: The land is open to use all the time for anyone who wants to use it. Of course they have to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Codes and use it in a responsible manner. We do get quite a few visitors from further afield, not only from the UK, but also quite a few people from around Europe. It’s the natural habitats and the amazing landscapes we have here; it’s very popular for a range of users.

Descriptor: We now see a wide shot of the lodge, with the setting sun shining on its exterior, before we meet Chris Hewitt for the final time.  As he speaks, we see an interior shot of a room in the lodge, where the roof is lined with the skulls and antlers of stags.

Chris Hewitt: Perhaps one of the most worrying aspects is what would have happened if the lottery hadn’t been able to support the purchase of the estate. It may well have been broken up into smaller parcels of land, it would probably almost certainly have stayed in private ownership, and the accessibility of all that we have here today for the public wouldn’t have existed. The lottery has really secured it, so that it can be shared with the nation, and everyone can come here and enjoy it.

Descriptor: Finally, we focus on a wide shot of Mar Lodge before we see a white background with The National Lottery logo and Heritage Lottery Fund logo, together with a blue caption which reads, “Lottery Funded”. This then changes to a black background, with a Creative Loop logo, together with the Highlands and Islands Enterprise logo and a white caption, which reads, “Produced by Sarah Rowlands, Ashleigh Middlemass, Ashley Whitelaw”.