Emma Thompson was presented with a bumper cheque for her charity at the People's Postcode Lottery Charity Gala

Emma Thompson praised the support of players of People's Postcode Lottery as she collected a cheque for £500,000 on behalf of her charity.

The actor and activist is president of the Helen Bamber Foundation which supports refugees and asylum seekers who have experienced torture and human trafficking.

Oscar winning Emma joined representatives from a host of other charities for the People's Postcode Lottery's annual Charity Gala at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

Thompson said: "Never have I felt more excited by the support of an organisation. People's Postcode Lottery offers financial help, yes, but even more than that, it provides extraordinary moral support."

The gala was a celebration of a remarkable 12 months for the organisation and the charities it supports. More than £93.4 million was raised for good causes by players of People's Postcode Lottery in 2017 and the organisation also took the opportunity to announce an increase to 32% of each ticket sale going directly to charity.

The two winners of the People's Postcode Lottery's Dream Fund - which offers organisations the opportunity to apply for financial support to bring their dream project to life - were also announced on the night.

Wheels Of Change, led by charity Whizz Kidz, received £1 million to radically improve the quality of life and life chances of young wheelchair users by developing a high-tech wheelchair for children that is ground-breaking, adaptable and affordable.

Search Dog Heroes, led by Missing People, also received £1million. The project will develop specialised scent kits and search dog training to enable communities to respond more quickly when a vulnerable person goes missing.

Since 2005 players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised £263million for charities and good causes across Great Britain and internationally.