Tag: Edinburgh Zoo

Local businesses come together to tackle loneliness in the city

VINTAGE VIBES BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Award-winning Edinburgh-based charity project, Vintage Vibes is marking eight years of tackling the loneliness crisis in the city by having a party for lonely and isolated older people (their VIPs) and delivering cupcakes to those who are housebound and unable to attend Vintage Vibes’ birthday celebrations at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo.

Teaming up with Cuckoo’s Bakery and EZ Bike Tours, they delivered a birthday treat and a chat to older people who were unable to attend due to health or mobility issues to ensure nobody was left out of the celebrations.

Vintage Vibes brings people together through friendship matches, groups, and events to tackle social isolation and loneliness in the over the 60s across Edinburgh.

Since its creation in 2015, the charity partnership has now helped over 1000 older people in the city to establish one-to-one friendships based on mutually shared interests from baking, gaming and, like Aly and Betty, beach walks and milkshakes.

Events, and groups are also available from sewing to cinema, and singing to bring people together for fun and friendship.

Gemma Wright, Communications and Fundraising Lead at Vintage Vibes, said: “We are so grateful to Cuckoo’s Bakery, EZ Bike Tours and Edinburgh Zoo for helping to make our 8th birthday celebrations so amazing.

“We delivered cupcakes to the homes of our wonderful VIPs that were sadly, unable to join us for our birthday party. We exist to bring fun and friendship to older people who are feeling lonely and isolated through our network of amazing friendship volunteers and the support of local businesses and funding partnerships.

“We would like to thank all involved for your ongoing support and helping us to ensure everyone was included.”

Having successfully delivered over 20,000 hours of volunteering, Vintage Vibes’ 2023 annual survey showed that 95% of their VIPs felt that being involved in the project left them feeling happier and gave them a better quality of life.

Vintage Vibes is now seeking amazing new Edinburgh-based volunteers to expand the project and offer support to even more older people across the city.

Thomas Partridge, Director of Cuckoo’s Bakery said: “We first helped Vintage Vibes back in 2017 when we supported their heart-warming Christmas Card Campaign. We are delighted to be able to make a difference again and provide celebration cupcakes to those older people who were unable to attend the party.

“The team at our new bakery on Grindlay Street waved them off on their mission to tackle isolation in the city and we hope everyone enjoyed the fun!”

Euan at EZ Bike Tours said: “We’re delighted to support Vintage Vibes in making their birthday celebrations extra special and to play our part in helping to tackle loneliness in older people across Edinburgh.”

For more information on becoming a Vintage Vibes volunteer, please contact Vintage Vibes by emailing hello@vintagevibes.org.uk or visit vintagevibes.org.uk.

Edinburgh Zoo’s Penguins Café upgrades the visitor experience

Workplace design and management consultancy, Space Solutions, has refreshed Edinburgh Zoo’s Penguins Café to enhance the customer experience.

Overlooking Penguins Rock, Europe’s largest outdoor penguin pool, the Penguins Café is a busy eatery at Edinburgh Zoo. Challenged with a tired and inefficient space, SPACE upgraded the café to accommodate its large, diverse clientele while meeting the ambitious timescales of completing the project ahead of the opening weekend of school summer holidays.

The SPACE Design & Build team undertook the design services and fit-out, collaborating with graphic designer Heather Cumming who handled the updated branding, from the new logo to menu boards and wall murals.

Transforming the black and white space with bright, vibrant colours, the refreshed Penguins Café mirrors the excitement of visiting the adjoining penguin enclosure, with penguin facts featuring around the space.

Following a review of the space and customer needs, SPACE retained many of the existing features and furniture to reduce waste, including reupholstering the existing banquette seating for reuse.

To seamlessly manage the high foot traffic, SPACE designed a two-colour flooring system, with blue areas designated for highlighted key customer touch points, such as servery counter and seating areas, while neutral beige trails encourage movement. Cleanable, soft seating and coverings as well as acoustic rafts suspended from the ceiling were incorporated to better the acoustics in the active space.

Isobel Jones, Senior Interior Designer at SPACE, said: “We are thrilled to have worked with Edinburgh Zoo to refresh the popular Penguins Café. Our design has enabled the space to feel bigger and work more efficiently for both customers and staff.

“At the heart of the café remains an appreciation of the penguins, enabling visitors to retain the excitement of visiting Penguins Rock while improving their dining experience.”

Beccy Angus, Head of Discovery Learning at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, commented: “Overlooking Penguins Rock, Penguins Café is situated in the heart of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo.

“The café is an essential part of the customer experience and the refreshed design will ensure all of our visitors continue to have a memorable time at the zoo which helps inspire them to protect, value and love nature.”

Space Solutions has been creating award-winning interiors since 1997. The business continues to develop the concept of workplace consultancy and has worked with major public & private organisations across the UK. The business has locations in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee Livingston and London and employs 198 members of staff.

Meerkat’s Out of the Bag! Cheeky creatures coming to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital

Children at an Edinburgh hospital will soon be learning important conservation lessons from some very unusual teachers – a mob of meerkats based in an outdoor classroom within the grounds!

The first programme of its kind outside of Australia, the meerkats from The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo will reside at NHS Lothian’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) and be at the heart of an extensive learning and discovery experience.

Thanks to a partnership between Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), NHS Lothian and RZSS, the inquisitive creatures will give young patients, particularly those staying long term, the opportunity to learn all about nature and the environment.

Edinburgh Zoo currently delivers a weekly programme of educational activities at the RHCYP, including projects on penguins, pandas and tigers, all of which encourage children to think about their place in the world and the importance of wildlife within it.

The meerkat enclosure will replicate their natural habitat and zookeepers from Edinburgh Zoo will care for them and provide meerkat educational sessions while on site.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Some children are too unwell or have been in hospital for so long that they don’t have the opportunity to engage with the outdoors, or interact with animals.

“Many of the children who visit the hospital care passionately about nature and the environment. Our programme will allow them to learn from experts while getting up close to the best teachers of all – the meerkats themselves.

“The wellbeing benefits of engaging with animals and using nature in the healing process are well documented, and there’s great excitement within the hospital in anticipation of our furry friends arriving.”

David Field, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said, “Our conservation education programme has already been a great success and now we are taking this incredible next step by creating the only meerkat enclosure at a children’s hospital outside of Australia, making this a first in the UK and Europe.

“Being close to nature and animals can have a tremendous impact on people’s mental and physical health and wellbeing. We also know that people and communities are more likely to help protect nature when they have had the opportunity to connect with our natural world.

“We are really looking forward to bringing a group of meerkats to live at the hospital next year and seeing the impact this will have for the children and their families.”

Allister Short, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s, NHS Lothian, said: “We are really excited about this innovative programme coming to the RHCYP.

“Meerkats have been introduced into many children’s hospitals in Australia and this unique concept encourages children to learn and be inspired, particularly when they’re in hospital for long periods of time.

“We want to brighten up our patients’ days in an educational way and we know that the meerkats will be an exciting addition to the RHCYP.”

The programme is currently in the early stages of planning and it is hoped the meerkats will move into their new home at the RHCYP from 2024.

Blind and partially sighted children visit Edinburgh Zoo

Twelve children with sight loss and their families had the chance to visit Edinburgh Zoo thanks to the charity RNIB.

Among those attending was 15 year-old Hannah Evans from Linlithgow who has is partially sighted with bilateral congenital cataracts and a learning disability. 

Hannah’s mum Carol said: ” Hannah loved the visit to the zoo as it combined art, food, meeting new people and seeing animals. We all had a great time. I think that was the most she has ever enjoyed the zoo, and it was great to network with other visually impaired children and their families. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.”

Hannah has also had an art exhibition in Ocean Terminal in September. “She sees colours and focus differently due to her eye conditions as such, has her own unique styles of art and excellent colour expression,” said her mother. 

Katrina Thomson, support officer for the charity, said: “RNIB’s Shape and Share events bring children, young people and their families from across the UK together to share experiences and take part in fun activities, both in person and virtually via Microsoft Teams.

“Last weekend, it was Scotland’s turn to host an event and we had a wonderful time at Edinburgh Zoo, home to over 2,500 amazing and endangered animals. The Zoo offers large-print maps and some enclosures have QR codes which describe the animals in them.”

Edinburgh Zoo is the People’s Choice!

The Royal Zoological Society scoops national charity award

Edinburgh charity, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, scooped a top award last night (15 June) at the Scottish Charity Awards run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).

The organisation – a wildlife conservation charity – won the People’s Choice award at a glittering awards ceremony hosted by Sally Magnusson at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow.

Run annually by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Charity Awards celebrates the best of the voluntary sector and this year’s shortlist included 44 individuals and organisations from charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the country.

The winner of each of the eight categories was decided by a judging panel, with the ninth People’s Choice category winner decided by the public with over 18,000 votes cast online.

Ben Supple, director of engagement and business development, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said: “I would like to thank everyone who voted for our charity and helped us win this prestigious award. We have been overwhelmed by the public support we have received during the pandemic and would like to dedicate this award to everyone who holds nature dear to their heart.”

The winner of each of the nine categories was decided by a judging panel, with the tenth People’s Choice category winner decided by the public with over 18,000 votes cast online. The winners for the Scottish Charity Awards 2022 are:

  • People’s Choice award: The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
  • Trustee of the Year award: Ian Monteague – Fare Scotland
  • Pioneering Project award: The Access Hub – Simon Community Scotland
  • Climate Conscious award: Sustainable Thinking Scotland
  • Employee of the Year award: Claire Wadsworth – Scottish Families Affected By Alcohol And Drugs
  • Community Action award: FeldyRoo
  • Volunteer of the Year award: Nan Fotheringham – Coatbridge Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Campaign of the Year award: The Big Hare Trail – Leuchie House
  • Pioneering Project award: The Access Hub – Simon Community Scotland
  • Digital Citizen award: Leuchie House
  • Charity of the Year award: S.M.I.L.E Counselling

Anna Fowlie, chief executive of SCVO, said: “At SCVO we know that every day, voluntary organisations across the country are working tirelessly to support the people and communities they help, and are making an incredible impact.

“We are thrilled to have been able to join together in person to celebrate the achievements of our finalists and winners, after hosting the previous two years’ ceremonies online due to the pandemic.

“This year’s finalists have all demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and commitment to their communities and it is a privilege to be able to celebrate their successes.

“Thanks to our sponsors, the team at the Crowne Plaza, our host Sally Magnusson and everyone who made the 2022 Scottish Charity Awards so wonderful. Congratulations to all winners!”

CityFibre joins the herd as partner for Edinburgh Zoo’s Giraffe About Town trail

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has partnered with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo as community outreach partner for the charity’s Giraffe About Town trail.

The public art event will see more than 40 eight-foot-tall giraffe sculptures go on display across Edinburgh in summer 2022, with each model being designed and decorated by local artists and community groups. After the trail, the sculptures will be auctioned off to raise funds to support RZSS wildlife conservation projects in Scotland and across the world.

CityFibre’s support of the trail comes as it is investing £100m to roll out a full fibre network within reach of almost every home and business across the city. As community outreach partner, CityFibre will have its very own giraffe sculpture as part of the herd, and its vital support will allow RZSS to work with seven community groups across the city to decorate their own small giraffe sculptures as part of the schools and communities trail.

Activities with the community groups will include an inclusive creativity workshop with the zoo’s outreach team. The groups will also receive free access to the Giraffe About Town activity portal, an inclusive digital resource supporting the trail. Meanwhile, CityFibre and Edinburgh Zoo will work together in spring 2022 to identify the potential community groups.

Paul Wakefield, CityFibre’s City Manager for Edinburgh, said: “We are working across the city to deliver our Full Fibre network to homes and businesses, ensuring that communities across Edinburgh can access the fastest, most reliable broadband available.

“As part of this, we are getting the chance to meet so many of Edinburgh’s fantastic community groups – a number of which we will be able to support through this fantastic partnership.

“Improving social inclusion is something we are passionate about, and this theme is at the heart of the Giraffe About Town trail. Technology is a key enabler here, so we are really excited to be working with an artist on our own giraffe and being a key part of this trail, which I’m sure will capture the hearts and minds of both locals and visitors to our capital.

“You could even say that, through this project, our Full Fibre rollout programme will reach new heights!”

David Field, chief executive at RZSS, added: “We are thrilled to have CityFibre on board as community outreach partner for Giraffe About Town, giving us an opportunity to support vital community work across the capital.

“It is particularly exciting to partner with an organisation working to connect communities. Fast, reliable full fibre broadband will open up a whole new world for many of Edinburgh’s residents.

“The past 18 months have been incredibly challenging but they have shown us what can be achieved when we pull together. Our tall trail is set to transform our city and encourage our communities to get out and about and fall in love with Edinburgh all over again.”

Edinburgh residents can find out more about CityFibre’s build, check whether services are live in their area and register their interest by visiting www.cityfibre.com/PR-Register

The National Lottery ‘Days Out’ offers up to £25 off top attractions and experiences

  • The National Lottery is inspiring the nation to have fun days out this autumn, by offering money off hundreds of attractions and experiences across the UK 
  • £8 million worth of ‘Days Out’ vouchers will be available from 8th October granting National Lottery players up to £25 off tickets to participating venues on the VisitBritain Shop  

To inspire the nation to have more fun this autumn, The National Lottery is helping to fund great days out at hundreds of attractions and experiences across the UK by offering vouchers that can be used to claim up to £25 off entry.  

From 8th October, anyone with a valid Lotto ticket can claim a £25 voucher* for use at participating venues. Whether it’s an adrenaline-filled day or one full of mindful moments, there’s something for everyone, including country parks, medieval castles, aquariums, walking tours and much more. 

Venues and attractions from all corners of the UK are participating in The National Lottery Days Out promotion, acollaboration with VisitBritain to help support domestic tourism this autumn, including highlights in Scotland:  

  • Animal lovers can visit the Highland Wildlife Park located in the heart of the Cairngorm National Park, learn about the 1,000 endangered and threatened species that live at Edinburgh Zoo or catch a glimpse of the only Cow Nose Rays in Scotland at SEA LIFE Loch Lomond.  
  • For a historical experience, discover the childhood residence of Mary, Queen of Scots, Stirling Castle.  
  • For an insight into the gruesome history of Edinburgh, venture inside the Edinburgh Dungeons to learn more about Agnes Finney, the city’s witch. 

Every week National Lottery players raise more than £30 million for Good Causes and this funding has supported 94 of the top 100 most visited tourist attractions in the UK** including Stonehenge, Eden Project, Kew Gardens, Tower of London, ZSL London Zoo, Giants Causeway and Bletchley Park.  

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “The fantastic National Lottery Days Out Scheme is part of our plan to help our brilliant tourism sector to build back better from the challenges of the pandemic.

“There is so much to see and do throughout the year across the whole of the UK. I encourage all National Lottery players to see what’s on offer and get out there and have some great days out at top attractions.”

VisitBritain CEO Sally Balcombe said: “VisitBritain is very pleased to be supporting The National Lottery Days Out campaign to encourage more of us to get out and discover the fantastic visitor attractions and experiences here on our doorstep and enjoy a great day out with family and friends.” 

Redemption: To get £25 off fun days out with The National Lottery this Autumn, National Lottery players should visit www.NationalLotteryDaysOut.com to get one of hundreds of thousands of vouchers available.

The promotion is open to players with Lotto tickets bought on or after 1st October 2021*.   

The money for this initiative comes from a National Lottery promotional fund. It is not being funded by money allocated for National Lottery Good Causes or by Camelot. 

Bestselling author to host Magical Beast Workshops at Edinburgh Zoo on Saturday

Environmental focus next up for the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour

From Monday 27 September to Saturday 2 October, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will visit primary school pupils across the country as it continues its series of virtual events.

The tour will focus on the environment, with talks from conservationist, vet, TV presenter and author Jess French, author and rewilding pioneer Isabella Tree with d illustrator Allira Tee, and adventurer and bestselling author Abi Elphinstone.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.

During the pandemic, the tour has been delivered virtually, live streaming into classrooms and living rooms across Scotland and the rest of the UK, with educational watch on demand video content viewed over 100,000 times.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will host virtual events on the environment for schools across Scotland, with an audience of around 5,000 pupils.

Jess French will talk to young people about the world’s incredible forests and how they can get involved and learn how to protect them. She will share educational extracts from her book: ‘Let’s Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference.’

Isabella Tree and Allira Tree will discuss insights from her book: ‘When We Went Wild’, a joyful, sustainably printed picture book about two farmers who decide to let their farm run wild, inspired in part by Isabella’s own experience at the world-renowned Knepp rewidling project in West Sussex.

Isabella will also show pupils around the farm via a virtual video tour before reading the book and sharing how she and her husband turned a loss-making farm into a sustainable, wildlife enterprise. This will be followed by an interactive drawalong with the book’s illustrator Allira Tee, who joins the tour live from Melbourne, Australia.

Author Abi Elphinstone will virtually visit P4–7 pupils about her real-life adventures, living with the Kazakh Eagle Hunters in Mongolia to kayaking through the Norwegian fjords.

Abi will also discuss her Unmapped Chronicles series: ‘The Crackledawn Dragon’ – a voyage across a secret kingdom full of silver whales, fire krakens, and underwater palaces. She will share how her own experiences and adventures in the natural world inspire her magical realms and beasts, as well as showing pupils how easy it is to leap into stories of their own.

Authors Live will also return on Thursday 30 September with Abi Elphinstone. schools across Scotland can sign up for P4–7 classes and watch the event live from their classrooms. There will also be a chance to ask the author questions during the event through a Twitter Q&A.

Magical Beasts at Edinburgh Zoo

For budding young writers and animal lovers, Abi Elphinstone will also host Inventing Magical Beasts workshops at Edinburgh Zoo (Budongo Theatre) on Saturday 2 October, starting at 10am and 11.30am.

The event is included in the price of zoo admission, and families are invited to come along and meet the author. Abi will demonstrate how young people can invent their own magical beasts, using animals from Edinburgh Zoo as inspiration. There will also be signed copies of the author’s book available to purchase.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “We are delighted that the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is focusing on the environment, a topic that young people are incredibly engaged with.

“We’re pleased to have  experts in both conservation and rewilding joining the tour. The pupils are sure to learn more about their planet and how to protect it for many years to come.

“We hope families can join our event at Edinburgh Zoo, where Abi Elphinstone will help inspire the next generation of budding writers.”

Beccy Angus, Head of Discovery and Learning at Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the wildlife conservation charity which leads Edinburgh Zoo, said: “It is wonderful to welcome Abi Elphinstone to the zoo.

“As a wildlife conservation charity, education is at the heart of what we do. We hope this event will help our visitors learn more about the spectacular species in our zoos and around the world, and inspire the next generation of conservationists.”

Spotted! Giraffes are back at Edinburgh Zoo

A very tall package was received at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo yesterday (Tuesday 11 May) as two male giraffes arrived from Woburn Safari Park, Bedfordshire. 

The wildlife conservation charity has partnered with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky to bring giraffes back to the capital for the first time in over 15 years and support vital work to protect the species in the wild. 

Ronnie and Arrow will have some of the best views in the city from their brand-new hilltop home and will be gradually introduced to visitors over the coming weeks. 

Jonathan Appleyard, hoofstock team leader at Edinburgh Zoo, said, “It is incredible to welcome giraffes back to Edinburgh Zoo and we are so excited to start introducing them to our charity’s members, patrons and visitors after they have settled in. 

“Numbers of giraffes in the wild have declined by almost 30% since the 1980s due to habitat loss and poaching, so this is a really important opportunity for us to raise awareness and support the Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s work to save the species. 

“Our brand-new giraffe house has been designed with high level walkways which means visitors will be able to meet these wonderful creatures face-to-face, giving them an amazing opportunity to connect with nature and be inspired to join us in protecting them from extinction.” 

Up to three more male giraffes will be arriving at Edinburgh Zoo in the coming weeks and the newly-formed bachelor herd will need time to bond with each other and get used to their new home before the giraffe house officially opens to the public in mid-June. 

Jonathan Appleyard added, “As they are the tallest animals in the world, it is very likely visitors will be able to spot our giraffes exploring their outdoor areas before we officially open to the public. 

“We are so grateful to Glenmorangie and everyone who donated to help build our giraffe house and support our partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.” 

Julian Fennessy, co-director and co-founder of GCF, said, “There are only about 117,000 giraffe remaining in all of Africa. Their numbers have dropped by almost 30% in the last three decades.

“As this decline has happened largely unnoticed, it is now time that we draw more attention to this silent extinction. Zoos play an important role in sharing this message and the new giraffe herd at Edinburgh Zoo can play a vital role in raising awareness and funds for the plight of their wild cousins in Africa.” 

Thomas Moradpour, President and Chief Executive of The Glenmorangie Company, said, “This majestic creature has long been a beloved symbol of our brand, thanks to our distillery’s giraffe-high stills, the tallest in Scotland.

“These amazing animals are under threat of a silent extinction, which is why we are proud to be official partners of giraffe conservation at Edinburgh Zoo, and to support the work of GCF in the wild. 

“Through this global partnership, we hope to raise awareness of the plight of the giraffe, and ensure these wonderful creatures remain part of our world for many centuries to come.”  

More information about visiting Edinburgh Zoo, the giraffes and how people can help care for the charity’s animals is available at edinburghzoo.org.uk/we-are-open.