Newquay Zoo’s baby tapir Shaun celebrates Giving Tuesday by painting
Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to charities, like Newquay Zoo. It is a day of generosity and giving back, to balance the heady mass consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to support good causes. The Giving Tuesday global campaign has been running in the UK since 2014, and now officially runs in over 70 countries worldwide.
This year has been extremely difficult for us all, but giving to charities in need can make us feel good!
Newquay Zoo is planning various activities to celebrate the day and raise much-needed funds. As a conservation and education charity, funds raised as part of this campaign will go directly towards the care of their animals and vital wildlife conservation projects.
As the zoo will still be closed on 1st December as part of the national lockdown, all of their activities will be online. Activities will include live Q&As with keepers and live enrichment with the animals through their Facebook page throughout the day. There will be an online auction on eBay of a stunning tiger painting by Devon artist, Rishi Ludgate, who kindly donated the piece during the first lockdown.
In addition, the zoo will be running a competition to win an original painting done by Shaun, one of the zoo’s tapirs!
John Meek Deputy Curator at Newquay Zoo: “It’s been a strange and very challenging year for all, especially for us, but we’ve had the whacky and fun idea to try and lift everyone’s spirits of both staff and everyone else alike.
“Shaun our baby tapir has been busy this lockdown creating an original painting which we are auctioning on eBay.
“We’re hoping that this auction, along with the many other ways you can support the zoo will help to raise vital funds needed to care for our animals and continue our vital conservation work after a tough year.
“Newquay Zoo holds a very special place in everyone’s heart – the sights, sounds and even the smells. Newquay wouldn’t be the same without this little oasis, so we are please asking for your support.”
The auction will go live on Friday 27th November and run until Tuesday 15th December. Find out more and place your bid here: https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/
Newquay Zoo has set a fundraising target of £5,000 for the day; this is the cost of running the zoo for a day. Anyone wishing to support the zoo by making a donation can do so in a number of ways:
- Online via www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/newquayzoo-givingtuesday
- By text by texting NZOOGIVING to 70085 to donate £10
- By cheque made payable to South West Environmental Parks sent to Giving Tuesday Campaign, Paignton Zoo, Totnes Road, Paignton TQ4 7EU
Newquay Zoo would like to thank everyone who has supported them so far during this very challenging year.
Newquay Zoo is part of Wild Planet Trust. They are both registered charities striving to conserve species and habitats, and to inspire and empower people to help in the fight to protect wildlife. For more information visit www.newquayzoo.org.uk and www.wildplanettrust.org.uk.
