Outstanding community support provides more

Outstanding community support provides more

Delighted to be presenting the $126,350 cheque to Auckland Zoo’s schools programme manager (and some very inquisitive squirrel monkeys!) are (from left): The Warehouse regional community champions Steve Robertson and regional manager Tania Rakena.

Thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders and the outstanding efforts of The Warehouse staff, more than $126,000 has been raised to enable thousands of students to participate in The Warehouse school Zoofari programme at Auckland Zoo in 2017.

The Zoofari programme, now in its fifth successful year, is an innovative partnership between The Warehouse and Auckland Zoo, with support from Ritchies Transport. It offers students from Auckland and Northland schools (decile 1 – 3) free and unique learning opportunities.

“We are absolutely overwhelmed by this incredible result from The Warehouse’s three-week ‘Add a dollar’ campaign, run in Auckland and Northland stores in the lead-up to Christmas,” says Auckland Zoo’s schools programme manager, Laura Rayner.

“It’s an outstanding effort that’s going to give more young New Zealanders than ever before the opportunity to experience and fall in love with wildlife and the natural world - be that with some of Aotearoa’s own unique natural taonga or magnificent exotic species like giraffe and elephants. In providing as many opportunities as we can to nurture children’s love for wildlife and the natural world, we are investing in our future conservationists – and that’s invaluable,” adds Ms Rayner.

Executive GM of Community and Environment for The Warehouse, Paul Walsh, says: “A visit to the zoo is a rite of passage all Kiwi kids should have the opportunity to experience.

“Thanks to the generosity of our customers in Auckland and Northland, and the huge effort from our store teams, even more schools will benefit from these customized programmes.”

Auckland and Northland schools have until the end of Term 1 (Thursday 13 April) to apply to participate in The Warehouse school Zoofari programme.

“We’re particularly keen to hear from schools who haven’t yet participated,” says Ms Rayner.

Auckland Zoo education experiences are Ministry of Education certified, and every Zoofari session is a unique lesson facilitated by an Auckland Zoo educator in partnership with teachers to ensure integration into the school curriculum.

Notes to the editor:
· Information and application forms for Northland and Auckland schools interested in applying to participate in The Warehouse school Zoofari programme can be found at: http://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/sites/education/The-Warehouse-School-Zoofari or phone Auckland Zoo Discovery & Learning on (09) 360-3817

· Schools have until the end of Term 1 (Thursday 13 April) to apply to participate in the Warehouse school Zoofari progamme this term.

Watch a video on Kaitaia’s Oturu School participating in The Warehouse school Zoofari programme: https://youtu.be/IWcaAa7sSRc?list=PLDn1UzDiwc6pynd7Vk1NnBJ_NwYxWTFD7

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