Double Celebrations for Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm has been announced as a Gold award winner for Accessible and Inclusive tourism in the Visit England Awards for Excellence as well as Work Experience Employer of the Year by Weston College!

After winning a Gold Award at the Visit England Awards for excellence at Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London, on Wednesday 7th June 2023 it has been announced that Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm has also been awarded Work Experience Employer of the year by Weston College!

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm was presented the Gold Award for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Business at the ceremony, with tough competition from WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, and Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages & lakeside Hub, Lancashire!

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm aims to make the Zoo a place of joy, wonder, adventure, and refreshment that supports the well-being of its visitors, staff, and volunteers alike. Through education and outreach, the Zoo aims to inspire and motivate this generation and the next to consider sustainable lifestyles and care for our planet. Providing meaningful work experience placements for those studying animal related courses through Weston College is part of this aim. The Zoo not only provides work experience placements for the College’s Animal Management course students but also has a Special Education Needs Work Experience programme providing the College with Work Experience for students with additional needs.

“Providing meaningful work experience for young people with a passion for animals is a vital part of my role. It's a privilege to witness the growth and passion from our work experience students. By offering hands-on opportunities and mentorship, we aim to ignite their love for conservation, instil essential skills, and nurture their potential as future zookeepers and conservationists.” said Eleanor Steeds, Work Experience Coordinator at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm.

"Working at Noah's Ark has opened up doorways for me for the future as well as giving me the experience required to progress into various animal care options. I love coming in each morning knowning I get to work with such amazing animals and an equally awesome human team" Artemis (18) current work experience student.

Noah’s Ark has worked hard over the past 5 years to become as accessible and inclusive as possible, acting on visitor feedback to provide enhanced facilities to support everyone’s visit. This work has is supported by the Zoo’s ‘Ark for All’ project which aims to improve accessibility and promote wellbeing. The Zoo has worked with Bristol’s Mobility Centre to provide mobility scooters to visitors as well as introducing training for staff on Dementia, Autism, Mental Health and more.

The motivations behind these efforts to become accessible and inclusive stem from the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm charity’s belief that everyone should be able to enjoy and experience the wonder of wildlife as well as create lasting memories together with friends and family. It is well known that there are significant benefits to wellbeing by connecting with nature and being active outdoors. By creating a welcoming and accessible environment, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm hope to break down barriers and encourage visitors with disabilities to visit the Zoo and engage with animals.

“Receiving two prestigious awards - the Gold Visit England Award for Accessible and Inclusive Tourism and the Work Experience Employer of the Year award from Weston College - is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional experiences for all our visitors and fostering a nurturing environment for aspiring young keepers. These accolades not only recognize our dedication to accessibility and inclusivity in tourism, but also acknowledge our role in shaping future leaders and offering meaningful work experiences. We are immensely proud to be recognised for our efforts, and these awards serve as a reminder of the positive impact we strive to make every day!” said Larry Bush Managing Director.