Bank Holiday fun at Bristol Zoo Gardens

A host of activities are on offer at Bristol Zoo Gardens this bank holiday weekend.

Children’s favourites, Postman Pat® and Jess the Cat, will be making a special appearance at Bristol Zoo Gardens on Monday, May 3.

In his role as Head of the Special Delivery Service, Postman Pat® makes deliveries up hill and down dale, from the village of Greendale to the town of Pencaster. But on Monday, May 3rd he will be taking time to make a special visit to Bristol Zoo Gardens with Jess, his black and white Cat.

The popular children’s television characters will be appearing at various times throughout the Bank Holiday Monday at the Zoo.

On Saturday, May 1, a group of dancers will be performing for Zoo visitors. Members of the Pennyroyal Garland Dancers will be performing on the afternoon of Saturday May 1, along with a group of Morris Men and a band.

The late arrival of spring this year means visitors will also be treated to the spectacular sight of the Zoo’s award-winning 12-acre gardens in full bloom with a range of colourful spring flowers.

Bristol Zoo’s Head of Marketing, Heather Holve, said: “We are pleased to have an exciting range of extra events on offer this bank holiday weekend, and with the current warm weather and the stunning tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in bloom around the gardens, visitors are sure to have a great day out.”

The Zoo’s exciting aerial adventure ropes course, ZooRopia, will also be open every day over the bank holiday weekend, as well as the Zoo’s popular daily animal talks, Animal Encounters sessions in the Terrace Theatre, face-painting, Amazing Animals displays on the main lawn, and the interactive Zoolympics trail.

Bristol Zoo’s new free park & ride service will be operating on Sunday, May 2 and bank holiday Monday, May 3, running from the Portway park & ride site in Shirehampton to Bristol Zoo Gardens. It will run every 20 minutes from 8.40am until 5.55pm. Visitors who use the park & ride service can claim one free drink in the Zoo restaurant.

For more information visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.

Ends

For more information contact Bristol Zoo Press Office:
Lucy Parkinson, T: 0117 974 7306, E: lparkinson [at] bristolzoo [dot] org [dot] uk
Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, E: vhollier [at] bristolzoo [dot] org [dot] uk

Notes to editors

Bristol Zoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo Gardens is an education and conservation charity and relies on the income from visitors to support its work.
• Throughout 2010 Bristol Zoo will be running a series of events to highlight the importance of conserving the world’s biodiversity, as part of the international Year of Biodiversity. For more information visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/about/conservation/campaigns/iyob
• To find out more about the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity visit the website at www.biodiversityislife.net
• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day.
• The Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species.
• It employs 140 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens supports – through finance and skill sharing - over 12 projects in the UK and abroad that conserve and protect some of the world’s most endangered species.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.