“Cracking idea Gromit” - Local charities join together for unique fundraiser - 25/02/11

Two of Bristol’s most well known charities have joined together for a unique fundraising campaign as part of Bristol Zoo Gardens’ 175^th birthday.

Conservation and education charity, Bristol Zoo, has joined forces with Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, to share the proceeds of a charitable auction later this year.   

The auction, to be held on September 29, 2011, will see dozens of life size gorilla sculptures sold to the highest bidders, to raise money for Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, which raises funds for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

The individually painted gorilla sculptures will appear on the streets of greater Bristol in a mass public art event for 10 weeks this summer, as the highlight of Bristol Zoo’s birthday year.

Called ‘Wow! Gorillas’, the sculptures aim to unite the city in a city-wide celebration of the Zoo’s birthday, as well as encouraging civic pride and driving tourism to the city, while increasing awareness of the threats facing gorillas and other apes in the wild.

Dr Bryan Carroll, Director of Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “One of the main aims of our birthday year is to celebrate with the whole community and our colourful gorilla sculptures will be one of the highlights of our plans. We are thrilled to be teaming up with Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal to share the proceeds of the auction of the gorilla sculptures in the autumn.”

Nicola Masters, Director at the Grand Appeal, added: “We are delighted to work with the Zoo as it’s charity partner on such an exciting and creative project. As Bristol Children’s Hospital’s charity for over 15 years, the Grand Appeal enjoys great support from the local community. We look forward to ‘Wow! Gorillas’ bringing lots of people together to create a really ‘cracking’ spectacle for Bristol that will also raise valuable funds to help thousands of young patients.”

It’s not too late for other organisations to get involved in the Zoo’s ‘Wow! Gorillas’ project and be part of the Zoo’s city-wide birthday celebration this summer. To find out more visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas.

Mini gorilla sculptures are also available for sponsor by schools, allowing pupils to design and decorate their own school gorilla. The sculptures will then go out on show along with the life-size gorillas for 10 weeks this summer.

As well as receiving their own mini gorilla, schools which join the project will receive an education pack with activities designed to develop learning and debate, and will receive a school visit from one of Bristol Zoo’s education officers.

School are being encouraged to fundraise for a sculpture by holding events such as non-uniform days, cake sales, sponsored events and bring-and-buy sales, or by asking local organisations to sponsor a gorilla on their behalf.

Following next summer’s public art display, the large gorilla sculptures will be sold at auction. The small gorillas will be returned to their respective schools.

For more information about how to get a Wow! Gorilla sculpture for your organisation or school, visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas.

ENDS

For press enquiries please contact the Bristol Zoo Gardens press office:

Lucy Parkinson, T: 0117 974 7306, E: lparkinson@bristolzoo.org.uk

Vanessa Hollier, T: 0117 974 7309, E: vhollier@bristolzoo.org.uk

Alternatively, contact Sarah Vipond at The Grand Appeal on E: sarah@grandappeal.org.uk, T: 0117 927 3888

Notes to Editors

BristolZoo Gardens

• BristolZoo Gardensis a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
• This year Bristol Zoo celebrates its 175^th anniversary and wants to do more than celebrate.
• Over that past 175 years, the Zoo has brought six generations of Bristolians closer to wildlife, helped save over 175 species from extinction, established over 30 field conservation and research programmes   all over the world, showed 40 millionschool aged children the wonder of nature and given more than 90 million visitors a wonderful day out.
• Throughout the year Bristol Zoo will be bringing people, businesses, charities and wildlife together to share amazing experiences that raise awareness and funds to save threatened wildlife and places. To find out more, visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/whats-on
• The Zoo will be focusing its efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation and will be supporting theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.
• The EAZA Ape campaign aims to make a significant and lasting contribution to the continued survival of apes and their habitats, and is being led by Dr Bryan Carroll, the Director of Bristol Zoo. www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
• Bristol Zoo has supported and been actively in gorilla conservation in Cameroon since 1998.

BristolZoo’s Wow! Gorillas’ project

• The highlight of Bristol Zoo’s 175^th anniversary year will see dozens of life-size gorilla sculptures placed on the streets of greater Bristol in a mass public art trail for 10 weeks this summer (2011).
• Gorilla sculptures are available for sponsor by organisations, and smaller gorillas are available for sponsor by schools. To find out more about how to sponsor a gorilla, visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas.
• Run in partnership with Bristol City Council, the sculptures, called ‘Wow! Gorillas’, will each by individually painted by local artists.
• As well as showcasing the wealth of creative talent the city has to offer, this eye-catching public exhibition will attract tourists to Bristol, while encouraging Bristolians to be tourists in their own city.
• The trail also aims to engender civic pride, stimulate the local economy and create a fun event for everyone to enjoy, while helping to increase awareness of the threats facing gorillas and other apes in the wild.
• All apes - gorillas, chimps, bonobos, orang-utans and gibbons – are endangered and under threat from hunting, deforestation and disease. Without awareness-raising and funding to tackle the problems facing these species, they could become extinct, which is why Bristol Zoo is leading the European Association of Zoos’ Ape Campaign throughout 2011.
• Bristol Zoo’s gorilla sculptures have been created by Wild in Art, which promotes art through the use of unique animal sculptures as three dimensional artist’s canvas.
• The auction of the gorilla sculptures, in autumn 2011, will raise valuable funds for Bristol Zoo’s ape conservation projects and for Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal

The Grand Appeal is the only charity fundraising exclusively for the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Michael’s Hospital. 

Since 1995, the Appeal has donated over £18 million towards the new hospital building and a range of patient facilities and comforts such as lifesaving equipment, arts, music, entertainment and play programmes and facilities for families.

Recent donations include the provision of equipment and refurbishment of the Fetal Medicine Unit, state-of-the-art ventilators for the children’s hospital Intensive Care Unit as well as equipment and family facilities for the NICU.  Find out more at www.grandappeal.org.uk

BristolRoyal Hospitalfor Children

BristolRoyal Hospitalfor Children, part of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, treats children from across the region with life-threatening illnesses and serves as the paediatric intensive care centre for the whole region. More than 1,400 staff work at Bristol Children’s Hospital, which is the regional specialist centre for treating young patients and more than 15,000 are admitted to and treated at the wards each year. Find out more at

www.uhbristol.nhs.uk/your-hospitals/bristol-royal-hospital-for-children.html