Suggestions sought for Bristol Walk of Fame - 19/10/11

Suggestions are being sought for icons of Bristol to be added to the Walk of Fame at Bristol Zoo Gardens next year.

Earlier this year the Zoo opened A Walk of Fame to celebrate the city’s most renowned people, places and icons from across the historic, creative, sporting and wildlife spectrum.

The trail of 50 plaques around the Zoo’s 12-acre gardens features a host of famous names from Banksy, Massive Attack and Justin Lee Collins, toJ.K Rowling, Tony Robinson, Bill Bailey, and the Wurzels.

It also includes local legends, Blackbeardthe pirate and Alfred the gorilla, as well as well-known local organisations such as Bristol Aeroplane Company, Rolls-Royce Filton and Bristol Old Vic.

Next spring 10 new icons will be inducted into The Bristol Walk of Fame, taking the total number of icons on the trail to 60. Now the Zoo is appealing for suggestions for who should be added to the walk.

Bristol Zoo’s Head of Commercial Operations, Wendy Walton, said: “We unveiled The Bristol Walk of Fame this year as part of our celebrations for Bristol Zoo’s 175^th anniversary, which have celebrated all that is great about the Zoo and Bristol as a whole.

“We are asking the public to suggest the famous names which have played a big part in developing the culture of the city, who we should add to the current 50 that we have here. A shortlist will then be developed from all the nominations, which the public will be able to vote on later this year.”

To suggest who, or what, you think should be included in the Walk of Fame, simply visit the Zoo’s website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/update-walk-of-fameor email your suggestions to marketing@bristolzoo.org.uk.

You can also send suggestions by post to The Bristol Walk of Fame, Marketing Department, Bristol Zoo, Bristol BS8 3HA. The deadline for suggestions is Monday October 31, 2011.A shortlist of nominees will be published for the public to vote on in December.
To see a list of the icons who are already featured on the Walk of Fame, visit the Zoo website at: http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-walk-of-fame-icons-as-voted-by-you

The Bristol Walk of Fame is sponsored by local organisation, Mama Bear’s Day Nursery and Pre-school. For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.

ENDS

For more information please contact Bristol Zoo’s press office:

Lucy King, T: 0117 974 7306, or email: lking@bristolzoo.org.uk

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

Notes to the Editor:

BristolZoo Gardens

• Bristol Zoo is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day. 
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a conservation and education charity and relies on income from visitors and supporters to continue its important work. 
• In 2011 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 2011 we’re bring 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
• Throughout 2011 we will be focusing our efforts on raising funds and awareness in support of gorilla conservation.
• Throughout 2011 Bristol Zoo will support theEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ape Campaign.The 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.
• To find out more about the EAZA Ape Campaign visit the Zoo website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/conservation-campaigns.
• Bristol Zoo is involved with more than 100 co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species. 
• Itemploys over 150 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 supports – through finance and skill sharing - 15 projects in the UK and abroad that conserveand protectsome of the world’s most endangered species.
• In 2010 Bristol Zoo Gardens set up a Conservation Fund to raise vital funds to help care for threatened animals and plants – both in the Zoo and through the conservation work we do in the UK and around the world.
• BristolZoo Gardensis 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.