Hoo Farm Gates Open for 2016
The 400+ animals at Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom will be getting up close and personal with visitors once again as the new zoo season starts this Saturday.
Shropshire’s award winning animal attraction, Hoo Farm is opening its gates for the 2016 season. It’s a great time to visit as Spring has sprung and lambing season is in full swing! Between 12th March and 8th April, Hoo Farm expect the birth of 100 fluffy, frolicking lambs.
During the winter months, Will Dorrell, Hoo Farm Partner and his team have been renovating facilities at Telford’s top tourist animal attraction, including new play equipment with a disabled friendly swing, environmentally-friendly ‘Bear’ bins as well as painting, repairs, new fencing and a revamp of the toilet area. However, it’s not just been a coat of paint for Hoo Farm; various residents have been settling into their improved surroundings as a new hide has been built for the wild badgers, and the coati and lemurs have moved to a new habitat.
This year promises to be full of exciting events and educational experiences as Hoo Farm celebrates its 25th anniversary. The expanded calendar offers visitors a variety of fun-filled activities between March and December. New events for 2016 include:
· A Walk on the Wild Side
· Superheroes Day
· World Environment Day
· Teddy Bear Picnic
· Summer Fun Day
· Hoo-lympics
· Hullaba-Hoo
– Hoo Farm 25th Birthday Party
· Beatrix Potter 150-year anniversary
Throughout the year there will be a number of promotions and offers with considerable savings to mark special dates. On the list are Father’s Day and Grandparent’s Day, where the guest of honour gets a free cake and hot drink. Mothers won’t miss out as from April, Hoo Farm is inviting local Mums to their new weekly ‘Little Lemurs Club’. The two hour sessions allow Mums to come to the farm with their preschool children and enjoy seeing the animals, as well as playtime at the on-site Little Lemurs playbarn.
In addition to the planned new events, Hoo Farm are bringing back some old favourites, such as the Sheep Grand National, Halloween at Hoooooo, and the annual Step into Christmas complete with the infamous animal nativity.
Will Dorrell said “Here at Hoo Farm we focus on education and conservation, and visitors can learn more about our animals if they come on one of our many event days, or ‘Take a Walk on the Wild Side’ with us.”He went on to add “We introduced the walks so people of all ages could have a guided tour of the farm. For those who really want a hands on experience, our encounters allow animal lovers to get up close and personal with some of our most popular residents.”
Co-founder Carolyn Dorrell, recent winner of the ‘Network She Woman in Tourism’ award is looking forward to celebrating 25 years of Hoo Farm being open to the public. She said “This year is very special for everyone here at Hoo Farm. We’ve more to offer our visitors than ever before with new animals due to arrive throughout the year, many exciting days out for the family, and a sensational summer party planned in July for Hoo Farm’s birthday. We hope all our loyal customers will join us in celebrating this significant occasion in the history of Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom.”
Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom, Telford is open daily from 10am, with admission prices starting from £9.45 for a child ticket. They can be found on facebook.com/