Skating into Christmas at Edinburgh Zoo

This weekend, Edinburgh Zoo has generously donated tickets to its Winter Village and the Rockhopper ice rink experience, plus all-day bus passes to support access to the Zoo, for Cyrenians’ service users and volunteers.  

The gift of 500 passes to visit the zoo and its winter wonderland on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 December has been distributed to outreach services helping the homeless, residential communities including neurodiverse young people and young asylum seekers and Cyrenians’ Cook School volunteers.  

Edinburgh Zoo has also gifted meal vouchers, goodie bags and bus passes so that families and young visitors don’t have to worry about any additional costs.  

It provides for a great day out at one of the Capital’s most popular tourist attractions and one of UK’s leading wildlife conservation centres.  

Earlier this year, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and Cyrenians announced a formal partnership agreement that celebrates a shared commitment to improving outcomes for young people.

The partnership also supports access for people from all walks of life and all ages, who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness, to access the zoo, its education programme and its festive activities. 
 
Edinburgh Zoo also gifted tickets to its Halloween “Treat Yourself” crafting event in October 2023 and its Giraffes About Town event in 2022.

Community and Discovery Programme Manager at RZSS, Ally Amavisca says: “It is wonderful to be able to offer this opportunity to some of the families that Cyrenians support. Not only do we want to enable more people to enhance their life skills and wellbeing while experiencing connections with nature at Edinburgh Zoo, we want to offer them opportunities to expand their confidence and have some fun.”

Laura van der Hoeven, Senior Relationships Manager at Cyrenians, says: “This generous gift from our partners at RZSS gives people including young adults and families a chance to have a great day out at the Winter Village and our sincere thanks to them for making that possible.”