Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Annual Report 21/22

CONTENTS

01

O2

O3

O4

O5

our VISION

oUR AIMS

oUR HISTORY

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR

oUR TRUSTEES

O6

O7

O8

09

10

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

OUR TEAM

OUR TEAM

A YEAR IN REVIEW

A YEAR IN REVIEW

11

12

13

14

15

OUR HABITATS

OUR HABITATS

A YEAR IN REVIEW

DONATIONS ADOPTIONS GOODYBES

oUR FUTURE

16

17

18

19

20

OUR FINANCES

HOW TO HELP

HOW TO HELP

OUR PATRONS

oUR PATRONS

21

22

23

OUR PATRONS

OUR ANNIVERSARY

oUR THANKS

MISSION STATEMENT

OUR VISION

To create an inclusive and accessible sanctuary - a safe place for both animals and people, where every interaction provides an opportunity; making use of the environment to ignite learning and promote a wider understanding of animal welfare and the natural world to inspire future generations.

To ensure all our animals feel valued, safe, free, and supported to enable them to explore and develop to their full potential.

To promote our environment as a therapeutic tool to support the health and wellbeing of both animals and people.

To enable both animals and people to view themselves and the world positively.

To make sure our work is known, shared, and valued, wherever our commitment and positive impact is felt.

To maintain, strengthen and develop our dedicated and committed staff and volunteer team, with a passion for caring for and supporting animals and people

To ensure the Parrot Zoo Trust is recognised as a Centre of Excellence, delivering a fully compliant, outstanding service that meets the needs of animals and people.

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OUR AIMS

MISSION STATEMENT

To create an inclusive and accessible sanctuary - a safe place for both animals and people, where every interaction provides an opportunity; making use of the environment to ignite learning and promote a wider understanding of animal welfare and the natural world to inspire future generations.

To use research to advance learning and innovation in the care and well being of animals and people.

To relieve the suffering of animals who need long-term sanctuary.

To make best use of the resources available to improve the lives of animals and people.

To provide opportunities for learning about animals and the environment and how people’s positive contributions impact on the natural world

To provide a safe space to bring people closer to the natural environment.

To provide opportunities and support to enable successful volunteering placements.

To engage with the community to support the sustainability of the charity.

To collaborate with partners to raise awareness of how the charity can provide support for people and animals in the community.

To engage with the community to promote learning and awareness of the charity aims.

To promote a wider understanding of the sustainable conservation of biodiversity globally and locally.

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OUR HISTORY Steve Nichols founded the Parrot Zoo Trust in the early 1990s after many years studying the behaviour of parrots and realising there were very few sources of information about these special and endangered creatures. The organisation was first developed to help parrot owners in and around Sheffield, but quickly developed into a service that offered practical guidance around the globe.

Within 12 months, Steve's work was recognised by national and local animal welfare bodies such as the RSPCA and RSPB. Steve soon became the first and only port of call for anyone needing help with parrot-related issues.

During the next two years Steve travelled over 100,000 miles, visited over 200 people, and helped over 600 parrots. It was apparent that however good a person's intentions were towards their parrot, not everyone was able to offer them a secure, long-term home.

Steve took in a small number of parrots that needed extra help and travelled across the UK giving educational talks and information about the advantages and disadvantages of having a parrot as a family pet.

The next step was to find a suitable location and build a sanctuary where Steve could dedicate his time and effort to offering long term care and rehabilitation for birds and to create a safe environment for people to visit and learn. The perfect site was identified in rural Lincolnshire. The land was a flat, featureless one-acre piece, and the perfect blank canvas.

In June 2003, the Trust, now based in Friskney, Lincolnshire, was granted a Licence and opened its doors to the public.

And, as they say, the rest is history.

The Charity still has Steve at the helm guiding us, along with a team of dedicated and enthusiastic Trustees. We have expanded to cover an area of over 25 acres and receive more than 300,000 email and telephone enquiries, and 80,000 visitors each year. The Parrot Sanctuary remains truly unique and is the largest facility of its kind in the UK, it is the most important part of the Trust's work and the core reason we exist.

The Trust celebrates twenty years as a Charity in 2023 and has changed beyond all recognition over the years; now supporting and providing sanctuary for a variety of mammals and birds including the largest collection of Bengal Tigers in the UK. We remain committed to providing a forever home to exotic animals, with over 99.8% of our residents having been rescued. Steve remains at the helm, dedicating over 30 years of his life to the care and wellbeing of animals. Steve still provides information and guidance to parrot owners across the UK and beyond. He works every day on site, dedicating his time and energy to its residents.

2023 2023 - a pint of beer -£4.07, a bottle of wine - £6.09

2003

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A MESSAGE FROM

OUR CHAIR As someone who has worked in the Lincolnshire Voluntary and Charity Sector for the last 30 years, I was delighted to be invited to join the Board of Trustees, and even more so when invited to take on the role of the Chair at the Parrot Zoo Trust.

It is fair to say that throughout 2022 whilst we have had much to celebrate, we have also faced many challenges, including the lasting impact of COVID. Throughout the year Steve Nichols (our CEO) and all the team have strived to offer the best outcomes not only for all the animals, but also for all our customers. It would be unfair not to acknowledge the struggles that many are endeavouring to cope with, not only health and wellbeing, due to the impact of COVID, but also the economic impact that affects us all in one way or another.

Our awareness of our customers’ needs has been very much an influence of the on site developments and 2022 has been a year of launching new initiatives that will enable future work and hopefully future sustainability of the park.

Little did we know that when we held Nigel’s Day in June, that Nigel would become a celebrity, with thousands of you watching how he coped in his new home… so when Nigel had surgery, the sense of love for this magnificent cat was overwhelming…. so much so that the daily updates on our social media have continued and brought many of you into the daily life of Lincolnshire Wildlife Park.

In the Autumn we had two significant events, the opening of the Peaceful Plot, a place of sanctuary, not only for the hundreds of birds, but also for us. A place where memories past and present can inform our responses and our presence in the space. Also the launch of the Doris Johnson Peace of Mind Foundation, a safety net for those of you who enjoy having a feathered friend in your home, but want the reassurance of a safe and caring place for when the time comes that being together is no longer possible.

Christmas 2022 was crazy, with over 26,000 of you trying to reserve complimentary places in the first 24 hours of us launching the Christmas 2022 offer, soon brought us to realise how much you want to be part of the park… so after a few technical glitches, we were able to reinstate and you came in your thousands, to see Santa, the Enchanted village and of course the now very famous Nigel. …. And so, into 2023, details of our plans will be outlined further in this document , so in the meantime we will continue to ensure that we provide the best care possible for all the animals for whom we provide sanctuary. We promise we will continue to develop our offer to you as our precious customers and look forward to welcoming you to the park.

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Karen Parsons Karen Parsons

OUR TRUSTEES

INTRODUCING

Karen Parsons

Angela Dobson

Sonja Genney

Trustee Chair

Vice Chair & Engagement

Development

David Kime

John Roper

Paula Batchelor

Treasurer

Legal

Wild4Learning

Will Downing

Kirsty Johnson

Marketing & Communications

Health & Safety

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A MESSAGE FROM

OUR CEO

Well, here we are again at the end (and start) of our year. Our annual report last time covered an extended period of two years; this one is slightly shorter – just eighteen months! The next, and subsequent ones will be twelve months.

Our previous report covered a period which was unusual to say the least and in July 2021 we were still reeling from world events. We were, however, so thankful to our supporters who were not only very generous but also showed so much commitment to the Charity throughout. Our social media has gone from strength to strength, with increases in followers on all platforms and we managed to stay open (no more lockdowns) throughout.

Many new initiatives and developments were planned and completed, and these are mentioned elsewhere, but we would not have been able to contemplate these without the support of all our visitors and contributors.

Some of the highlights for me included welcoming the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, one of our Patrons, to the park on two occasions. One to celebrate our commitment to the Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant, and secondly for the opening of Nigel’s – a brand new enclosure for our lovely Puma, also providing a home for our magnificent white lions Pascha and Uganda.

Two Christmases that could not have been more different. Christmas 2021 was a quiet and somewhat nervous time for us all. We weren’t sure what our visitors would feel comfortable with, so we decided to be cautious and invited visitors with younger children to take part in our Breakfast with Santa events in December. All our younger visitors were delighted to meet Santa and thoroughly enjoyed their bacon rolls and hot chocolate.

Christmas 2022 could not have been more different. We were all feeling more confident and less nervous about the outside world, so we decided to offer something back as a thank you to all our visitors. ‘Our Gift to you was free entry for all throughout the month of December. We invited Santa to come along and even built a new grotto for him. We developed the fairy-lit walk and enchanted garden, full of lights and Christmas atmosphere.

After a couple of glitches with our website we were overwhelmed that over 11,000 of you came along between 1st and 23rd of December, with an astonishing 826 of our younger visitors meeting Santa in his new Grotto.

We promise that next year will be bigger with lots of new festive surprises.

We have said goodbyes to some of the team who have gone on to bigger and better things and I would like to thank them for their commitment. We have also, and inevitably, said goodbye to some of our animals. We miss them and they will remain in our hearts.

I would like to personally thank everyone in the team (old and new) here at the Parrot Zoo Trust for their hard work and enthusiasm day after day. Without you all, it just would not be possible.

Thanks also to the Charity Trustees for their guidance and direction.

A huge thank you must go to all our supporters; you have been so kind with your words and gestures throughout.

Finally, I would like to thank my family for their loyalty and for sticking by me for another year, as I have continued to watch my dream develop.

Here’s to all things in the future.

Steve Nichols BCAv

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Lincolnshire Wildlife Park

The team at The Parrot Zoo Trust Here at the Parrot Zoo Trust - Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, we have a small but extremely dedicated ‘team’ during the period 1st July 2021 to 31st December 2022, we said hello to new staff: Ben - who had worked with us as an Apprentice and became one of our Animal Keepers Becky- who joined us as an Animal Keeper in June 2021 Chloe - who joined us as an Animal Keeper in June 2021 Joseph - who joined us as an Animal Keeper in December 2021 Stephen - who joined us as an Animal Keeper in April 2022 We said goodbye to Becky, Hannah & Jess and wish them all well in their new endeavours.

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Steve Nichols BCAv

Liam Nichols

Andy Ferguson

Chief Executive Officer

Zoo Manager

Zoo Manager

Curtis Jones

Jess Newton

Vinnie Goodall

Animal Keeper Manager

ARRC Manager

Fabricator

Allie Fenton

Ash Gabrielle

Ben Spencer

Animal Keeper (ARRC)

Maintenance

Animal Keeper (ARRC/Reptiles

The team at The Parrot Zoo Trust Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Chris Wild

Clare Owens

Animal Keeper (ARRC)

Animal Keeper

James Taylor

Joseph Sharland

Joy Goodall

Animal Keeper

Animal Keeper

Administrative Assistant

Nat Clarke

Nikki Scarlett

Reece Kirke

Maintenance

Secretary/Animal Registrar

Maintenance Assistant

Stephen Harrod

Sophie Hancox

Tayla Anderson

Animal Keeper

Marketing Manager

Animal Keeper

Wendy Moore

Andy Mason

Eileen Miller

Funding/Engagement Manager

Graphics/Design

Volunteer Fundraiser

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

(Well 18 Months!)

A year (well, 18 months) in review:

After last years Annual Report, which actually covered two years due to COVID and various lockdowns, this review covers a period of 18 months. The Charity (Parrot Zoo Trust) Trustees made the decision to change our reporting schedule from 1st July to 30th June each year, to 1st January to 31st December. This change will align our policies and operating systems with the financials and other procedures.

Therefore, this report covers the period from 1st July 2021 to 31st December 2022, and I think you will all agree that was a very interesting period indeed. Below you can read about some of the very exciting developments and events that have happened here at the park during that time.

July, August, September 2021: 16th July – International Snake Day – we celebrated all things snake related and were so lucky that Joy (who works on our reception) and her husband, Vinnie (who works as our Groundsman) were happy to bring some of their much-loved snakes into the park for the day to meet our visitors and help to dispel fears about these beautiful reptiles.

7 th September – Signing of the Armed Forces Covenant – we were delighted that our Patron, the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, and other dignitaries were able to join us for the official signing of the Armed Forces Covenant. (a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly). On what was one of the hottest days of the year, our guests enjoyed a tour of the park with our CEO. The Charity has since gained The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) bronze award confirming we will pledge, demonstrate, and advocate support to the defence and armed forces community, and align our values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

Our long-awaited Cathedral enclosure was completed in September – a new home for our Amazons and a modern and spacious home.

October, November, December 2021 We welcomed a film crew from China for three days during October, and both Steve and Andy enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame. They even managed to learn some Chinese for the occasion!

The first Christmas since opening after the lockdowns of 2020 was a bit of a worry for us. We felt that although people wanted to come along to see Santa and our Christmas displays, they also wanted to be confident that they were coming to a safe environment. We decided to go with a series of small group ‘Breakfast with Santa’ events. So many families and young children came along to meet Santa and enjoy a bacon roll and hot chocolate at the same time. A perfect time to start the festive season for everyone.

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A YEAR IN REVIEW January, February, March 2022 Bee preparation – lots of time was spent during the first couple of months of the year preparing for the imminent arrival of our bees. We wanted to learn as much as possible about our 80,000 new residents and make sure they would be comfortable in their new environment. Many thanks to Barry (the Bee man) for his support over this time and beyond.

April, May, June 2022 In April 2022, the day we had eagerly awaited, was with us, and our 80,000 Western Honeybees arrived at the park. We had learned as much as we could about these valuable little creatures; the signage was complete, and the hives were in place. The next step would be the production of our very own LWP Honey.

The move of Nigel, Lions, and Zuri – musical chairs (without the music). We had finished the new enclosure, otherwise known as ‘Nigel’s’, so it was time for relocations. Nigel’s is a huge enclosure, divided in two with state-of-the-art monitoring and safety measures in place. Nigel’s became home for Nigel and our two beautiful male white lions Pasha and Uganda. The Lions had moved from their enclosure which left a perfect new home for our Black Leopard, Zuri. Pleased to say they have all settled extremely well in their new ‘pads’.

June 13th was a very special day here at the park. We welcomed the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire to officially open ‘Nigel’s enclosure. Nigel had a great day enjoying all the fuss and publicity and even featured on BBC Look North. After a small buffet lunch, guests spent the remainder of the day at the launch of our Wild4Learning initiative. Wild4Learning, is an original concept where all children from nursery to university will be able to enjoy free outdoor learning. Much more is still to come so please keep a look out for more news about Wild4Learning.

June 25th - Armed Forces Day – Tea at the Park. This was our second ‘Tea at the Park’ on this special day for our Armed Forces, their families and veterans. Music, fun and games, and of course afternoon tea, all featured in this family day for everyone.

July, August, September 2022 International Tiger Day, July 31st is an annual and very popular celebration for us all at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park. Not least because we provide home and a sanctuary to the largest collection of Bengal Tigers in the UK. ‘The Tiger who came for Tea’ features highly for our younger visitors along with facepainting and lots of fun activities. We also had many special Tiger Tours on offer throughout the day where lots of people were able to go along to Bengal Gardens and meet some of our Tigers up close.

August 1st saw the launch of the Doris Johnson Peace of Mind Foundation, The Foundation was developed by The Parrot Zoo Trust and is able to offer complete peace of mind to parrot owners who may be worried about what will happen to their bird if they are ill or are no longer able to look after them, and a forever home to parrots who find themselves in that position. The Foundation was developed mainly due to the generosity of a lady called Doris Johnson who gave us her parrot, Pepe, when she felt unable to care for him.

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HABITATS

OUR ANIMALS

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HABITATS

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A YEAR IN REVIEW After the excitement of Nigel’s Day on 13th June, and his newfound fame, it was very sad for us to realise that the day had arrived when a decision had to be made about his health and wellbeing. Nigel had arthritis in his shoulder which our vets were closely monitoring. Several treatments had been tried but Nigel was still in much pain – a sight we all found very distressing. After much discussion and consideration by our vets, our ethics committee and our staff, the decision was made to amputate Nigel’s leg at the shoulder. Research had shown that cats adapt extremely well to having three legs and we hoped that this would be the case for our lovely Nigel.

The morning of 9th September arrived along with several vets and following a seven-hour ground-breaking operation, Nigel emerged with just a few side effects from his ordeal, mainly being a bit wobbly. Over the next few weeks, Nigel’s condition and wellbeing continued to be closely monitored and really did exceed all our expectations; he is now adapting very well to having just three legs. Nigel remains a firm favourite with our visitors and followers worldwide.

October, November, December 2022 Throughout 2022 our development team were hard at work building our very own space of tranquillity within the park. The Peaceful Plot was part funded by Calor and Shine and provides a space where people can rest and reflect. The Plot is based around an older person’s garden shed, with lots of tools to bring back memories. The Plot also features water, sound, and smell to celebrate all our senses. The grand opening and cutting of the red ribbon was carried out on 4th November by Lucy Krogdahl from Shine.

Last but certainly not least for 2022, we ended the year with one of our most ambitious Christmases ever. The team here at the Charity made the decision to offer free entry for everyone from 1st – 23rd December. This was a gesture very much aimed at supporting people in times of hardship and enabling everyone to have a lovely, festive day out together. We welcomed thousands of people of all ages through our doors and consider the initiative to have been a huge success. Over 100 Christmas trees were planted and lit to form our Enchanted Forest and Father Christmas was also able to spend a lot of time with us, greeting over 800 boys and girls who assured him they were all on his ‘nice’ list.

And with that, on 23rd December, we ended an extremely busy eighteen months! After a few days off to recuperate, we will start again. Doing what we do best. We look forward to welcoming you at the park sometime in 2023.

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DONATIONS ADOPTIONS & GOODYBYES The National Parrot Sanctuary is a major part of the Charity and is the largest sanctuary in the UK offering long term care for the parrot family with over 1500 birds enjoying their forever home with us.

The Parrot sanctuary is at the core of everything we do and the reason we exist. Our team of Animal Keepers are dedicated to offering our birds everything they need for a fulfilling and natural life with us.

We also provide a safe and comfortable sanctuary for many other animals.

During the last eighteen months, we have ‘adopted’ over 740 animals. These have included, but are not limited to 144 African Grey Parrots, 281 Turtles and 20 Budgies.

During 2022 we launched our Adopt and Support packs. The packs contain lots of goodies and information about the animal or bird chosen and an Annual Pass for entry to the park.

Adopt and Support packs have been extremely popular in the last few months and do make unusual and caring gifts.

All funds received contribute to the running of the park and the wellbeing of our animals.

Most of our animals can be ‘supported’ including our Honeybees, Tigers, Lions, Meerkats, Lemurs and of course Nigel.

Sadly during 2021/22 we said goodbye to some of our most-loved animals. This is the part of the job we all dislike the most.

With heavy hearts we said goodbye to Tigers, Kumari and Princess, our lovely white Crane, Stanley and most recently one of our oldest Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, Obi. We miss them all.

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OUR FUTURE

WHAT LIES AHEAD

As we say goodbye to 2022 and hello to 2023, we are reflecting on what has been a very busy but rewarding period of time.

2023 promises to be equally as busy and rewarding. The Parrot Zoo Trust is celebrating our 20th anniversary as a Charity and with that will come many special events and activities. The month for your diaries will be June when we will be celebrating with some very special surprises.

At the very start of the year, we were delighted to hear that our very own Steve had been nominated and awarded a British Citizen Award. Steve is one of only 29 individuals that will be recognised at the Palace of Westminster on 26th January 2023 and will be honoured with The British Citizen Award for Volunteering & Charitable Giving. Steve will receive the coveted BCA Medal of Honour and invited to use the post-nominals BCAv as a legacy of his achievements.

New initiatives we are hoping will progress this year include a Changing Places toilet facility – a very valuable asset for people with addiotnal needs not only visiting the park but also en-route to other destinations.

We have been increasingly aware that our toilet facilities are not fit for purpose, and we have been actively fundraising for a total redevelopment which will hopefully take place over the next 12 months, reducing the need for hire of portable toilets at our busiest times.

Since the launch of the concept of Wild4Learning, back in June 2022, we have been working alongside colleagues from education including local schools and University of Lincoln, to establish ourselves as a centre of excellence for outdoor learning for students from nursery to university. Wild4Learning will undoubtedly go from strength to strength during 2023 and we are looking forward to new opportunities and experiences at the park.

Finally, and it does seem so far away now, Christmas 2023 we hope will be even more magical than 2022. We will, of course be inviting Father Christmas to join us throughout December, and we will also have the Enchanted Forest, Fairy-lit walks and maybe a few more festive surprises along the way.

We hope you will be able to follow our progress and very much look forward to welcoming you during the year.

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OUR FINANCES Where the money comes from Our income 6% 0%

Dona�ons & legacies

94%

Our Income explained: Dona�ons & legacies

£1,262,456

Charitable ac�vi�es

Charitable ac�vi�es

£74,007

Investment Income

£4,683

Investment Income

TOTAL

£1,341,146

Where the money goes to Our expenditure

Raising dona�ons & legacies

1% 1% 44%

43% 11%

Other charitable ac�vi�es Management Finance Governance Costs

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Our Expenditure explained: Raising dona�ons & legacies Other charitable ac�vi�es Management Finance Governance Costs TOTAL

£751,420 £187,420 £729,426 £16,179 £26,171 £1,710,616

HOW TO HELP The Parrot Zoo Trust’s staff and trustee team believe passionately in the value of the work we do and information resources we provide.

There are lots of ways to get involved with The Parrot Zoo Trust and help us raise funds – whether you want to give in celebration, leave a gift in your will, get your company involved, take on a fundraising challenge or donate through payroll giving.

The Parrot Zoo Trust, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is a non-profit organisation, and UK registered charity. We rely on donations from the public, from charitable trusts & foundations and from businesses to enable us to offer sanctuary to animals from across Europe.

We are grateful to every single person, trust, foundation, and company who donates, or has donated in the past. It is your commitment and generosity that underpins everything we do.

No matter how big or small – every donation really does make a difference.

Your support is what makes it possible for us to provide a forever home to all of our animals.

Gi� Aid Gi� Aid is one of the simplest and most effec�ve ways of giving to our charity and boos�ng the value of your dona�ons. It allows us to claim almost a quarter more on top of your dona�on if you are a UK taxpayer, at no extra cost to you. For every pound you give, we will receive an extra 25 pence from HM Revenue & Customs.

Make sure you always �ck the Gi� Aid box when you donate, to make your dona�on go that li�le bit further.

Leave a gi� in your will.

Leaving a gi� in your will is a wonderful way to support us, and any gi� that you leave to us, we promise, will make such a big difference.

Leaving a gi� in your will make such a huge difference to the work our Charity can achieve. No ma�er how big or small, you can make your money count, and make a real change to the lives of our animals.

Support us through our social media sites.

We are very ac�ve on many social media pla�orms including Facebook, Instagram, Twi�er and TikTok. You can subscribe to our LWP Supporters group to access exclusive content, first looks, live videos and discounts.

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HOW TO HELP Sponsapoll Sponsapoll is our unique sponsorship programme. The kind dona�ons given through Sponsapoll are what keep our wonderful animal sanctuary alive and running.

Dona�ons to Sponsapoll go towards many aspects of the park including: Aviary & Enclosure Development and Repairs; Hospital Treatment & Veterinary Care; Quaran�ne facili�es for new residents to the park; Food for the birds and animals, including special dietary requirements; Up-keep of park facili�es for our many visitors and previous parrot owners A dona�on from as li�le as £1.25 per week, will help our Parrots and animals have a fulfilling and happy lifestyle in the most natural environment available. It is only with these kind dona�ons that we are able to offer the incredible facili�es & create a sanctuary which has flourished to be the largest of its kind in the UK. When you sign up to Sponsapoll you will receive: • • • •

A welcome pack for you to keep your documents & season �cket A Season Ticket for free entry to the park Quarterly newsle�ers with updates, vouchers & informa�on A Christmas card & Raffle �ckets for our annual Grand Raffle Prize Draw

Adopt & support our animals Our Adopt & Support packs contain lots of goodies and informa�on about the animal chosen and an Annual Pass for entry to the park. Most of our animals can be ‘adopted’ including our Parrots, Honeybees, Tigers, Lions, Meerkats, Lemurs and of course Nigel. All funds received contribute to the running of the park and the wellbeing of our animals.

JustGiving It’s so easy to create and personalise your own fundraising page and invite friends and family to make a dona�on using sites like JustGiving. They’ll send your dona�ons to us and automa�cally claim Gi� Aid – an extra 25% for us at no extra cost to you. You can also donate through the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Facebook page.

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OUR PATRONS Cleo Rocas I am very proud to be an ambassador for this truly unique charity. A parrot owner myself for over 20 years, I understand completely the dedication it takes to care for just one of these amazing birds, let alone the 100s that the amazing team at the Charity do on a daily basis. It’s awe inspiring.

I often speak to Steve and have followed his progress and the development of the Charity over many years. His determination to provide a caring home to such a huge variety of exotic animals, (including the largest collection of Bengal Tigers in the country) is testament to him. This, coupled with Steve’s persistence to never give up, and you soon discover that we are so lucky that this charity exists and will continue to grow and prosper.

After writing about Steve and his amazing work, last year I found myself in an impossible situation regarding my beloved, beautiful and best friend of 23 years, Max (my Green Wing Macaw). I had to travel to Brazil and as I needed to be away on a very long trip, I had planned to take Max and my mother who's 94, with me. We all live together and move together. We were all excited and very much looking forward to the trip. After much form-filling, finally, all the documents were confirmed with the Brazilian authorities and Max was all set to travel.

Soon after we arrived in Rio new regulations for Macaws were announced - Max would need to stay in the UK a little while longer. One week turned to two weeks, then three and four weeks. It was so distressing. My mother became unwell and suddenly we were in ambulances and hospitals, and I needed to care for her. So, we could not return to the UK any time soon.

All we wanted was to be reunited with Max. I was beyond heartbroken as it was beginning to become clear that every time they said that Max was clear to travel another nonissue occurred with the authorities which prevented him from travelling.

I rang Steve in floods of tears and explained the impossible situation we were in. There is only one person in the world who truly knows and understands, and that is Steve Nichols.

Steve stepped in like a superhero, calm and reassuring. I’m pleased to say that Max is now living the life of a parrot. He is very happy at the Parrot Zoo Trust and has fallen in love with his new Macaw mate.

Of course, we will never get over not being with him again, but this has ended up being the best life for Max and that is what is so important. My mother is slowly making a full recovery too. We are so terribly grateful and appreciative to Steve and his magnificent team for ensuring Max is now the happiest Green Wing Macaw ever, enjoying life to the full as he was truly born to be.

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OUR PATRONS

Derren Brown As an impartial celebrity, I am more than happy to do a bit of charity work every now and again, (as long as involve meeting too many weird or embarrassing people). Hence my involvement with the Parrot Zoo Trust (Lincolnshire Wildlife Park) where I have only met one weird person! Steve Nichols, the CEO. Steve has devoted his whole life to ensuring the welfare and rehabilitation of some of the most engaging and beautiful creatures. I’m truly impressed by Steve’s motives.

Steve started out s a guy with a few tame parrots. Then Steve built a small aviary at home so people could come and visit. From these small beginnings Steve’s dream became reality and now Steve is CEO of the largest parrot sanctuary in the country and remains dedicated to the research and protection of the species through the Charity.

I’ve had breakfast at the sanctuary and had one of the parrots, (a Panama Amazon called Hercules) come and stand at my side awaiting a treat from my plate, each time he’s given something, he says ‘Thank You’.

The first few times you really cannot believe your ears, but by the time he’s eaten half your breakfast, you realise that you have been trained far better than anyone trained him!

I’m so proud to be a part of this amazing and worthy organisation. The Parrot Zoo Trust is about preserving enjoyment, and I think that enjoyment is a very important thing. The enjoyment that a patient owner can derive from having a parrot as a companion at home, the enjoyment of giving a home to a parrot that has been neglected, and the sheer delight of visiting a haven where you can spend all afternoon in the loud and curious company of parrots. Some will tell you what they think of you, others will mimic your ringtone. Some you will fall in love with, and a few, inexplicably, will just whistle the theme to The Simpsons!

Steve and the whole dedicated team have a passion in life, and that is to meet the needs of captive birds. I support the work wholeheartedly and wish the Parrot Zoo Trust a very prosperous future.

Ivan Massow Most of us like an animal of some sort, but few dedicate their entire life into caring for them. I am very proud to be a Patron and personal supporter of this wonderful charity – The Parrot Zoo Trust. The charity has Steve Nichols at the helm and a wonderful and dedicated team of carers who relentlessly and selflessly offer these needy creatures ‘one to one’ care and attention, 24 hours per day for 365 days a year.

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OUR PATRONS

The Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire – Toby Denis I was very thrilled when I was asked to come to meet Steve Nichols and the team at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park and could never have imagined what an experience it would be.

Having run a range of businesses in Lincolnshire, including farming and management, for the last forty years, the idea of being introduced to the country’s largest collection of parrots and greatest gathering of Bengal Tigers was an experience I was looking forward to and which turned out to be a both unique and delightful one.

The Park is a remarkable place and Steve, the CEO, is an exceptional person. I was very impressed with his knowledge and passion for all the animals the charity has taken responsibility for along with his dedication to their wellbeing and individual needs.

There have been some significant accomplishments for the Parrot Zoo Trust during 2021 and 2022. I was in attendance to witness the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant in September 2021. (a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are fairly treated). The Charity have since gained the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award, confirming that the Charity pledges, demonstrates and advocates support to the defence and armed forces communities, and aligns their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

My Deputy was in attendance for the official opening of ‘Nigel’s’ in June 2022. Nigel is an inspiring Puma who lives at the park, and his newly built enclosure will meet his needs as his mobility decreases and he gradually loses his eyesight. A very special day indeed.

I am delighted to be Patron of the Parrot Zoo Trust and applaud the whole team for their hard work, dedication, and commitment. I am pleased to be part of the team which is delivering innovative, exciting, and ambitious projects for continued success and future.

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And finally ….. Happy Birthday to us - what a difference 20 years makes!

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Here are some comparisons we have found: World population: 2003 - 6,393,898,365 2023 - 8,045,311,447 Cost of a drink 2003 - a pint of beer -£2.10, a bottle of wine - £3.22 2023 - a pint of beer -£4.07, a bottle of wine - £6.09

2003

2023

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Mars bars 2003 – 30p.

2023 – 74p.

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