2017 will see more than 3000 students from low decile schools in Auckland and Northland participate in free zoo educational experiences at Auckland Zoo, thanks to The Warehouse school Zoofari programme.

The Zoofari programme, now in its fifth successful year, is an innovative partnership between The Warehouse and Auckland Zoo, with support from Ritchies Transport, and is now inviting applications from decile 1 - 3 Auckland and Northland schools.

"We're especially keen to hear from schools that haven’t yet participated in the Zoofari experience," says Auckland Zoo’s schools programme manager, Laura Rayner. 

"As a modern zoo, it's our goal to reach as many young people as possible and give them the opportunity to discover and fall in love with wildlife – be that some of Aotearoa's own unique natural taonga or magnificent exotic species such as giraffe and elephants. These wonderful children, many of whom have never had the opportunity to even visit a zoo before, are our future conservationists. If you love something, you want to nurture it and protect it – that's what we want to share and inspire in these children," says Ms Rayner.

The Warehouse Zoofari programme is funded through the generous donations of The Warehouse customers, and funding for the 2017 programme will come from an 'Add a donation' campaign that will be running in Auckland and Northland stores from 30 November - 24 December. 

Executive GM of Community and Environment for The Warehouse, Paul Walsh, says the programme is a very significant part of the company's commitment to helping Kiwi kids to flourish. 

"The Zoofari programme helps provide this learning as well as a chance for what is, for many kids, their first opportunity ever to visit the zoo.  Thanks to the generosity of our customers in Northland and Auckland, even more schools are able to participate in this important programme" says Mr Walsh.

Video

Heading off on Zoofari!

Thousands of students from low decile schools in Auckland and Northland are reaping the benefits of The Warehouse School Zoofari