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Chester Zoo is giving away 35,000 FREE tickets to children

The zoo is hoping to help inspire a whole new generation of young conservationists.

Emily Sergeant - 29th February 2024

Chester Zoo is giving away tickets to local schools to help inspire a whole new generation of young conservationists.

The UK’s largest charity zoo is on a mission to help nature to “survive and thrive”.

And so, in a bid to do just that, has announced that it will once again be handing out tens of thousands of tickets to schoolchildren for completely free of charge, so that they can explore the zoo up close and learn all about the inspiring work the conservation charity does.

Chester Zoo‘s free ticket scheme has been running since 2017, and has already seen more than 100,000 children get to experience all the wonders the zoo has to offer.

We're giving away 35,000 FREE tickets to children in nurseries, schools and colleges across the UK! 🙌

We want to inspire a new generation of conservationists who can help us create a future where nature THRIVES. 🌍

Want your school to visit? Apply in the link in the comments… pic.twitter.com/y5e6cG29TW
— Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) February 27, 2024

With the hopes of empowering as many youngsters as possible, and sparking their passion for saving species once again, the zoo has now opened the scheme back up for the 2024/25 season – with a whopping 35,000 tickets available for schools, nurseries, and colleges to claim.

Not only that, but the zoo has also decided to open the initiative up to the education providers that haven’t benefited from the scheme within the last three years.

Every school participating in the programme will receive a free resource pack to help maximise the educational impact of their zoo visit.

Chester Zoo is giving away 35,000 tickets to children for free / Credit: Chester

“Every one of us is a custodian of our natural world,” commented Charlotte Smith, who is the Director of Conservation Education and Engagement at Chester Zoo, “But it’s the next generation of conservationists who are fundamentally important to overcoming the environmental and biodiversity challenges our planet is facing.

“They are inspiring and they give us hope, which is why we’re so keen to connect them with the awe and wonder of nature and help to nurture their passion and desire to make a difference.

“It’s proven that a visit to the zoo can significantly enhance people’s understanding of the huge efforts that go into conserving highly threatened species, while also bringing physical and mental health benefits.

“That’s why we particularly want to reach youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds and ensure they are the primary beneficiaries of the initiative, so we can provide them with the skills and know-how to go on and make a real, positive difference to wildlife in their everyday lives.”

The zoo is hoping to help inspire a whole new generation of young conservationists / Credit: Chester Zoo

Applications for Chester Zoo’s Free School Visits programme are now open, with free visits able to take place between Friday 1 November 2024 – Friday 28 February 2025, and any forms that are incomplete or received after the deadline date of Friday 22 March 2024 are unable to be processed.

The scheme is open exclusively for nurseries, schools, and college groups.

Places are open to schools who haven’t taken advantage of the scheme in the last four academic years, and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, so the zoo is advising that people complete and submit the application form at “your earliest opportunity” to make sure they don’t miss out.

There’s a maximum capacity of bookings per day to both avoid overcrowding, and make sure every visitor is able to enjoy a safe and world class experience.

Find out more and apply here.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo