Local resident, BBC weatherman and artist Tomasz Schafernaker has kindly donated the proceeds from one of his stunning paintings to Hanwell Zoo. And you could help out, too.
Arguably one of the borough’s most loved attractions, Hanwell Zoo continues to be hit financially by the pandemic and ongoing lockdown, which have stopped people from being able to visit.
“I’m a meteorologist and an artist. When I’m not forecasting the weather, I’m painting,” said Tomasz Schafernaker.
Animals need support too
“Hanwell Zoo is an absolute gem in our community. And it’s been such a hard time for everyone including these animal sanctuaries. It is easy to forget that animals need support too.”
The picture Tomasz recently sold was an oil painting of a glorious kingfisher and he donated the £1,200 sale to the zoo.
He said: “I’m inspired by Earth and nature and I’m very lucky to enjoy both in my career and where I live. I’m just really pleased I could do a tiny bit to help and hopefully a bit more soon.”
Home learning help
While the zoo is closed to visitors, the team of amazing zoologists has been helping children and parents with home learning. They have been hosting regular live events on Facebook, going behind the scenes of the zoo and sharing loads of facts and information about the animals. While keeping it fun and engaging for the kids, the sessions tie in to KS1 and KS2 learning about animals and conservation.
Find out more about Hanwell Zoo and catch up on the live lessons via its Facebook page and follow the zoo on Twitter.
Feed a furry friend
The reality of nearly a year of no visits, events or educational bookings is that Hanwell Zoo has lost a huge amount of the income if greatly relies on.
By giving just a few pounds, you could help pay for the meerkats’ lunch, or the snakes’ snacks.
All contributions via its JustGiving page, however small, will go directly to the running of Hanwell Zoo, caring for its incredible animals, conservation programmes and many community projects aimed at providing a safe space for some of our most vulnerable residents to work and learn.
