Last updated at 16:07, Wednesday, 30 June 2010

AWESOME tigers and lions prowled their enclosures and primates and exotic birds cackled and squealed.

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Towering beautiful giraffes popped their giant heads over the rail of a raised wooden walkway to allow disabled and ill children and their families to feed them. Most of all, the sun shone, making it a perfect sixth annual Dreamnight at South Lakes Wild Animal Park.

Around 300 chronically ill, blind, deaf and disabled children, and about 1,000 accompanying relatives and friends from across South Cumbria and beyond, had one of Cumbria’s biggest tourist draws to themselves on Thursday night.

The Dalton-based animal park is among a number of UK zoos which joined the international Dreamnight movement started by Rotterdam Zoo. Dreamnights invite disabled and ill children and their families to a special free evening in the zoo once a year.

The Dreamnight gives children the time to view and in some cases feed and feel the animals without the hassle of normal crowds,

Zoo owner David Gill and his 40 staff gave their time for free to guide and entertain the children.
South Cumbrian firms also supported the event, providing a feast of free hot dogs and drinks for the guests.

Susan Pradhan from Askam brought her son Jai, 14, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome.

She said: “I think it’s fantastic. We have done four out of the six Dreamnights. It’s lovely what they do and the way the staff all stay on and work free of charge.

“The atmosphere is lovely and the staff are so friendly and the kids feel safe. I think David Gill has done a fantastic job both for conservation and for his events like this. The children all get food and a drink and a gift as well.”

Mrs Pradhan said, sadly, it could be the last time for the family, who are planning to move to Malta.
She said: “It will be a better climate for Jai, really and there is a Down’s Syndrome Association right in the heart of Malta.”

Mr Gill looked every inch the big game man, complete with wide-brimmed hat and hot weather gear. His son Indiana, earth-stained and happy to be with dad, stood beside the rhinos, and looked like a little character from the Jungle Book.

Mr Gill said: “I hope we provide a very special evening for people with severe disability and terminal illnesses and their families who have to put a lot of effort in to looking after them. The idea is to give them space and time.

“We are very lucky, we have some great helpers for this.”

Asda has been a long-term supporter, providing produce like buns for the hot dogs.

Speedy Serve, which supplies the zoo’s ice cream, also helps out as does the food supplier, McClure’s of Windermere.

Drinks supplier Campbells from Egremont provides free drinks while Deluxebase and Arc Toys provide gifts.

Mr Gill said: “It is just a great team effort and the staff love it. I think virtually all the staff are here tonight.”

Of the children he said: “I have seen the same faces coming for years, but it is also sad because there are some faces you don’t see again and that is very sad.

“It is an evening for special people who are suffering from illnesses, diseases and disabilities which is not their fault.

“We felt we should do something. Dreamnight is a world wide event which started in Rotterdam Zoo and we were one of the first zoos in Britain to join in.”

South Lakes Wild Animal Park does all the administration for the free night. Eligible families or teachers and carers, apply for the tickets or are nominated.

Most children are accompanied by two or three people though with some large families it is more.
Some of the disabled visitors who get tickets are adults.

The special night and the support of the keepers means children get the chance to feed animals including the stately giraffes and get sensory pleasure so important to some disabled people, by touching the animals.

Mr Gill said: “It is just that special personal touch that makes the difference. They don’t come on a busy day with two or three thousand other people, they are the stars of the night. What it costs us is not important, what is important is what we contribute to our community.”

He is proud that the zoo is now also free to local schools in Dalton, Askam and Kirkby.

Mr Gill said: “I think some people might just think we are pretty mercenary and only doing what we do for profit, they don’t have a clue what we give to the town. All these people have come for nothing and the thing is, we love doing it.”

The zoo gets a forest of thank-you cards and letters, and lots of thanks on the night.

Mr Gill said: “It is lovely because a lot of them are very disabled. Parents come up to me crying sometimes, that is the most emotional bit. There is no doubt whatsoever they absolutely love it.

“When everyone around them has the same issues it is a lot easier for them, and people are not staring at them. They are all in the same boat and they support each other.”

One of the dramatic creatures welcoming the children was Kaa, the 14ft long and extremely wide Burmese python who is expected to grow to 30ft.

One of those who got a close-up meeting with Kaa was Ashleigh Grove, 13, from Barrow who suffers from cri du chat syndrome, a chromosome deficiency which left her severely disabled.

She was with her dad Stuart and mother Claire. The Ormsgill family comes each year.

Stuart said: “She absolutely loves it. She goes on and on about when she knows she is coming, she loves animals. The Dreamnight is absolutely brilliant. I think it has got better and better every year it has gone on. The only thing it hasn’t got is an elephant.”

Mum Claire said: “I think it is brilliant. Ashleigh has been to every one. David Gill is the only one who does something like this and I absolutely take my hat off to the guy. He gets some bad publicity sometimes but I can’t fault the guy. He is the only one who has done this.”

First published at 15:18, Friday, 25 June 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk