Wellington Zoo and The Wellington City Mission have signed a partnership agreement that will give people and families the Mission supports free passes to Wellington Zoo.

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge with Wellington Zoo CE Karen Fifield. Credit – Tareq Branney

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge is delighted, saying: “This agreement reflects a lovely relationship. It’s often very hard to make life okay. The zoo is just one of those places that brings joy into peoples lives. So, what a privilege we have to be part of offering that choice to people.”

On signing the agreement, Wellington Zoo’s Chief Executive Karen Fifield said: “We are a progressive and community based zoo. It’s critical that we give the people The Mission cares for the opportunity to be in a beautiful place with beautiful animals – you can’t help but smile when you walk around the zoo.”

The agreement gives The Wellington City Mission access to the zoo and will enable staff to offer free visits to those doing it tough.

“Underpinning what we do at The Mission is thinking about how we treat people with dignity and respect, irrespective of their circumstances.” Says City Missioner Murray Edridge. “We believe that having the dignity of choice is vital. Our Social Supermarket reflects that commitment. And so being able to offer to the people we work with the choice to visit the zoo and experience the delight of this place is just wonderful.”

Speaking about the partnership agreement, Karen Fifield says: “Our Kaupapa at Wellington Zoo is Me Tiaki, Kia Ora! We must protect all things so that all life can thrive. We see so much synergy with what we are trying to do here and with the work of the City Mission. Everyone should have access to such a lovely place as this, and the more we can do that the better.”

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