Families from Zoe’s Place enjoy magical VIP night at Chester Zoo

The families of children supported by three charities including Zoe’s Place enjoyed a special night at Chester Zoo, thanks to a donation from Cheshire-based financial services provider MBNA.

The event saw 200 people attend, including the children’s families, to give everyone an “opportunity to make precious memories this Christmas.”

Families were invited from three local charities, Hope House Hospice, Zoe’s Place and The Joshua Tree, and enjoyed food, drinks, face painting and exclusive entertainment, as well as the zoo’s winter Lanterns and Light trail – one of the North West’s most popular winter attractions.

MBNA - Chester Zoo - Lanterns and Lights - Zoes Place

The special night was made possible as a result of a long-standing partnership between Chester Zoo and MBNA’s award-winning Community Investment Programme, an initiative dedicated to strengthening local community engagement.

For many of the families involved, organisers said the evening offered a rare chance to enjoy time together away from daily challenges.

Victoria Dowd, MBNA’s Community Investment Manager, said the bank was “delighted” to support an evening designed entirely around local families.

She said:

“It was such a privilege to be able to host a special night for local charities and give so many families the opportunity to enjoy a festive outing together with everything taken care of.

“Lanterns and Light is hugely popular and we’re delighted to be able to extend our existing partnership with Chester Zoo to give so many deserving families an amazing experience at this year’s event.”

The event took place at The Square, one of the zoo’s new event spaces, before families headed out onto the illuminated route after dark.

Lanterns and Light is one of the region’s longest-running winter light trails and features an array of immersive installations, including neon-lit pathways, life-sized animal puppets and a host of dazzling light displays.

Cat Humes, Strategic Partnerships Assistant Manager at Chester Zoo, said the zoo was proud to help create an evening filled with memories families could treasure.

Cat Humes said:

“We’re incredibly proud to host this special event. For us, it means a great deal to give children and their families an opportunity to make precious memories this Christmas – moments they can truly cherish.

“It was a magical night, and seeing how happy the children were made it even more special for our team. Being able to welcome these families and give them the space to enjoy the trail together is something we’re honoured to be part of.”