A brand new wellbeing area has been officially opened at Dartmoor Zoo.
‘The Breathing Space’ is located by the walk-through enclosure and is a peaceful area of the Zoo where guests can sit and reflect.
Mark Scott, a volunteer at Dartmoor Zoo, decided to create this area as a living legacy following the passing of his partner in March 2021.
He said:
“At the young age of 62, my partner Sharon sadly passed away in her sleep. On a weekly basis, we would watch the film We Bought a Zoo and Sharon took inspiration from Benjamin Mee (chief executive of Dartmoor Zoological Society) with his ‘can do’ attitude to life.
“I wanted something more than a plaque to remember Sharon so approached Dartmoor Zoo with the idea of creating a quiet area.
“After months of hard work, I’m delighted that this area is now ready for the public and hope that everyone is empowered by what it stands for and gets as much from it as I do.”
As a wildlife charity, Dartmoor Zoological Society has developed a wellbeing programme over several years. They have fostered the benefits of biophilia and how working with or being surrounded by animals and nature can improve wellbeing. This project enhances the programme further and will benefit thousands of people.
There are several ways for people to pay tribute to the life of someone special, whilst make a lasting difference to wildlife and people. For more information, please contact zoobase@dartmoorzoo.co.uk.
Dartmoor Zoological Society relies on the generosity of individuals to continue its important conservation work and donations can be made here: https://bit.ly/DonateDZS
