A day excursion at London Zoo
From a mighty roar to a cheerful chirp, a day out at London Zoo was a day of discovery and delight. As we got in the full swing of the Summer holidays, we invited HHUGS families out for a day of adventure.
Over 127 people attended our day out, including 67 children and 60 adults all ready to immerse themselves in the animal world. The London Zoo is a captivating sanctuary home to an array of animals from penguins to giraffes. It provides an opportunity to watch, marvel and ponder at Allah’s creation and the individual quirks of each animal.
We won’t get into the debate as to who is the rightful king of the animal kingdom, but we can safely say, everyone has a soft spot for their own. For some, the lions are roar-some, whilst others find others batsolutely intriguing.
“You need to see the bats and monkey area; they were literally flying and jumping above your head.”
“We enjoyed seeing the variety of species and being able to experience it with other friends that attended.”
A day out at London Zoo may be a yearly Summer tradition for most people, but for HHUGS families, it’s a once in a life time experience. Some have never been before, or others may have gone as a school trip. But many may not have had the opportunity to go as a family, or able to cover the cost of the trip.
“BarakAllah Feekum to all those that are behind the scenes of the HHUGS crew. We’re immensely grateful for all your hard work and consideration to ensure that we are all well looked after. We thoroughly enjoyed our day. May Allah bless you all with much khair.”
They aren’t presented with many opportunities to immerse themselves in a nurturing environment, able to create new memories, and take their minds off their daily lives. But because of your generous support, we were able to give them that opportunity.
“That was the most beautiful day of the year I’ve had with my daughter. JazakAllah HHUGS, and may Allah bless you.”
Each attendee was provided with a lunch bag and free to roam the zoo as they chose to. This gave them the freedom to choose which animal to see and when. This autonomy helped giving the families a sense of normalcy, a chance to make their own decisions and be given the opportunity to spend quality time with their family.
This exciting day out was only able to take place due to your generosity. Whilst you and your family spent long hours enjoying the sunshine during the Summer holidays, you didn’t forget about families who spent their time indoors, counting the days and minutes until the holidays were over. Single mothers unable to afford outings, and trips to keep their children occupied.
“I loved walking through the zoo and meeting other families with similar backgrounds and struggles to myself.”
“JazakumuAllahu khairan all those who organised this phenomenal day out. May Allah bless you all abundantly.”
This Summer things are a little different. Children can go back to school excited to share with their peers that they went to the zoo. Being able to go with other families like their own, helps them feel at ease and understood.
The day at the zoo won’t be something that’s forgotten quickly. Images of the penguins, meerkats and bears will be imprinted on their hearts, and the knowledge that a stranger out there helped them have a wonderful day will be etched into their memories.
You can help us plan more memorable days for our families in other cities who have suffered trauma and are isolated from their local community. They too deserve to have a day out, and a time dedicated where they can create more happy memories.