Lawyers from the Bristol office of Irwin Mitchell solicitors have proved that ‘working with children and animals’ can be a successful combination, by co-hosting a special day out for disabled children and their families. The event, held recently at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, gave more than 175 children from Bristol and the surrounding area a day out to remember and  a chance to come face to face with a whole host of wild creatures.

Funded by Irwin Mitchell and supported by several local charities including Contact a Family, Cerebra, Scope and Cerebral Palsy Plus, the event was the first of its kind organised for the region and not only provided fun for the youngsters, but also gave families the opportunity to meet with other parents of disabled children. The fun-packed day saw youngsters come face to face with llamas, camels and buffalo. They watched a thrilling bird of prey display and had the chance to let off steam in the adventure playground area and tractor rides.

Julie Lewis from Irwin Mitchell, who helped organise the event, explained that “Events like this offer a chance for children, parents and carers to bond and engage in stimulating and fun activities. All of the charities involved work tirelessly to provide a better quality of life for children and affected by conditions such as cerebral palsy and we were delighted to have the opportunity to get involved with the fantastic work they do.”

Sarah, Mum to Annabella from Coombe Dingle, added “The entire day was so relaxing for us all. Keeping Annabella safe can easily dominate the whole family and it was lovely for my other children to have a great day out. The safe surroundings allowed them to have more freedom, giving me time to watch Annabella. She loved taking her baby doll on the tractor ride and having the chance to stroke the animals.”

Back row from left: Julie Lewis, Kathryn Bates, Rachel Baldwin, Kim Andrews, Rosalie Reading, Laura Daly
Front row from left: Natalie Jones, Alice Tempest and Bobby Owen from Contact a Family