Gosport Rotary Club volunteers time to take children to zoo

Volunteers took pupils from Heathfield School, in Fareham, to Marwell Zoo for the Kids Out Days Out initiative.

They met up with 1,500 other children and teachers and spent the day looking around the zoo.

Club member Malcolm Dent says: ‘The first Rotary Kids Out Day Out scheme took place 25 years ago on a much smaller scale compared with today.

‘The event proved to be very successful and the rollout soon began across the UK.

‘Nowadays, Kids Out in partnership with Rotary takes up to 25,000 disadvantaged children on a day to remember.

‘We take them to the zoo and other attractions like Paultons Park.

‘This year we took three packed minibuses to Marwell with nine members of our club and met up with another 1,500 children, carers, teachers and Rotarians.

‘The animals were a great draw during the morning and the penguins and leopards were a firm favourite.’

As well as organising days out, the club also raises cash for charity.

Recently it held a dog show at Walpole Park, in Gosport. Breeds from Wales, Newbury and Ireland competed in the event, as well as dogs belonging to people from across the Gosport area.

The show featured 20 different classes including pedigree, cross-breed and novelty. It raised more than £5,000.