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FOLLY FARM INVESTS IN PEOPLE, PRODUCT AND THE PLANET!

A business update on retaining Investor in People status, the new farming play equipment for the Jolly Barn and the switch to energy saving light bulbs

Photo: Chris Ebsworth, Managing Director, at the entrance to Folly Farm

This article appeared in the Western Telegraph Business Supplement on 21st July 2010

21st July 2010, Folly Farm, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire: As Wales' top paid-for visitor attraction, Folly Farm, gets set for Summer Managing Director, Chris Ebsworth, talks about his hopes for a successful season and finds out more about recent investment in the park's product, its people and the planet!

"It's been the busiest Winter ever in terms of maintenance and investment in new attractions, facilities and enclosures on the zoo and it hasn't stopped," enthused Chris. "We had a good start to the main season at Easter and a fantastic Whitsun half term but we haven't eased our foot on the pedal one bit!"

About to land in the newly re-developed Jolly Barn is a raft of farming play equipment - a tractor with a trailer slide, a combine harvester with climbing tubes and land-rover to be precise - all to encourage children to get involved in farming role play and will sit alongside the exciting new exhibits in Farmer Glyn's interactive farmyard, including his farmhouse kitchen with a few live surprises in the cupboards. 

Also due to open in time for Summer is a brand new toilet block located at Folly Farm's ever-expanding zoo.  Chris explained; "Visitor feedback revealed the need for a toilet block located at the zoo as parents felt it was too far to walk back the funfair or the main area of the park with their little ones, often at short notice!  With parents of small children being a key target market for us how could we deny their wishes?"

As well as the recent arrival of another Giraffe, 18 month Rian, to join Zulu, Taharqa and Rafiki in last year's £1million Giraffe House enclosure, Folly Farm has also just finished a brand new enclosure to house some Capuchin Monkeys and the very friendly Armadillos, brother and sister duo Donny and Marie.  "There's been lots going on at the zoo with lots of new animals arriving from other UK zoos and new arrivals in the sense of babies too, with the ring-tailed lemurs, the reindeer, the cusimanse, the Somali sheep and Cameroon sheep all producing offspring in recent weeks and the arrival of our very first emu chicks having only received a pair of breeding emu last Summer."

Folly Farm's zoo has also just been awarded full membership of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).  Chris explained the importance of this accreditation; "EAZA is one of the world's most prestigious professional organisations and sets extremely strict standards which must be met by its members.  Being accepted as a full member is testament to the fantastic standards maintained on our zoo by the manager and his team of keepers and recognises our commitment to education and conservation."

Another recent accolade for the attraction is having retained Investor in People (IIP) status for the fourth consecutive time.  First assessed in 2002, Wales' top paid-for visitor attraction is now looking ahead to achieving the coveted ten year award in 2012.  Chris praised his HR Manager for her continued endeavours to provide the best working environment for staff and ensure an accountable and progressive career development programme; "Kate has created an environment which enables staff to grow with the company and all the staff at Folly Farm must be commended for their hard work, dedication and commitment and their willingness to embrace the various training courses and qualification schemes Kate has established.  We're extremely proud to fly the flag as an IIP certified employer."

Folly Farm's commitment to conservation was a key driver behind establishing its Green Team, an environmental advisory team tasked with researching ways to conserve energy, cut wastage and reuse and recycle more. Its latest success story was the suggestion of changing the light bulbs on all the vintage funfair rides - some 10,500 of them! - for a more energy efficient version.  Previously using 25w and 60w bulbs, the new 0.3w bulb have cost Folly Farm a staggering £26, 250 compared to the existing bill of £4,200.  However, despite the initial investment the projected saving of 250,000 kilowatt hours each year will use 50 times less energy having a fantastic impact on energy usage and the environment. 

Chris enthused; "The decision to replace the light bulbs was a serious one due to the level of initial investment required but actually over a period of time we expect to see significant cost reductions, in fact we our already noticing the difference with our energy usage for the whole of May less than it was in February when Folly Farm was only open at weekends and no-one can dispute the obvious benefit to the planet!"

And asked how he sees things shaping up for the summer tourism season ahead, Chris was buoyant; "We're confident Pembrokeshire is heading for a bumper tourism season and we've been working hard to ensure our product and service is at its best so we're extremely positive and looking forward to a busy Summer."

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For press enquiries please contact;

Zoe Wright
PR and Marketing Manager
Tel: 01834 815032
Email: zoe@folly-farm.co.uk