Children Enjoy Dreamnight at Drusillas

Over 700 guests enjoyed a magical evening at the zoo on Friday (7 June) as Drusillas Park hosted their annual Dreamnight event, exclusively for chronically ill and disabled children in the region to enjoy with their families. 

Dreamnight is a charity event which takes place around the world on the first Friday of June. Each zoo organises the evening in their own way but in all cases the children are welcomed as VIPs.

At Drusillas Park guests travelled to the event from throughout the South East after receiving tickets from various organisations including Demelza House, Chailey Heritage, Children with Cancer Fund and The Royal Alexander Hospital. They were greeted by the Mayor of Seaford Councillor Anthony White, the Mayor of Newhaven Councillor Julie Carr and the Mayor of Lewes Councillor Ruth O’Keeffe.

The evening included a special guest appearance from Spot the Dog, two live performances by students from The Theatre Workshop and volunteers from Pets As Therapy also attended with a group of their four-legged friends. There were also close animal encounters, face painting, the rare opportunity to see the animals after hours as well as a Sausage Sizzle with food supplied by 3663, Elite Foodservice and Nivek Catering Supplies.

The Park was decorated with contributions from Sugarloaf Party Shop, Rare Displays and Tansleys Printers Ltd provided a souvenir programme for each guest. Plus Style Marquee provided a large marquee for the evening, in case the weather did not show up. Each child also received a gift, supported by a large number of generous donations.

Drusillas Park’s Managing Director Laurence Smith commented: “It’s been another fantastic evening and we hope that all our guests have enjoyed the evening as much as our staff.”

“Everyone has volunteered their time and services to bring about this special event. We have also had a great deal of support from local businesses, suppliers and other individuals for which we are extremely grateful, including Alfriston Heartstart who attended for the third year running. We are delighted to be able to provide this opportunity for children who may not otherwise be able to visit the zoo during our usual opening hours.”