KEEN London Takes on London Zoo

This was the biggest all-site trip we have ever undertaken.

It was hot, there was a lot of walking, a fair few crowds, and of course all manner of sights and sounds to take in — but wow, did our athletes and coaches smash it!

Deciding to hire coaches made all the difference. Our explorers arrived cool (thank you, air conditioning) and regulated, rather than having to tackle public transport on top of everything else the day had in store. We split our group of nearly 40 into smaller teams, each with a team leader and an expert counter, and at every point throughout the day I could see and hear the head counts going on around me. No athletes were getting left behind today.

I was the photographer for the day, and honestly, I had the best job, running between all the groups trying to capture everything. At the start, I asked some of our athletes what they were most looking forward to seeing. The big cats and the giraffes were clear favourites, but as an observer, I think the standout moments for me were walking through the butterfly house and the aviary. Being that close to such colourful creatures, with no barriers between us, was breath-taking. Children who had stayed fairly unmoved by some of the “big hitter” animals suddenly came alive. The pure joy and awe on their faces took my breath away all over again.

With so many animals and experiences on offer, the trip was a brilliant reminder of why tailored, child-centred support matters so much. No two children reacted the same way to the same animal, bird, or insect. What sparks excitement and engagement in one child might be scary or simply uninspiring to another. We all learned so much more about our athletes that day, their personalities, their interests, and the things that bring them out of themselves. I can’t wait to hear how our coordinators use these insights in future sessions.

Special thanks to every single volunteer who made this trip possible, and to our funders and supporters who make days like this happen in the first place.

It’s probably best summed up by a member of the public who took the time to write in after watching our volunteers in action:

“I just wanted to send high praise to your staff and volunteers who were accompanying a group of children to London Zoo today, 20th July. They were all amazing with the children — the children were clearly having the best time, and the staff and volunteers were attentive, compassionate, and showed real dedication, ensuring their safety while still allowing the freedom to explore. As someone who works in a different environment with children with SEND, I know it’s no mean feat to pull off an outing like this, but they showed how dedicated they all were to their work. I’m not local, but if I ever recommended a service in the London area, you would come highly recommended.”

And from a parent, whose words say everything we could hope for:

“Words cannot express my gratitude. For the first time in their eight years of life, my children have been away from me on their first ever solo trip. I have never felt so trusting of a group of people before as I do with the team from KEEN London.”

Days like this are exactly why we do what we do.

Kirstie

Fundraising & Communications Manager (photographer for the day)