Event Testimonials

2019

Thank you for looking after us so well during our primate drawing course – Mary W

I have just got home and wanted to send an e-mail to say a huge, huge thank you for another wonderful drawing course. To be able to spend time doing something I love, yet have so little time to do in every day life, in such a wonderful place is my idea of heaven. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to expand on what we did last year to drawing a whole head. It also gives me even more respect for David for the incredible, intricate detail in his stunning pictures! I appreciate  so much everything that you, Chloe, Annie, Mike, Emily – and others I have probably forgotten but appreciate no less – do to make the weekend such fun and to run so well. I know that the others on the course felt the same. This has been the best weekend of my entire year, please sign me up straight away if the course runs again next year! – Mary

Huge thank you once again for a brilliant experience at the enrichment course. yourself and team always make us feel so welcome! – Linda and Josie

We just wanted to thank you all for such a great weekend.The evenings and afternoon games were super fun, I’m not sure we have laughed so much since the last time we were at MW. Please pass on our thanks to the catering staff, the food was super, love those dessert’s!  Thank you all for all of your hard work, it is really appreciated! – Stella & John

Thank you to you all for organising such a great, fun weekend.   I had no idea what to expect but it was friendly and great fun the whole time.  There are so many memories but the outstanding one for me is the walk around the park on Friday night – Magical! – Sally

Just a few words thanking  you and your staff for a really great weekend.It was a great success from the weather, the games, food, the campfire dancing and entertainment and even some of Mike’s jokes were funny.
It was special to spend a few days with like-minded supporters and it is a privilege to have extra quality time with the primates outside normal hours. – Lynne & Keith

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 Santa’s Grotto 2018

“Just want to say a big thank you to Santa, all the elves and the reindeer for such a lovely experience last night.  I know it must take a great deal of effort but it really does start Christmas off magically and it really is appreciated.  Thank you for helping to keep it alive these last few years.  Long may the Monkey World Christmas continue. Best Wishes and a Merry Christmas to All,”

“I just wanted to say a big thank you for Tuesday evening. My husband and I had thought our son had stopped believing but it turns out that thanks to you all the magic continues!”

“I would like to say a huge thank you to you and all the wonderful staff at monkey world who made our visit to Father Christmas so memorable, you never fail to disappoint, as usual it was magical. You helped us make wonderful memories with our grandchildren that we shall treasure forever!”

Primate Drawing 2018

Many thanks to everyone involved in the drawing course, it really was excellent. Everything was fantastic, from my room (it totally blew me away) to the morning at the park up the towers (and seeing plenty of the other primates as well). And the afternoon drawing was fantastic – I have neglected my love of drawing for far too long, and it was a real joy to be able to learn new skills and spend time just drawing with expert guidance on hand. If there is another drawing course, I would very much like to attend, whether it be repeating the same one to further practice the skills, or one focusing on a different element of drawing. This event has been a real pleasure. Watching the primates and spending time just focusing on drawing has been a very welcome distraction. Thank you once more for such a great time – M Capron-Tee

Sleepover 2018

“We both really enjoyed the sleepover. Big thanks to you and all the staff for all your hard work organising the event. The whole weekend was brilliant. Good company and good food. Loved the parachute games too! Lynne and Keith Leslie”

” Just got home to Bristol and wanted to send a note to thank all of you for an amazing 48 hours. We packed so much in, it seemed like a lot longer and a great escape from the rat race! All of you were so welcoming, friendly and informative, the setting beautiful, great food and of course all the usual monkey world wonders but before and after hours. What’s not to like?! Thanks for the lovely experience, Mike and Shelley for the great conversations and the whole team for being so lovely and friendly.”

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Memorial Supper Club 2018

“Really enjoyed the Memorial dinner and the entertainment was brilliant”

“We had a fantastic time, the meal was delicious, the company great and entertainment amazing. It really was a lovely evening.”

“Dear Jim Cronin Memorial Fund team

Just a quick note to say a big thank you for the lovely evening on Saturday. We appreciate how much work went into it and it was very kind of you to make our two boys feel so welcome. And as for the prize draw – that was the icing on the cake – can’t believe we won first prize! Thanks again to Shelly for giving us the chance to join this special evening, for such fantastic organisation and giving us such a fun night. Hopefully we can visit again sometime soon”

“Thank you to yourself and all your staff for a fabulous evening on Saturday. My wife and I had a lovely evening and our table was a perfect mix of people who all got along great. The whole event was very well organised and with the added surprise of “Live Opera”. A fantastic evening had my all and with the bonus of winning two raffle tickets (Bottle of Baileys and 2 x nights in the flats/apartment with early access to the Park)

Many thanks again”

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Santas Grotto 2016

“We very much enjoyed our visit to Santa’s Grotto on Thursday 22^nd December, thank you for organising such a wonderful event for us all.”

“We had a lovely day and was a great hit with everyone! Everyone enjoyed the lunch and you had a very slick organised operation. The refreshments flowed and I can honestly say the service was excellent and having put on many study days at hotels this one has been our best venue by far. The feedback forms have all reported good/excellent for all aspects of day.”

Ailsa

“We just wanted to take the time to say Thank you very much for such a wonderful visit with Santa last night. Being able to accommodate all 7 of us and still give the same magical experience to the children made it so special. Thomas was an 8 year old that had started to have doubts however his faith has been restored thanks to your brilliant Santa and the time he spent talking to each child and ‘knowing’ so much about them really helped. We have been visiting Santa at Monkey World for the past 3 years and will continue to do so.

As a Thank you we have selected some products from your Amazon wish list and these will be delivered in next few days.

Please can you pass on our thanks to all your wonderful elves, reindeer and Father Christmas”

Merry Christmas from

Rob, Jess, Thomas, Leah, Jess, Daniel and Paul

“It was Awesome !!!!!

Whomever came up with the questions idea needs at least a pat on the back, it was truly awesome our 5 year old could not believe what Santa had in his book!!!! Well done it was truly magical, no doubt we will be back again for more fun next Christmas”

Kinda regards and a Merry Christmas

Karen Bastable

“On behalf of my family and especially my two little grandsons ( Spencer and Flynn) please pass on a HUGE thank you to all your elves, reindeer and Father Christmas for yet  another wonderful evening at your winter event.

The personal treatment you gave the two little boys was heart warming and there are very few places where the children would receive such a welcome.

We reckon you can’t be making much money from staging such an event, BUT the feel good factor is huge and this encourages people to return again and again to Monkey World.”

Thank you again,

Patti and Richard Sandham

“My daughter myself and my partner came to visit Santa last night, it was a magical experience and would like to thank you.”

“Georgina Barwick’s Grandad, they came to see Santa last night and loved it, said to say a big thanks to everyone…loved the individual attention”

September Sleepover 2016

Clare: “To Shelley, Debbie, Chloe & Tom, thank you all very much for another fantastic sleepover weekend! Plus the night in the house. We appreciate all of the hard work you put in to make these events so special. Huge thanks also to the catering team, Mike & all of the volunteers! See you all soon!”

Julie: “Thank you for a fabulous weekend. The whole team did an amazing job to keep 88 people happy, I am so grateful for the extra assistance you gave me. I am extremely grateful for all your help and kindness.”

Valerie: “Thank you for the weekend, I was astounded by the organisation of the whole weekend, please pass thanks on to the rest of the team, I will definitely come again next year!”

July Sleepover 2016

Lynne and Keith: “Had a brilliant weekend. Loved the sleepover. Waking up to the gibbons singing was amazing and seeing the primates really early and late was special. Dancing round the camp fire, listening to Mike’s stories and playing with parachutes was a lot of fun and we met some lovely people too. Many thanks to you and your team, Mike, Annie and the catering staff (and anyone we have missed) for all the hard work putting on the event. The food was excellent too. We had a really good time!”

Steve and Lesley: “Hi. Just got back from the 2 night sleepover. Just wanted to say a big thanks and well done to everyone there. From the moment we arrived to the the time we left it was amazing. We were a little unsure as we’re not campers, but from the very first friendly face that greeted us, the organisation and helpfulness of all the staff made it just unforgettable. The place is beautiful and getting to see Monkey World in the evening and morning was the best. Lastly we want to say thanks for the interaction with people like Mike who was charming, funny and like the rest of you, a pure pleasure to meet. We will definitely return for another sleepover next year. Thanks once again, you guys rock!”

Memorial Supper Club 2016

Christine: “Paul and myself had a lovely time at Jim’s Memorial Supper Club.”

Keith and Lynne: “Thank you so much for the Memorial Dinner on Saturday 19th March. We really enjoyed the evening, the food was good, the entertainment was excellent and the new building was impressive – looking forward to seeing it in daytime in the July Sleepover.”

Clare: “We all had a great time at the memorial dinner. It was a fantastic evening. Thanks to the whole team for looking after everyone so well.”

Jeanette: “Great night was has by all. Good food, great entertainment and fantastic venue. Hats off to you all for a memorable evening.”

Colin and Maria: “We would both like to say what a wonderful event it was and the food was excellent. Thanks to all the staff who made it such a success, thank you.”

Jenny: “Thank you for last night, it was brilliant!”

Janet: “Thank you for a very enjoyable event on Saturday 19th March, we had a lovely time and it’s really exciting to get a glimpse of the future of the Jim Cronin Memorial Fund.”

Sue and Joan: “Many thanks for arranging such a superb event last weekend [19th March]. It is unbelievable to think that 9 years have passed since we lost our beloved Jim.”

September Sleepover 2011

Sabine and Steve: “I just want to say a huge Thank You to Shelley and all her helpers in making our sleepover a very special event. The food was fab, the entertainment hilarious and the privilege to see the bedding down and the breakfast feeds were awesome. God bless you all for what you do for these primates!”

Hannah & Steve: “Can’t thank Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and the gang enough for such a wonderful ‘sleepover’, we definitely want to be with you next time! And I intend to continue Mike’s good work with Steve & his clicker training! Thank you so much!”

1. Jennings-O’Connor: “Thank you so much for the fantastic ‘sleepover’ – it really was a privilege to see the bedding down and the waking up! See you in July!”
2. Swift: “As already been said, a truly wonderful time at the sleepover. Staff, food, entertainment and the stars of it all the primates and monkeys. It was wonderful to be there and witness their behaviour. Definitely would do it again! Oh, and the rain and wind during the night was no problem either.”
3. Collins: “Had an absolutely wonderful weekend at MONKEY WORLD! Sleepover was so good!!!! Am so hoping we can get to the next one!!! A huge enormous THANK YOU to Jeremy, Mike and Shelley and Sarah for a BRILLIANT!!! FANTASTIC!!! weekend.”
4. Ibbott: “I would just like to agree with what everybody else has said. My friends and I had a totally fantastic weekend with you guys and were so impressed with your hospitality and organisation. Will definitely be attending again in the future, it was the best weekend I have had in ages… We had a really great time, could not get over how well organised it was and the hospitality they put on. I thought the whole camping experience was such fun. Thanks again Shelley!”
5. Gardiner: “A huge thank you to Shelley and Mike and all the helpers who made the sleepover a magical experience (it’s up ‘there’ with our wedding!) Better than we even thought it would be and that’s saying something. How special to see Paddy bed down for the night and then in the morning showing his troupe who’s the boss! Can’t wait to do it again and everything was just first class – company, hospitality, entertainment – a massive thank you to you!”
6. Wales: “Thanks so much to Shelley, Mike and Jeremy and all the staff at Monkey World for making this weekend so special! I booked tickets to the sleepover for my boyfriend’s birthday and he said it was his best birthday ever! Thanks so much, we can’t wait to go to the next one!!!”
7. Smith: “Thanks to everyone for making the sleepover such a fantastic experience, everything was just brilliant and we enjoyed ourselves more than we could have expected. We were so lucky with the weather. Can’t wait till we can do it again, next time we might even bring a tent and not the caravan!”
8. Craig: “Thank you so much for allowing me to be at the sleepover 🙂 was a really great experience, one I definitely won’t forget! Everything was so well organised, the food and entertainment were great. It was nice to have brekkie with 2 of the Primate Care Staff as well, we learnt a lot more about their jobs etc; has made me very jealous of them! The primates are all amazing. I feel so privileged to have been able to see the monkeys bed down for the night and then get up the next morning 🙂 Thanks again to all those who made it a fantastic weekend, keep up the amazing work!”
9. Craig: “Thank you so much for allowing Verity and myself to be with you at the sleepover. It was an amazing experience and the memories of such a friendly campers, entertainment, food and of course the primates will stay with me forever. It was lovely to see how well all the primates are cared for by the wonderful Primate Care team who do such a fantastic job. A very big thank you to ALL at Monkey World who without all your hard work the weekend would not have been so enjoyable and there would be a lot of sad primates.”
10. Graves: “Agree with all the previous comments – we had a fab time at the sleepover – it was an extra special place. Thanks to all the Monkey World staff who do a great job all year round.”
11. Rachel: “Had such a gorgeous time at the sleepover, loved it all! Big thanks to Shelley and all involved.”
12. Lawrence: “Many thanks to everyone who made the sleepover so special. From start to finish it was brill!”

H.R Axton: “What a fantastic weekend at the sleepover; amazing food, fab company, great organisation, all in all a fab weekend.”

1. Large: “Yes, as lots of others have said, thank you for a fantastic sleepover weekend! Brilliant organisation, fab food, excellent entertainment and having the park to ourselves evening and morning was just ace. Cheers everyone!”

May Sleepover 2011

T&S. Wilson: “Many thanks from us both for arranging the ‘sleepover’. We found it fascinating to see how the different species approached the end of the day. Our thanks to all who gave their time and energy to keep us fed, watered, interested, informed, entertained and warm (well most of the time). Jeremy and his wife singing and playing to us. Special thanks to Mike for reading to us so beautifully. Yours, still going round in a whirl wit grins from ear to ear.

1. Ruth & C. Buckley: “Just to thank you for the brilliant time we had on Saturday! It was wonderful having the whole park to ourselves. And Mike should have his own TV Show… And what a blessing the weather stayed fine on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, despite the wind and rain during Saturday night. Thank you once again and very best wishes – do keep up the fantastic work! Best wishes.”

D & H Richards: “Just a huge thank you to Shelley and everyone involved in last weekends sleepover. The event was one that we will remember for a very long time and we will definitely be doing it again. It felts a real privilege to walk around the park when nobody else was around. The tea, barbeque and breakfast were all great and we really did not want to leave on Sunday.”

1. Plett: “Dear Shelley – I wanted to write and say how much we enjoyed the ‘Great Big Sleepover’ recently. It was a fantastic opportunity to see the animals at times you would not normally be able to see them. We really enjoyed all of it, the bonfire, the poems, the music and the marvellous food. It was a really special event. We spent a long time in the park; it was also nice to meet other Monkey World supporters.”

J & P. Froud: “Dear Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and all the Primate Care Staff – thank you so much for a wonderful weekend. My mum and I had a great time on the big sleepover. All your hard work and organisation ensured a great time was had by all. With our best wishes and regards to all.”

H.C. Allcock & A. Johnston: “To all the staff and primates at Monkey World, a great big thank you. It was really nice to walk round the park out of the normal hours, and all the primates were great! It was such a pleasure meeting all the Monkey World staff, who did such a fantastic job. I’m sure everybody appreciated their efforts. The event was so well organised and went without a hitch, despite the weather! Also, the barbeque, and the breakfast the next day was really good too. We would really like to say a big thank you to Shelley especially, for having such a great idea in the first place. Hopefully you will be repeating this great idea again sometime soon. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”

1. Horsman: “It was a fantastic experience – thanks to everyone who worked so hard – a thrill to see the primates (and some British wildlife) outside normal hours – seeing Bart get into ‘bed’ with Susie & Eddi get thoroughly checked over – proud our tent survived the wind & rain – it was really well organised & we were well fed & entertained.”
2. Lloyd: “What an amazing weekend. Looking forward to the next one!! Thanks to all involved for making it such a special time.”
3. Marfell: “It was a great weekend – thank you to everyone involved in putting the event together.”
4. Martin: “Thanks to everyone at Monkey World for such a fantastic time! It was an amazing experience and it was lovely to see the primates bedding down and getting up in the morning. I didn’t get much sleep as I thought our tent was going to take off during the night, but that was part of the fun!”
5. Froud: “Shelley, you’re a star for thinking up this great event; mum and I had a blast! We were still laughing through the wind and rain! Cannot thank you, Mike, Jeremy and all the Primate Staff enough.”
6. Riley: “It was an amazing night, one I shall never forget! A huge thank you to everyone at Monkey World for making it special. A special thank you to Shelley for the idea and another to Mike and Jeremy for entertaining us!!”
7. Read: “We had a fantastic time, loved every minute. Especially when I got my clicker training from Mike 🙂 hahaha.”
8. Aundrews: “Thank you Shelley and Mike for an amazing sleepover! Looking forward to the next one! Great food too :)”
9. Cresswell: “Hi, I had a brilliant time at the Sleepover. Very well organised and it was a magical experience being in the park before and after hours. A big thank you to everyone involved in making it such a special time 🙂 The experience will stay with me a long time.”
10. Postma: “Back in Holland: Thank you staff of MW for a unique experience! Special thanks to Shelley and Mike. You all took such good care of us, just like you do of the primates 🙂 I had a fantastic 3 days on my own first & then 2 gorgeous days with you all. Will never forget seeing ‘my’ Dutch girls going to sleep and next morning standing together with Alison seeing them play. I was (still am) moved by all the experiences. Never mind the cold; I found the sleepover heart-warming.”
11. Martin: “Andrew and I would just like to thank Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and all the care staff for a lovely time at the big sleepover – what a great experience, and the icing on the cake was we got to meet Alison, thank you.”
12. Prior: “Firstly, Karen and I would like to pass on our sincere thanks to ALL staff that made themselves available throughout this event. We would particularly like to thank Shelley and Mike for their efforts in making the event fun and rewarding. The opportunity to enjoy the company of such dedicated people (all the primate care staff) and, to have almost exclusive access to the park was very much appreciated.”

September Sleepover 2016

Clare: “To Shelley, Debbie, Chloe & Tom, thank you all very much for another fantastic sleepover weekend! Plus the night in the house. We appreciate all of the hard work you put in to make these events so special. Huge thanks also to the catering team, Mike & all of the volunteers! See you all soon!”

Julie: “Thank you for a fabulous weekend. The whole team did an amazing job to keep 88 people happy, I am so grateful for the extra assistance you gave me. I am extremely grateful for all your help and kindness.”

Valerie: “Thank you for the weekend, I was astounded by the organisation of the whole weekend, please pass thanks on to the rest of the team, I will definitely come again next year!”

July Sleepover 2016

Lynne and Keith: “Had a brilliant weekend. Loved the sleepover. Waking up to the gibbons singing was amazing and seeing the primates really early and late was special. Dancing round the camp fire, listening to Mike’s stories and playing with parachutes was a lot of fun and we met some lovely people too. Many thanks to you and your team, Mike, Annie and the catering staff (and anyone we have missed) for all the hard work putting on the event. The food was excellent too. We had a really good time!”

Steve and Lesley: “Hi. Just got back from the 2 night sleepover. Just wanted to say a big thanks and well done to everyone there. From the moment we arrived to the the time we left it was amazing. We were a little unsure as we’re not campers, but from the very first friendly face that greeted us, the organisation and helpfulness of all the staff made it just unforgettable. The place is beautiful and getting to see Monkey World in the evening and morning was the best. Lastly we want to say thanks for the interaction with people like Mike who was charming, funny and like the rest of you, a pure pleasure to meet. We will definitely return for another sleepover next year. Thanks once again, you guys rock!”

Memorial Supper Club 2016

Christine: “Paul and myself had a lovely time at Jim’s Memorial Supper Club.”

Keith and Lynne: “Thank you so much for the Memorial Dinner on Saturday 19th March. We really enjoyed the evening, the food was good, the entertainment was excellent and the new building was impressive – looking forward to seeing it in daytime in the July Sleepover.”

Clare: “We all had a great time at the memorial dinner. It was a fantastic evening. Thanks to the whole team for looking after everyone so well.”

Jeanette: “Great night was has by all. Good food, great entertainment and fantastic venue. Hats off to you all for a memorable evening.”

Colin and Maria: “We would both like to say what a wonderful event it was and the food was excellent. Thanks to all the staff who made it such a success, thank you.”

Jenny: “Thank you for last night, it was brilliant!”

Janet: “Thank you for a very enjoyable event on Saturday 19th March, we had a lovely time and it’s really exciting to get a glimpse of the future of the Jim Cronin Memorial Fund.”

Sue and Joan: “Many thanks for arranging such a superb event last weekend [19th March]. It is unbelievable to think that 9 years have passed since we lost our beloved Jim.”

September Sleepover 2011

Sabine and Steve: “I just want to say a huge Thank You to Shelley and all her helpers in making our sleepover a very special event. The food was fab, the entertainment hilarious and the privilege to see the bedding down and the breakfast feeds were awesome. God bless you all for what you do for these primates!”

Hannah & Steve: “Can’t thank Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and the gang enough for such a wonderful ‘sleepover’, we definitely want to be with you next time! And I intend to continue Mike’s good work with Steve & his clicker training! Thank you so much!”

1. Jennings-O’Connor: “Thank you so much for the fantastic ‘sleepover’ – it really was a privilege to see the bedding down and the waking up! See you in July!”
2. Swift: “As already been said, a truly wonderful time at the sleepover. Staff, food, entertainment and the stars of it all the primates and monkeys. It was wonderful to be there and witness their behaviour. Definitely would do it again! Oh, and the rain and wind during the night was no problem either.”
3. Collins: “Had an absolutely wonderful weekend at MONKEY WORLD! Sleepover was so good!!!! Am so hoping we can get to the next one!!! A huge enormous THANK YOU to Jeremy, Mike and Shelley and Sarah for a BRILLIANT!!! FANTASTIC!!! weekend.”
4. Ibbott: “I would just like to agree with what everybody else has said. My friends and I had a totally fantastic weekend with you guys and were so impressed with your hospitality and organisation. Will definitely be attending again in the future, it was the best weekend I have had in ages… We had a really great time, could not get over how well organised it was and the hospitality they put on. I thought the whole camping experience was such fun. Thanks again Shelley!”
5. Gardiner: “A huge thank you to Shelley and Mike and all the helpers who made the sleepover a magical experience (it’s up ‘there’ with our wedding!) Better than we even thought it would be and that’s saying something. How special to see Paddy bed down for the night and then in the morning showing his troupe who’s the boss! Can’t wait to do it again and everything was just first class – company, hospitality, entertainment – a massive thank you to you!”
6. Wales: “Thanks so much to Shelley, Mike and Jeremy and all the staff at Monkey World for making this weekend so special! I booked tickets to the sleepover for my boyfriend’s birthday and he said it was his best birthday ever! Thanks so much, we can’t wait to go to the next one!!!”
7. Smith: “Thanks to everyone for making the sleepover such a fantastic experience, everything was just brilliant and we enjoyed ourselves more than we could have expected. We were so lucky with the weather. Can’t wait till we can do it again, next time we might even bring a tent and not the caravan!”
8. Craig: “Thank you so much for allowing me to be at the sleepover 🙂 was a really great experience, one I definitely won’t forget! Everything was so well organised, the food and entertainment were great. It was nice to have brekkie with 2 of the Primate Care Staff as well, we learnt a lot more about their jobs etc; has made me very jealous of them! The primates are all amazing. I feel so privileged to have been able to see the monkeys bed down for the night and then get up the next morning 🙂 Thanks again to all those who made it a fantastic weekend, keep up the amazing work!”
9. Craig: “Thank you so much for allowing Verity and myself to be with you at the sleepover. It was an amazing experience and the memories of such a friendly campers, entertainment, food and of course the primates will stay with me forever. It was lovely to see how well all the primates are cared for by the wonderful Primate Care team who do such a fantastic job. A very big thank you to ALL at Monkey World who without all your hard work the weekend would not have been so enjoyable and there would be a lot of sad primates.”
10. Graves: “Agree with all the previous comments – we had a fab time at the sleepover – it was an extra special place. Thanks to all the Monkey World staff who do a great job all year round.”
11. Rachel: “Had such a gorgeous time at the sleepover, loved it all! Big thanks to Shelley and all involved.”
12. Lawrence: “Many thanks to everyone who made the sleepover so special. From start to finish it was brill!”

H.R Axton: “What a fantastic weekend at the sleepover; amazing food, fab company, great organisation, all in all a fab weekend.”

1. Large: “Yes, as lots of others have said, thank you for a fantastic sleepover weekend! Brilliant organisation, fab food, excellent entertainment and having the park to ourselves evening and morning was just ace. Cheers everyone!”

May Sleepover 2011

T&S. Wilson: “Many thanks from us both for arranging the ‘sleepover’. We found it fascinating to see how the different species approached the end of the day. Our thanks to all who gave their time and energy to keep us fed, watered, interested, informed, entertained and warm (well most of the time). Jeremy and his wife singing and playing to us. Special thanks to Mike for reading to us so beautifully. Yours, still going round in a whirl wit grins from ear to ear.

1. Ruth & C. Buckley: “Just to thank you for the brilliant time we had on Saturday! It was wonderful having the whole park to ourselves. And Mike should have his own TV Show… And what a blessing the weather stayed fine on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, despite the wind and rain during Saturday night. Thank you once again and very best wishes – do keep up the fantastic work! Best wishes.”

D & H Richards: “Just a huge thank you to Shelley and everyone involved in last weekends sleepover. The event was one that we will remember for a very long time and we will definitely be doing it again. It felts a real privilege to walk around the park when nobody else was around. The tea, barbeque and breakfast were all great and we really did not want to leave on Sunday.”

1. Plett: “Dear Shelley – I wanted to write and say how much we enjoyed the ‘Great Big Sleepover’ recently. It was a fantastic opportunity to see the animals at times you would not normally be able to see them. We really enjoyed all of it, the bonfire, the poems, the music and the marvellous food. It was a really special event. We spent a long time in the park; it was also nice to meet other Monkey World supporters.”

J & P. Froud: “Dear Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and all the Primate Care Staff – thank you so much for a wonderful weekend. My mum and I had a great time on the big sleepover. All your hard work and organisation ensured a great time was had by all. With our best wishes and regards to all.”

H.C. Allcock & A. Johnston: “To all the staff and primates at Monkey World, a great big thank you. It was really nice to walk round the park out of the normal hours, and all the primates were great! It was such a pleasure meeting all the Monkey World staff, who did such a fantastic job. I’m sure everybody appreciated their efforts. The event was so well organised and went without a hitch, despite the weather! Also, the barbeque, and the breakfast the next day was really good too. We would really like to say a big thank you to Shelley especially, for having such a great idea in the first place. Hopefully you will be repeating this great idea again sometime soon. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”

1. Horsman: “It was a fantastic experience – thanks to everyone who worked so hard – a thrill to see the primates (and some British wildlife) outside normal hours – seeing Bart get into ‘bed’ with Susie & Eddi get thoroughly checked over – proud our tent survived the wind & rain – it was really well organised & we were well fed & entertained.”
2. Lloyd: “What an amazing weekend. Looking forward to the next one!! Thanks to all involved for making it such a special time.”
3. Marfell: “It was a great weekend – thank you to everyone involved in putting the event together.”
4. Martin: “Thanks to everyone at Monkey World for such a fantastic time! It was an amazing experience and it was lovely to see the primates bedding down and getting up in the morning. I didn’t get much sleep as I thought our tent was going to take off during the night, but that was part of the fun!”
5. Froud: “Shelley, you’re a star for thinking up this great event; mum and I had a blast! We were still laughing through the wind and rain! Cannot thank you, Mike, Jeremy and all the Primate Staff enough.”
6. Riley: “It was an amazing night, one I shall never forget! A huge thank you to everyone at Monkey World for making it special. A special thank you to Shelley for the idea and another to Mike and Jeremy for entertaining us!!”
7. Read: “We had a fantastic time, loved every minute. Especially when I got my clicker training from Mike 🙂 hahaha.”
8. Aundrews: “Thank you Shelley and Mike for an amazing sleepover! Looking forward to the next one! Great food too :)”
9. Cresswell: “Hi, I had a brilliant time at the Sleepover. Very well organised and it was a magical experience being in the park before and after hours. A big thank you to everyone involved in making it such a special time 🙂 The experience will stay with me a long time.”
10. Postma: “Back in Holland: Thank you staff of MW for a unique experience! Special thanks to Shelley and Mike. You all took such good care of us, just like you do of the primates 🙂 I had a fantastic 3 days on my own first & then 2 gorgeous days with you all. Will never forget seeing ‘my’ Dutch girls going to sleep and next morning standing together with Alison seeing them play. I was (still am) moved by all the experiences. Never mind the cold; I found the sleepover heart-warming.”
11. Martin: “Andrew and I would just like to thank Shelley, Mike, Jeremy and all the care staff for a lovely time at the big sleepover – what a great experience, and the icing on the cake was we got to meet Alison, thank you.”
12. Prior: “Firstly, Karen and I would like to pass on our sincere thanks to ALL staff that made themselves available throughout this event. We would particularly like to thank Shelley and Mike for their efforts in making the event fun and rewarding. The opportunity to enjoy the company of such dedicated people (all the primate care staff) and, to have almost exclusive access to the park was very much appreciated.”