Animalympics helping Zoos
When Josie imagined what happened when the Olympics was cancelled and the animal kingdom step up to compete instead, she didn’t know where it would take her or what would happen to the story. But when she heard the news that zoos were in difficulties in 2020, Josie realised that her poem could be put to good use and the animal kingdom of her imagination stepped up to set up zoo fundraising for their cousins in zoos.
Sharing her vision with athletes, Josie garnered support from many Olympians, Paralympians and World Champions who read their sport’s verse.
Ali Jawad
David Hemery
Fiona Bunn
Freia Challis
Hannah Cockroft
Josephine Larkins
Katherine Bett
Katherine Grainger
Marcus Mepstead
Richard Chiassaro
Wendy Smith
What happened next
Josie set up a GoFundMe campaign in summer 2020 to coincide with the time when we would normally be cheering on our athletes competing in the Olympics and Paralympics. In exchange for a donation, donors were sent a link to a video of the poem being read by the many athletes and comedian Adam Hills.
Hundreds of pounds were raised and split between Belfast Zoo, Chester Zoo, Colchester Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo, Twycross Zoo, Paignton Zoo and the Welsh Mountain Zoo.
David Hemery
Gold Medal winning hurdler David Hemery
Freia Challis
Freia Challis BMX World Champion
Marcus Mepstead Fencing Vice World Champion
Marcus Mepstead reads the fencing verse in the Animalympics
Richard Chiassaro Paralympian
Richard Chiassaro supports the Animalympics
Wendy Smith Paralympian basketball player
Wendy Smith Paralympian Basketball Player
Jo Mersh Olympian Athlete
Jo Mersh supporting the Animalympics
Katherine Bett
Professional Commentator for orienteering and athletics
Fiona Bunn orienteer
Fiona Bunn orienteer
Imogen Newby Archer
Imogen Newby loved the foxes competing in archery
Josephine Larkin Hammer Thrower
Josephine Larkin Hammer thrower and Animalympics reader
Katherine Grainger DBE
Katherine Grainger supports children’s reading
Oliver Swallow Triathlete
Oliver Swallow Triathlete reads the Animalympics
Ali Jawad Paraylmpian and Animalympian
Ali Jawad Paralympian and Animalympian Weightlifter
Ben Harrington tennis player
Ben Harrington Tennis Player and Animalympics supporter
Charles Rennie
Swimmer Charles Rennie takes us to where the Animalympics began with sloths swimming
Colin Plumb Karate Champion
Colin Plumb Karate Champion and Animalympics reader
Hannah Cockroft
Paralympian Hannah Cockroft reads the Animalympics
Jess Pilgrim
Jess Pilgrim England Golfer and Animalympics supporter
Leigh-Anne Black
Leigh-Anne Black from LAP Activewear reads the marathon verse for the Animalympics
European Champion Nathan Maguire
European Champion wheelchair racer Nathan Maguire reads the Animalympics
Saskia Clark Sailor
Saskia Clark Olympic Gold Medallist and Animalympics reader
Yona Knight-Wisdom
Diving Olympian Yona Knight-Wisdom helps Josie Dom with the Animalympics
Anna Turney Sit Skier
Anna Turney brings the Winter Olympics to the Animalympics
Daisy Partridge Eastern Counties Champion Javelin Thrower
Daisy Partridge Eastern Counties Champion Javelin Thrower reads for the Animalympics
Sophie McKinna
What’s next?
The rhyming story has now been published as a 52-page full-colour illustrated hardback book, which you can order here.
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