On Saturday 19th March, The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary will host An Evening With The Corneys, a charity fundraiser which will feature Judith and Charlotte Corney in conversation with the journalist and broadcaster, Tom Stroud.
The Q&A style evening will be a personal insight into an extraordinary family history who are very much part of Island folklore.
Fascinating homelife
Tom will be talking to the Corneys about their fascinating homelife where it wasn’t uncommon for them to take a stroll along the beach in Yaverland with a tiger, have lemurs accompany them on the school run or to watch their father Jack Corney milk venomous snakes.
The Corney connection to the Island began just over 45 years ago in autumn 1976 when the Corney family bought the rundown Isle of Wight Zoo.
Jack Corney had seen an article about “Britain’s Slum Zoo” in a newspaper and decided it would be lovely to own a small zoo that was both educational and interesting.
One of Isle of Wight’s most popular and iconic attractions
The Corney family set about nursing the animals and site back to health and turning the historic Sandown fort in to one of the Isle of Wight’s most popular and iconic attractions.
It took over 18 months to clear the site and get it ready to open to the public. The family added Jack’s beloved snake collection to the zoo and later added their first tiger, Tamyra, who was famously walked along the beach at Yaverland during the 1970s.
The Corney family have hand-reared
many animals over the years including tigers, lions, lemurs and a
black leopard so this evening will be a fascinating first hand
account of their remarkable family life.
Providing forever homes to animals that have been rescued
Today the old “zoo” has been transformed into a wildlife sanctuary and charity providing forever homes to animals that have been rescued from suffering and harm across Europe.
It will be an evening to discover more about the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary’s past, present and future. All proceeds from the evening will go to the new Primate Rescue Facility being built at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary.
Tickets are priced £25 (or £20 Wildheart members) and can be booked through the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary’s Website.
Doors open 18.30, talk begins 19.30
News shared by Matthew on behalf of Wildheart Animal Sanctuary. Ed
