Zoo recognised as autism-friendly

Dudley Zoo manager, Matt Lewis and diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion champion Rosie Whiteside celebrate the accreditation

A Black Country zoo has been certified "autism friendly" by a charity for people with learning disabilities.

Dudley Zoo was recognised by Dimensions for its welcoming atmosphere and work to make the site more inclusive for visitors with sensory needs.

Zoo manager Matt Lewis thanked the charity for its support and advice and said he was "incredibly proud".

The zoo will hold its first quiet morning for autistic guests on 19 May.

On the day, it will open at 09:00 BST and turn off all music and background sounds in indoor areas for two hours.

It will begin running its land train later than usual at 10:30 BST and make a quiet room available in its Discovery Centre for visitors.

The attraction said it had also added signs and information boards to help people identify "sensory environments" installed around the site.

It has additionally made ear defenders and fidget toys available and created an online story to help neurodivergent guests prepare for visits.

Visitors can pre-book tickets for the quiet day on the attraction's website.

Dimensions, which also provided free training for staff, said in a report the zoo's team "understood the challenges and were willing to put in the effort".

The charity's campaign manager Sarah Walters added: "There are a few basic changes that can be made… but all in all, Dudley Zoo is already autism accessible, inclusive and (most importantly) welcoming."