A 91-year-old animal lover from Romsey has fulfilled her dream of visiting Marwell Zoo.

Margaret Sargent who lives with dementia and requires 24-hour care, told her live-in carer about her love for animals and her wish to visit her local zoo one day.

After learning of Margaret’s wish, care provider Right at Home relaunched its popular Tin Full of Wishes program, designed to help their clients fulfil their lifelong dreams.

Upon hearing Margaret’s story, Marwell Zoo generously donated free tickets for her and her live-in carer, Mevis Mutanga, and compliance coordinator, Grace Mitchell, to attend.

Reflecting on her trip, Margaret was overwhelmed with gratitude, expressing that it was a day she will never forget.

She said: "I had such a wonderful time at Marwell Zoo. Seeing the animals, especially the tigers, was a dream come true.

“I'm so grateful to my carers for making this day possible—I couldn't have asked for better support."

The trio embarked on the trip on September 18, visiting every animal enclosure. A highlight of the trip was special moment with tiger, Valentina.

Since the passing of Marwell’s long-standing tiger, Bagai, Valentina has been seen less frequently.

The zoo said: "Valentina and Bagai were a very close pair, often seen grooming, playing, and sleeping together. Since Bagai’s passing, Valentina has kept to herself more."

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However, when Margaret arrived at the tiger enclosure, wearing her tiger-patterned jacket, Valentina came up to the screen, as if to greet her.

Grace said: “It was a truly magical moment for Margaret, whose love for tigers was met with this incredible experience.”

Shannon Haines, registered manager at Right at Home Mid Hampshire, shared her thoughts on the heartwarming experience: “We are so thrilled to bring back our ‘Tin Full of Wishes’ program, and what a fantastic way to start.

“We are incredibly thankful to Marwell Zoo for making this happen and proud of our team for going the extra mile to make our clients’ wishes come true. It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do.”