Colchester Zoo are delighted to be a part of celebrating the 250th anniversary of Colchester Medical Society!

Colchester Medical Society is the oldest provincial medical society in the country, being established in 1774. This year, to celebrate their 250th anniversary, they have arranged a number of activities and events to mark this historic milestone, including a gala dinner, a series of history lectures, a charity wing walk and a garden party at Beth Chatto gardens, but they also wanted to mark the occasion with a piece of art that the public could admire.

The emblem of the society is the rhinoceros because it represents the thick skin and strength that healthcare professionals need to carry out their professional duties in a sustainable way. During their anniversary year, the medical society wanted to create a piece of artwork that would not only celebrate its proud history but also represent the values of health and a sustainable environment. The committee therefore commissioned a large wood carving of a rhino that will also serve as a seat and have since donated this to Colchester Zoo for visitors to admire and enjoy.

Weighing in at three quarters of a tonne, it took 40 hours to prepare and carve by Welsh craftsmen. The timber used was from a fallen Redwood tree that was reported to be over 150 years old. The society are also planting two new Redwood trees at Colchester Cemetery in autumn as part of the anniversary year celebrations.

Consultant Surgeon, Mr Greg Wynn who is currently co-president of the society said: “Human health is dependent on the health of our global environment for which we must all take responsibility. The mistaken belief that rhino horn has medicinal benefits has taken a great toll on this species. This carving was donated to Colchester Zoo to show support for the conservation efforts that they do to preserve this wonderful animal in the wild in the face of threats from poachers and loss of habitat.”

“We were delighted that the Colchester Medical Society thought of us to be the ideal location for their rhinoceros carving. The carving is a great synergy of what we both stand for. We are always looking to build vital partnerships within our local community and thrilled that we could offer a suitable space to help celebrate their 250th anniversary. We hope that visitors will enjoy watching our crash of rhinos whilst resting upon the magnificent carving which represents the importance of conservation perfectly.” – Melissa Dench, Business Development Manager.

The rhino bench along with an acknowledgement sign about the partnership between both Colchester Zoo and the Colchester Medical Society was installed on the morning of 20th September. The rhino carving is located at an idyllic spot within the Zoo along the African Plateau which looks out over the mixed African habitat, Kingdom of the Wild.

Colchester Zoo along with members of the Colchester Medical Society attended the area on the 20th September in celebration and were delighted to be able to reveal the bench for visitors to use. It was only right that members of the Colchester Medical Society were the first to use the bench and admire the species it stands to represent.