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Congratulations and welcome to West Midland Safari & Leisure Park and SeaQuarium!

You have joined the Leisure Industry – an Industry like no other! It is bold, fun and immensely enjoyable for the thousands of guests that visit us every year – and it is made so by our employees.

West Midland Safari Park is no newcomer to the leisure industry. Having opened in 1973, we are still 1 of only 5 Safari Parks in the UK!

Since our early days, West Midland Safari Park has changed beyond recognition and being part of an industry that is constantly moving with the times, we have made sure that we have too. We have built on our success over the years and can now offer excellent employment opportunities throughout many of our different departments.

Our attraction in Bewdley spans 200 acres and combines 4 miles of self-drive Safari featuring some of the worlds most fantastic animals. Plus Discovery Trail, which has some first class exhibits such as the recently added Penguin Cove, Sea Lion Theatre, Mark O’Shea’s Reptile World and the Twilight Bat Cave. Meanwhile, the amusement area plays host to a good variety of family fun rides, attractions and games. We’re also very proud of our African Village exhibit, located by the lakeside, which incorporates “Walking with Lemurs” and “Meerkat Mayhem”

In 2001 we purchased two of the Sea Life aquariums and rebranded them as SeaQuarium. They are both located beside the sea; one at Rhyl on the beautiful north Wales coastline, the other at Weston-Super-Mare which is surrounded by 3 miles of sand along the coast of Somerset. Both offer our guests the chance to discover the breathtaking world of underwater wildlife and to join in with a variety of presentations and feeding demonstrations throughout the day. SeaQuarium at Rhyl also has a Sea Lion Theatre similar to WMSP.

The company mission statement : “Our aim is to provide a safe, entertaining and memorable day out for all our guests” should form the basis of everything we try to do.

By joining the Leisure Industry, we are looking to you to exceed expectations, be professional and show that you genuinely care about our guests – at all times.

Once again welcome to the team and congratulations, we do hope that you will be very happy in your new position.

Darren Chorley Operations Director

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3.1 GUEST IMPORTANCE Now that you have been through our interview and induction process, you will have a great understanding into how important our guests are and how vital you are to achieving high levels of guest satisfaction.

You are therefore part of the Attraction’s most valuable asset. You will welcome our guests when they arrive, keep them safe, serve them in the commercial outlets, entertain them, provide them with answers to help them maximise their enjoyment, and hopefully leave them with a really positive memory of their experience.

To reflect the basic principles, you need simply to place yourself in the guest’s shoes. Ask yourself whether your demeanour, attitude and general performance are such that you are providing the high standard of service that you would pay for on a special day out with your family or friends.

3.2 ATTRACTION KNOWLEDGE

Whilst you are employed by us, ensure that you familiarise yourself with the whole site, as you are always a point of contact for guests regardless of which department you work in. Your welcome induction will provide you with basic information about our Attractions, which you may use in order to assist our guests. If you are unsure on what information to divulge, please don’t give out details that may be incorrect. It is better to ask a Supervisor for the answer as opposed to giving out incorrect information. Feel free to read the staff handbook, newsletter and web site for a bit more information about us!

3.3 GUEST COURTESY

When dealing with any of our guests, we are all expected to follow basic manners and courtesy. Your Welcome Induction will include an element regarding guest courtesy, but there are other basic manners that we all need to apply when dealing with guests. This includes speaking very politely, using a person’s name where possible. If you do not know their name, address the guest as “Sir” or “Madam”. Never address them as “mate” or any other slang name. Of course, using “please” and “thank you” are an absolute minimum. We try to encourage a friendly environment for employees and guests, so swearing is not permitted at any time.

Also, don’t forget our 3 “S’s” of Hospitality when dealing with any guests, including your work colleagues:-

1. Smile2. Speak3. Serve

3.4 SITE CLEANLINESS

A clean and tidy site shows the guest that you take pride in the Attraction and help to maintain that appearance. Plus it shows that it is a safe and healthy place to visit and in which to work.

You should:-• Keep your own work area free from rubbish and dirt, checking carefully before your area is open to guests.• If there is a large spillage or a high volume of rubbish that you are unable to deal with, please contact your Supervisor.• Pick up litter and dispose of it as you spot it anywhere on the site. • Practice ‘Good Housekeeping’ by storing tools, equipment and your personal possessions neatly in the appropriate places.• Make sure facilities, especially toilets, are up to standard, reporting any defects immediately to your Supervisor.• Help keep the Attraction neat and tidy and don’t just leave it for someone else!

3.5 COMPLAINTS Whilst the Attraction tries to go that extra mile in order to exceed guest expectations, sadly there are occasions when guests do not feel that we have met their hopes.

Your Welcome Induction includes information on why guests complain and top tips on how to deal with the complaints.

Please find below a few extra tips on how to deal with a complaint:• Allow the guest to say what their concerns are, without interrupting.• Do not take sides with either the guest or the attraction stay neutral and calm.• Do not expand or add historical reference to their complaint.• Rectify the matter where possible.• If you are unable to rectify the matter, seek assistance from your Supervisor.• Once dealt with, always report the matter to your Supervisor.

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3.5 COMPLAINTS CONT’DIt is ever more important at this stage that you give out correct information. For example, if a guest requests a refund, don’t direct them to the Main Office to receive their money back. Always check the Department Policy with regard to refunds.

In most or all cases, and whether or not the matter is within your area of responsibility, you should thank the guest and apologise for any inconvenience they have suffered and generally make them understand that you appreciate what they have had to say and that you and those on site care about the matter. Once you have dealt with a complaint, always remember to report this matter to your Supervisor.

Regardless of whether you feel their concern is substance for a complaint or agree with their comments, you must always treat our guests with courtesy and respect.

3.6 SELLING Whatever your role, we all at some stage may be in a position where we are selling our product. This may simply be because the guest asks you for advice about the Attraction and its facilities. In such cases, be prepared to explain the options available to meet those needs and, if necessary help them to decide.

3.7 LOST CHILDRENShould you be made aware that there is a lost child, in the first instance, gather a description of the child, including:-

• Child’s first name & surname.• Gender.• Approximate age.• Description of clothing.• Where the child was lost/found.

Once you have this information, make an announcement to all stations by using the radio provided, confirming the above information. If you are not a radio holder, contact your Supervisor who can assist.

The child must always be kept where they were found, as the parent or guardian may come back to find them. Never take a child out of a public area on your own.

You must ensure that where possible, two members of staff are with the child. In most cases, lost children are normally frightened or very upset. Try to soothe them and make them feel safe, but no physical contact is permitted. Do not pass them onto other guests unless they are their parents or guardians.

Make sure that when a child is reunited with their parent(s)/guardian(s), all departments are informed.

In the extremely unlikely circumstance that a child is seen to be taken against their will, inform your Supervisor immediately.

3.8 LOST PROPERTYShould you find any lost property, immediately report it to your Su-pervisor. They will ensure that it is handed in at the Main Office. A log is kept in the Main Office for all property that has been reported lost and found.

3.9 DISABLED GUESTS

More information on how to deal with disabled guests will be covered during your Welcome Induction. Remember a disabled guest is visiting the Attraction for the same reason as any other guest, which is to enjoy a day out. Disabled guests don’t wish to be treated any differently, although some consideration to offer help according to their needs is expected.

Guidelines on how to assist our disabled guests:-

Blind or Visually Impaired:• Never assume what a guest can or can’t see.• Look for visual signs – red or white canes, guide dogs or lapel badges.• Say who you are – speak normally, don’t shout.• Avoid using body language and hand gestures - speak directions and signs to them.• Don’t be embarrassed to read something out to the guest.• If they need help, ask how they would like to be guided and give them time to hold your arm securely before you walk off.• Explain any loud noises or busy areas.• Don’t forget to say whether steps are up or down.• Let the person hold onto any handrails.• Never back someone into a chair – stand behind and guide them into the seat.• Say when you’re leaving.

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3.9 DISABLED GUESTS CONT’DHearing Impaired:

• Make sure you have the person’s attention before speaking.

• Speak clearly, without shouting, and a little slower than normal –

don’t mumble or cover your face.

• Don’t exaggerate your lip movements.

• Keep your face in the light, facing your listener.

• Use common and short words where possible, but not slang.

• Don’t change the subject without warning.

• Concentrate when listening.

• Write things down, use maps and diagrams.

• Use gestures to explain what you are saying.

Service dogs are permitted on site but not in the Safari Adventure Drive-through. Other dogs are not permitted on site and guests should be advised on where their dog needs to be left.

Portable hearing loops are available in key areas around the Attractions. Your Supervisor will inform you where they are and how to use them.

3.10 WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND VULNERABLE ADULTSAs part of our duty of care to both guests and our employees, the following guidelines must be adhered to when you have contact with young people and vulnerable adults. For the purpose of these guidelines, young people are those aged 16 and under and includes guests, employees, work experience and volunteers.

Please read the following points; these are in place to ensure that you are protected from accusations of inappropriate behaviour:

• Do not allow them to sit on your lap or lift them up without permission.• If they want a photo with you, keep physical contact to a minimum and make sure your hands are visible.• If they wish to hold onto you, ensure you have the permission of the parent/guardian/carer. Try to encourage the parent/guardian/ carer to have contact instead of you.• Avoid being alone with them - always ask the parent/guardian/ carer or alternatively a colleague to remain with you.

• Be polite and friendly, but do not forge relationships or make favourites.• Never give out your contact details to them, including your telephone number or e-mail.• Never take a photo of them using any equipment unless they have signed an agreement for you to do so.• Avoid contact outside of the workplace with children or vulnerable adults that you have met on site. This includes the use of social network sites, e-mails, telephone or any other form of communication.• And finally but most importantly of all, under no circumstances tell them to “keep a secret” as this can be easily misconstrued and have serious consequences.

Failure to adhere to these guidelines may be deemed a gross misconduct offence, which may lead to summary dismissal and reported to the Police if deemed to be serious enough.

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4.1 GENERALAs soon as you are in uniform, whether or not you are on or off site, guests, visitors, colleagues and the general public alike will see you as a representative of the Attraction, regardless of whether or not you are officially clocked in at work.

With this in mind, please remember that being on site effectively equates to being on duty. Even if you haven’t clocked in, as soon as you are wearing our uniform, our guests will feel that they can approach you for assistance around the site.

For that reason, please ensure that you present yourself and behave with the same high standards as outlined in your Welcome Induction both on and off site. This includes not using mobile telephones or other devices and ensuring that your uniform is worn correctly.

As we are trying to become more environmentally friendly, we would always encourage staff to lift share, walk or even cycle to work on a regular basis in order to support the Company’s Environmental Policy.

4.2 WALKING Should you choose to walk to work and wear your own clothes, you must report to Reception on arrival so that we are aware that you are attending work.

All visitors and guests are required to report to Reception when they arrive and if you don’t, we won’t know who you are or why you are on site!

4.3 CYCLING If you opt to cycle to work, please ask your Supervisor where there is a suitable place to keep your bicycle secure. At West Midland Safari Park, bicycles may not use the exit lane to enter the site and are not permitted on any of the pathways throughout the site.

All bicycle riders must ride on the correct side of the road where available and not enter any pedestrian area.

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4.4 DROP OFF/COLLECTIONIf you do have to be dropped off or picked up from work, there is access in front of all of the sites for you to do so.

At WMSP, please ensure that you are dropped off at the point sign posted on the front drive, which is on the brow of the hill as you come in through the top entrance gates. This is also the collec-tion point while the park is open. Should you be collected after the entrance has closed, vehicles may turn around in front of the Reception area and exit back up the hill.

You are not permitted to be taken past the Reception point, so therefore you will need to make your way on foot from/to the front drive when being dropped off/collected.

4.5 PERSONAL VEHICLES You are required to obtain a Staff Vehicle Pass, which must be displayed in your vehicle at all times. Application forms for these passes may be collected from your Supervisor.

Should you enter West Midland Safari Park in your own vehicle, please note that the speed restriction on the main roads is 20mph and you are not permitted to drive in any pedestrianised area.

All vehicles should be locked and made secure. The Company will not be responsible for any theft of a vehicle, theft of personal belongings or damage to your vehicle.

On the rare occasion that you may be required to use your own vehicle for work purposes, subject to the Duty Manager’s approval, you must ensure that your insurance covers you for work purposes.

On busy days, including bank holidays and busy weekends, em-ployees are encouraged to avoid driving to work and find alternative ways to get to work as limited parking will be available.

4.6 PARKING All of our Attractions have provision for parking. Our SeaQuarium sites have limited parking, so your Supervisor will confirm where you can park.

If you have any difficulty accessing the site due to disability, consideration will be given to alternative arrangements. Please discuss this with the Human Resource Manager.

All staff motor vehicles are to be parked in allocated areas, as shown to you during your Welcome Induction to the Company. We operate on a “first come, first served basis” with regards to staff parking. If you are unable to find a parking space in your allocated area, please alert your Supervisor straight away and we can dis-cuss alternative parking for you.

At WMSP we always give priority to Guest parking. We like to ensure that staff vehicles can’t be seen by guests arriving on site, as guests tend to park next to staff cars rather than use the priority spaces made available for them.

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5.1 PUNCTUALITYBeing reliable and punctual is essential, as you are needed for the smooth operation of the Attraction. Your hours of work are pub-lished on your schedule / rota. The start time specified is the time that you are required to be in your place of work/unit, and not when you are expected to be on site.

Therefore, please give thought to travelling to work and locating yourself around the Attraction in order to be as punctual and effec-tive as you can.

We operate a clocking-in system that is based on using your finger-prints. Your supervisor will register your fingerprint when you start and will show you how to clock in/out.

5.2 ATTITUDE & BEHAVIOUR As leisure professionals you are expected to behave in a respon-sible manner at all times.

Remember – if you were a member of cast in a play, you would go to great lengths to ensure that your guests and audience believe you gave your best performance to the highest standard – keep that positive thought the whole time you are working here!

In order to support a healthy attitude and behaviour, there are a few pointers below to help you:

Give our Guests your full attention: Uniformed staff casually gathering presents a bad image and therefore staff are requested to refrain from talking to other work colleagues in the presence of guests. Reading books/magazines and listening to MP3 players, mobile phones or other devices is not permitted at any time whilst in a guest area, regardless of whether you have clocked in for work or not. Of course, you are permitted to use these items when you are on your rest break and in a designated staff room.

But don’t create the wrong type of attention:Loud or undue familiarity, gossiping, swearing, or “chatting-up” the guests is not acceptable. Messing around and riding on any amuse-ment device (except in the course of duty), vehicle or equipment can be dangerous and is not acceptable. Smoking, eating or drinking in any guest areas sets the wrong impression, so we don’t allow it.

Helping people enjoy themselves can be fun. Share in the rewards of making our guests happy but remember our priorities and guide-lines to ensure their safety at our place of work.

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5.3 APPEARANCE & HYGIENE Personal appearance or visual impact is very much part of the guest experience. As a representative of our Attraction, if you do not “look up to standard”, the guest may judge the whole Attraction accordingly and then start to question safety, food hygiene and work standards generally. It is up to you to create a positive impression, so remember you are “on show” to the guests throughout the working day. If you look good, you will feel good, and the guests will have a positive attitude about you and the Attraction.

Take pride in your appearance and, having got it right at the start of your shift, check it and correct it as necessary from time to time throughout your period of duty.

A clean and neat visual appearance on its own is not enough. Remember that you will often be in close contact with the guests, and that all aspects of “personal freshness” are important. Of course, we do respect that members of staff are entitled to smoke, however, please be mindful of how your hygiene may appear should you have been smoking and not “freshened” your breath.

Watches and wedding rings are of course acceptable. You are not permitted to wear any other jewellery. Such items can become hygiene and/or safety hazards. We allow you to wear one pair of simple stud earrings, except in Food & Beverage, where ear-rings are not permitted.

Makeup should be moderately applied and subtle. When nail varnish is applied, it should be unchipped and unobtrusive. If you work in Food & Beverage, you may not wear nail varnish.

Hair must be clean, neat, and generally presentable. This applies particularly to long hair, which must be tied back at all times. Loud or otherwise exaggerated hairstyles are to be avoided and where relevant, you may be sent home if your appearance is deemed to be inappropriate. Men should be either properly clean-shaven or with neat, trimmed moustache or beard. Where appropriate, hats and beard nets must be worn by all Food & Beverage staff while on duty in food service and preparation areas.

Tattoos and body markings should be covered as much as possible whilst in public areas at the Attraction when in uniform, whether you are on duty or not.

We will of course have regard to any specific requirements that you may have because of your religious belief which may require you to wear particular clothing, hair styles, jewellery and/or body markings. If you have any concerns regarding these, please contact the Human Resource Manager.

5.4 UNIFORM, FOOTWEAR & NAME BADGE Should you be required to wear uniform issued by the Company, please be aware that you are responsible for the care and presentation of the clothing. If you are issued unacceptable uniform, please return it immediately and we will happily exchange it. This avoids any problems at the end of the season when you could have deductions made from your final wage for returning unacceptable uniform. Ensure that the uniform fits properly, is clean and in a good state of repair, and that you look your best in it at all times. If you are not happy with the condition of your uniform, please discuss it with your supervisor.

This includes ensuring that your:• Shirt is tucked in.• Sleeves and collars are not rolled up.• Trouser legs are sitting neatly on shoes (trousers are to be tacked up and not cut).• Shoes are black and polishable (no trainers are allowed).

Below are photographs of what you should look like when on site and in uniform:

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5.4 UNIFORM, FOOTWEAR & NAME BADGE CONT’D You are required to provide your own black shoes and wear dark socks. Your shoes should be polished, clean, neat and tidy before arrival at work, and be suitable to your working environment. Socks with holes or laddered tights should not be worn.

If we are unable to provide you with the full uniform, it is your responsibility to check on a frequent basis if new suitable uniform is available. Black trousers must be worn if no uniform trousers are currently available.

You must wear your name badge, level and straight, preferably over the left breast pocket/site logo, whenever you are on duty. Other badges may not be worn, except those issued to you by your Supervisor.

During cold weather conditions, it is recommended that you wear additional layers beneath your uniform, but they must not be visible.

When we have particularly sunny weather, we do allow staff to wear sunglasses, but only with the express permission from their Supervisor.

We provide you with a comprehensive uniform, allowing our staff to be easily identified, as well as aiding you to avoid wearing and damaging your own clothes. Therefore, we will take a refundable deposit from your first wage to cover any costs should you damage or lose any of the items we provide. When you leave the Attraction, the deposit will be refunded to you as long as the complete uniform is returned and not damaged or soiled. Charges are made should the uniform not be returned complete or in an acceptable condition and are outlined on the Employee Uniform Form, which you will sign when you receive the uniform.

There are key times during the year that you are required to wear outfits in line with the theme of the business. An example of this is during our Christmas and Halloween events, when staff may be required to wear an Elf or Halloween outfit to be in tune with the theme of the event.

Should you not be expected to attend work in uniform, you will be required to provide your own clothing, which must be smart, suitable and practical for the type of work you are doing as well as the weather conditions. Your Supervisor will advise you what work wear is appropriate.

If you do not follow this dress code, you may be subjected to disciplinary action.

5.5 MOBILE PHONES & MESSAGES The use of mobile phones whilst on duty is prohibited, except by the Management Team for work purposes. All mobile phones must be kept switched off whilst on duty and left in lockers provided. If there is not a locker available, you should hand your mobile phone to your Supervisor, which may be collected at the end of your shift. Failure to observe these requirements may result in disciplinary action being taken and the item being confiscated until the end of your shift.

Many staff at our Attractions have safety sensitive roles that may be hindered by the use of mobile phones, which is why the use of them is restricted.

You may not use a mobile phone while operating any machinery, rides or devices. Mobile phones may only be used in conjunction with a suitable hands free kit while driving any Company vehicle. Even with hands free it is recommended that the vehicle is pulled over and stationary for the duration of the call.

If someone needs to contact you during the day, they may contact the main site telephone number, who will then transfer the call to your department. To ensure the message gets passed to you promptly, the caller will need to give your full name and the depart-ment that you work in. Callers will not be transferred to you without first getting permission from your Supervisor.

5.6 EATING, DRINKING & SMOKING Please confine all eating, drinking and smoking to your break time and in a staff room or staff areas out of sight of guests. Smokers are permitted the same breaks as non-smokers; extra breaks for smoking are not allowed. Smoking is only permitted in designated smoking areas during approved break periods. Your Supervisor will inform you where these are for your Department. The same rules also apply to E-cigarettes.

5.7 BREAKS All staff are entitled to a rest break as outlined in the contract of employment. The Company will schedule rest breaks at a mutually convenient time, or at the time specified in the contract of employment. Should you wish to go off-site during your scheduled break then you must inform your Supervisor.

You are not permitted to take additional rest breaks unless agreed with the Duty Manager. If there is an occupational need for an additional break (i.e., pregnancy, return back to work after a period of prolonged absence), the Company will give due thought to each individual case.

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5.8 PERSONAL BELONGINGSWe take site and staff security seriously and do our utmost to avoid any security issues or theft arising.

However, in order to achieve this, we have to ask our employees to support us and work together with us to keep occurrences of theft low.

With this in mind, you are requested not to bring valuable personal items onto the premises. We do not accept liability for the loss or damage to any personal items, regardless of where they are stored on site.

There are however, a variety of belongings that you may feel you wish to bring with you into the work place, namely personal money and a mobile phone, which you must declare at the start of the day.

If you do not follow this dress code, you may be subjected to disciplinary action.

5.9 SECURITY SEARCHESWe have permission to perform random or cause security searches, which will be done by an appropriate Supervisor at any time to improve security of monies or stock on the site. Employees are required to agree, on request from the appropriate Supervisor, to a search of their outer clothing, locker, bag, vehicle etc. Any breach of these conditions or failure to obey a reasonable request or instruction will lead to serious disciplinary action being taken.

If your Supervisor feels that there is a need to perform a security search, you will be given the option to choose a work colleague you would like present during the search. You do have the right to refuse having a colleague in attendance.

Searches must always take place in a private area and only same gender Supervisors may perform a search.

Having performed a clothing search, should the Supervisor still have reasonable belief that you are hiding Company money or belongings, the Duty Manager should be informed and the local police will be called to go into further detail.

Most departments have lockers available for staff to store their personal belongings. Please use these facilities where possible to support a secure environment.

Should you feel that there is a breach of security on site, you should contact your Supervisor in the first instance to report the situation.

5.10 MEDICATIONIf you are taking any medication that may affect you during your employment, you must inform your Supervisor and First Responder/First Aider.

Even over the counter drugs may cause adverse effects, which may include drowsiness.

The majority of the roles on our site are safety sensitive and there-fore you could be a danger to yourself, work colleagues and guests when operating equipment should you have any side effects to any medication.

Even if you don’t feel that you have any side effects, it is imperative we know that you are taking medication to avoid any issues should you require any first aid care.

If necessary, a risk assessment will be performed to ensure that you are at minimal risk when at work.

5.11 ALCOHOL, DRUG & SOLVENT ABUSE You must not use, possess, conceal, transport, promote or sell prohibited substances or alcohol whilst on Company premises or in Company vehicles. You also must not report for work under the influ-ence of prohibited substances or alcohol.

We reserve the right to undertake pre-employment, cause or random drug or alcohol tests at any time to ensure that we provide a safe, secure and appealing environment for all of our guests and col-leagues.

Testing positive for alcohol or illegal substances or failure to co-operate with the testing procedures may result in disciplinary action, which could lead to your dismissal on grounds of gross misconduct.

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5.12 PERSONAL VISITORS/PETS ON SITEYou may not bring any pets or private visitors, including young children and babies onto the premises unless you have prior permission from the Duty Manager.

All approved visitors must report to the Main Office on arrival. Should any tickets be required for private guests, you must get approval in the first instance from the Duty Manager. The tickets must be collected from the Main Office before the guest will be permitted on site.

5.13 DISCOUNTS AND FREE ENTRY PASSYou will be provided with Free Family Passes for four people, whilst you are employed at the Attraction. The Human Resources Manager will issue your pass to you, usually after the Easter break. You are also entitled to a Free Family Pass for four people to any of our other Attractions.

In addition, you are entitled to a 35% discount on all items in Retail areas and at selected Catering outlets.

At West Midland Safari Park, catering goods can only be purchased from Explorers Cafe (including Oasis), Port Livingstone Pizza and Botswana Burger Bar.

Staff are not permitted to purchase any food or beverage items from any of our kiosks.

On occasions, we offer staff discounted tickets for special events throughout the season, so please check the staff web site at www.wmsp.co.uk/staff for the very latest news.

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6.1 TEAMWORKAt all of our Attractions, we encourage all employees, work experience and volunteers, regardless of which department they work for, to work together as a team. We all have the same mission as we have mentioned earlier in the handbook, and it is key that we work together in order to achieve it.

Teamwork includes being positive, assisting colleagues, being prepared to swap departments if needed and supporting your Supervisor with all work related requests made.

By working as a team, we all get to share ideas and learn more about each other and other departments, in turn developing ourselves and the Attraction.

6.2 HEALTH AND SAFETYThe Company’s Board of Directors is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for all team members to work in. You will find a copy of the General Statement of Safety Policy on your own site noticeboard, which you should make yourself familiar with.

The most important thing to remember is that Health and Safety is a collective responsibility, therefore everyone has a part to play in ensuring that high standards of health and safety are maintained at all times.

You will have the following responsibilities:-

• Make yourself familiar with, always cooperate and follow the Company’s policies and procedures during the course of your work. If you are in any doubt, ask your Supervisor for advice.• Always take reasonable care of yourself and don’t do anything that could harm you or anyone else.• Do not misuse or interfere with anything provided for safety purposes.• If you see an unsafe act or condition, report it to your Supervisor immediately.

6.3 FIRST AIDShould a guest or work colleague require any first aid treatment, immediately inform your Supervisor or a member of the Management Team. They will locate a First Responder/First Aider to deal with the situation.

Unless you are a fully trained First Aider, you must not assist any-one, even if it is just issuing a plaster, with any first aid treatment. Stay with the guest or work colleague until the First Responder/First Aider arrives to take over. Should the patient be upset or panic, do your best to calm them down and reassure them.

Never call an ambulance, as this decision will be made by the First Responder/First Aider, who will follow protocol to deal with this. All calls for an ambulance must be directed through the Main Office to ensure that all staff are coordinated on site. No calls for any emergency service should be made via a mobile telephone or from any internal telephone, as this leads to confusion and a delay in response if the relevant people are not involved in dealing with the situation.

First Aid equipment is located in most units and areas and only First Aid staff are allowed access to such equipment. No member of staff is permitted to tamper with, remove or store any personal medication in the first aid kits.

6.4 EMERGENCY SITUATIONSShould you feel there is a situation that requires an Emergency Service, i.e., Fire, Police, First Aid, you must not call any service yourself, either from a mobile or internal telephone. Contact your Supervisor. We have policies in place to deal with all emergencies and your Supervisor will explain these to you during your depart-ment training.

6.5 USE OF COMPANY VEHICLESShould you be required to use a Company vehicle or hire car during employment you must have a full, valid driving licence and abide by the guidelines set down.

If you are required to drive a Company vehicle into a pedestrian area in order to perform your duties, always remember that there is a 5mph speed restriction in all pedestrian areas on site and to always look out for pedestrians, regardless of the time of day.

All staff must sign an Employment Contract, which includes the Vehicle Clause agreement, before using Company vehicles.

When signing the vehicle out, you must read and understand the conditions with which you are using the vehicle. You will be respon-sible for damage to vehicles (£250 penalty) if you are negligent, including any fines and tickets received whilst the vehicle is in your care.

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6.5 USE OF COMPANY VEHICLES CONT’DIn addition, you are expected to adhere to any legal obligations when operating any Company vehicle.

Please note: Remember due to the Smoking Regulations, smoking is not permitted in any Company vehicle.

If you need a vehicle for work purposes, in the first instance, please attempt to use the pool car, which can be booked via the Main Office or Attraction Manager.

If the pool car is not available, please speak to your Supervisor and they will assist with locating an alternative vehicle.

Only when you have exhausted all possibilities for seeking a Company vehicle, consideration will then be given for using your own vehicle.

Should this situation arise, you must get permission from the Duty Manager prior to using your own vehicle and you must ensure that your personal vehicle insurance covers you for work purposes.

Company vehicles are not intended for personal use so therefore are only to be used for work purposes. Should you use a Company vehicle for personal use, the insurance will not be valid and therefore you will be driving the vehicle illegally.

6.6 ON SITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMSThe main communication systems on site between staff are radio and internal telephone. Please observe any communications issued to you and familiarise yourself with the communication systems we have in your work area. Always be professional as your conversation may be overheard by a Guest. Radio transmissions and telephone calls are monitored.

6.7 NOTICEBOARDSHere, you will find information of general interest including details of internal job vacancies and special offers. Ask your Supervisor where your noticeboard is situated.

6.8 NEWSLETTEROur Learning department collate information from all sites on a regular basis, which is communicated via our monthly staff newsletter. Please ensure that you read the newsletter, as it includes interesting facts about our Attractions along with any new and upcoming exhibits and news. Newsletters can be found in staff rest areas, noticeboards and web pages.

6.9 FLEXIBILITYWhilst your contract of employment does state your job title, we may on occasion request that you perform duties in other areas or at our other Attractions. This will include working both indoors and outdoors to meet the needs of the Company.

6.10 GREEN TEAMThe Green Team is a network of team members from all areas of our Attractions who are committed to minimising the negative envi-ronmental impact of our business operation.

This is achieved through our Environmental Policy, which can be found on staff noticeboards. All employees are responsible for working towards the objectives contained within this policy.

To find out more, contact our Research and Conservation Officer (based at WMSP) and you too can help in these main areas:

• Wildlife and Landscape• Community Participation• Energy Conservation• Water Conservation• Waste and Recycling

Key targets are the reduction of waste, energy and water use. This includes reducing use along with recycling and reusing where possible. Further details about recycling can be found from your Supervisor.

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7.1 ROTAS/SCHEDULESAll fortnightly paid staff are required to work the hours set out in your departments weekly or fortnightly working rota posted or otherwise specified in your contract of employment. All fortnightly paid staff must use the department rotas to check their start time and fill in their finish time on a daily basis.

The time specified on the rota is the time that you are required to be at your work station, not what time you need to be on site. Therefore, please allow enough time to travel to work, place away personal belongings, clock in and to get to your work station.

Work may commence in your area as early as 06.00 hours depending on your department, so please be prepared to start this early. Your shift end time may be up to 23.00 hours in high season or during special events depending on which area you are working in and the opening hours. However, we may require employees to work other hours, including overtime, depending on the needs of the Attraction.

7.2 TIME & ATTENDANCE RECORDINGAll employees are required to use the time & attendance system to register your attendance. This system is used not only to ensure that you are paid correctly, but also as a register in the event of an emergency. It is therefore essential to ensure that you clock in and out correctly. Please note, the system only keeps an algorithm of the fingerprint and not an actual image. Your Supervisor will explain the proper use of this system to you.

7.3 SALARY & BENEFITSAll employees are provided with a contract of employment, which outlines the rate of pay and frequency of payment along with any benefits that are provided by the Company.

7.4 PAYMENTAll seasonal staff are paid every two weeks on a Monday, unless the Monday falls on a Bank Holiday, whereby you will be paid on the next day, i.e., the Tuesday.

All monthly paid staff will receive your payment on the 28th of the month, unless this date falls on a weekend or Bank Holiday, whereby you will be paid on the Friday beforehand. Should you have any queries or concerns with regard to your wage, please contact your Supervisor.

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7.5 TAX OFFICEShould you need to contact the Tax Office for any reason, the contact details are:-

Address:-Inland Revenue & CustomsMidlands West AreaBridge HouseThe WaterfrontBrierley HillWest MidlandsDY5 1XR

Tax office telephone number: 0845 302 1408Employer Reference WMSP: 653 SA18223Employer Reference SeaQuarium: 653 WZ14776

Please ensure that you have your National Insurance number to hand when contacting the Tax Office.

7.6 OVERTIME & LIEU TIMEIn order to manage overtime payments in line with set budgets, all monthly paid overtime must be preauthorised by the Operations Team by e-mail prior to the overtime being worked, as stated in the Contract of Employment. Payment will only be processed if the e-mail authorisations are attached to the back of the overtime claim form.

Your Supervisor will have further information with regard to overtime payments and will be able to provide a more extensive policy.

We do not allow any member of staff to accrue overtime in order to take time off at a later date. Should overtime be worked and not be authorised for payment, the employee will have worked these hours as outlined in the contract (i.e., that a reasonable amount of overtime may be worked in line with the needs of the Attraction).

7.7 CALL OUTSThere may be occasions when you may be called back to the site outside of normal working hours in order to deal with an emergency situation. Should this occur, you will be paid your normal hourly rate of pay plus an additional premium. Call out payments will only be paid should the call out be authorised by the Operations Team.

7.8 EXPENSES & PETTY CASHAll Expenses and Petty Cash must be authorised by the Operations Team prior to usage.

Expenses payment must be submitted to the Operations Director on a Company Expenses Form and signed by your Supervisor. All original receipts must be stapled to the back. Please only submit one Expense Form within a normal pay period (Fortnightly / Monthly).

The original receipts for any Petty Cash issued must be handed back into the Main Office within 24hrs of purchase.

Please refer to the Company’s Expenses Policy for further information.

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8.1 DAYS OFFAll fortnightly paid staff days off will be specified on their rota, which is published on a weekly basis. Monthly paid staff are required to take their days off as outlined in your Contract of Employment. However, there may be occasions when either you or the Company may require you to change your days off. If this situation arises, you must get this approved by the Operations Team before chang-ing days off.

8.2 SICKNESS, NOTIFICATION & PAYMENTDue to the nature of our Attractions, we need to be prepared for the first guests arriving at 10am (earlier on Bank Holidays and certain special events). If you are absent for any reason, or will be late attending work, please ensure you notify your department office by telephone, at least 30 minutes before you are due on duty, by ring-ing the Attraction on the following numbers:

Rhyl: 01745 344660Weston: 01934 613361WMSP: 01299 402114

If you do not manage to speak to someone to transfer your call, please dial the extension number that you require when you get through to the automated system. You do not have to wait until you are prompted – you can dial the extension as soon as the system announces information about our Attraction.

Your Supervisor will confirm the most suitable extension number to dial to get directly through to your department.

If you are absent from work, you should personally contact your Supervisor. If you cannot because of a genuine reason, then a relative or a friend should notify the Supervisor on your behalf. Text messaging and e-mailing are not deemed to be suitable forms of communication when you are off sick and will not be accepted. Should you fail to contact the Attraction via telephone to report your absence; the absence will be treated as unauthorised and may be dealt with via the disciplinary procedure. You must provide the following information when contacting the Attraction regarding sickness: -

• Name• Department• Reason for absence• When you intend to return back to work

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8.2 SICKNESS, NOTIFICATION & PAYMENT CONT’DStatutory Sick Pay will be paid from the fourth day of sickness only if a self-certification form is completed for periods of illness in excess of three days and all the relevant statutory qualifying conditions are met. Any period of absence greater than seven days (including a weekend and days off) must be supported by a doctor’s/medical certificate. We will not cover any costs incurred obtaining a Medical Certificate.

If you have been absent from work with a valid medical certificate, you must produce a note from your doctor confirming that you are fit to work. We will also arrange a return-to-work interview.

If you have a disability, which may affect your ability to carry out your duties or your regular attendance, you should raise the matter with your Supervisor so that any suitable arrangements/adjustments can be considered.

In addition, if you have suffered from any of the following, and are working in a catering area, you must not attend work until you are free from symptoms for a minimum period of 48 hours:

• Vomiting• Diarrhoea• Septic skin lesions (boils, infected cuts etc, however small)• Discharge from ear, nose or any other area

During times when there is a national or regional pandemic, or you may have contracted an infection that could be passed onto our exotic species, we will provide you with specific guidelines on what to do and how to manage returning back to work.

8.3 HOLIDAYSThe holiday year runs from 1st January until 31st December of each year.

All holiday requests you have must be authorised by your Supervisor by using the Company Holiday Request Form, prior to booking any holiday. Holidays should not be booked until your Supervisor has authorised the holiday dates.

Whilst we try to allow you to take holiday when you choose, we reserve the right to refuse a holiday request if it affects the efficient running of the Attraction or if insufficient notice has been given. Therefore, you need to check that you can take the time off work prior to booking any holidays. Speak to your Manager regarding holiday planning.

Holiday taken without a completed and authorised Company Holiday Request Form will NOT be paid, and will be treated as unauthorised absence, which may result in disciplinary action being taken against you.

Certain departments will be required to reserve some of their annual holiday entitlement to be taken over the Christmas period. The Hu-man Resource Manager will advise employees at the beginning of the holiday year if days need to be reserved.

8.4 BANK HOLIDAYS & SPECIAL EVENTSWe recognise 8 statutory Bank Holidays each year. These are New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Late Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

When Bank Holidays are worked, you will be paid at time and a half. However, you agree that if you fail to work your full shifts as agreed with your Supervisor for 7 days before and 7 days after a Bank Holiday, and you fail to produce a medical certificate signed by a GP confirming your absence, the Bank Holiday payment will be paid at basic rate.

Enhanced payment for Bank Holiday working will apply should you work the following dates:

1st January25th December26th December

Should there be a bank holiday in lieu of these dates, basic rate of pay will apply should you be required to work those lieu dates and the enhanced payment only paid for the 1st Jan, 25th Dec or 26th Dec.

Throughout the season there are a variety of events that take place during the evening. Employees are required to support the Attraction with these events. These include annual events such as Summer Nights, October Spooky Spectacular and Firework Festival.

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8.5 MEDICAL, DENTAL AND OPTICIANS APPOINTMENTSShould you need a medical, dental or optician appointment, it should be made outside normal working hours. Whenever that is not possible, prior permission should be sought from your Supervisor. If your appointment is during working hours you will be asked to obtain an appointment card to confirm the time and date of your appointment. The time taken away from the work place for the appointment will be unpaid, or you may be asked to make the time up.

8.6 JURY SERVICEIf you are required to attend at court as a juror, or a witness, you will be given time off, which will be unpaid. Any claims for loss of earnings should be done via the court. You should also claim any travelling or out of pocket expenses from the court. You will be required to show evidence that you have been requested to attend court.

8.7 PUBLIC DUTIESWe will respect reasonable requests for unpaid leave for voluntary public duties, such as justice of the peace, Territorial Army volunteer reserve, and members of local authority council/health authority or school governing bodies. You should discuss any requirements with your Supervisor at the earliest opportunity.

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9.1 INDUCTION

As a new employee, you will be invited to attend a Welcome Induction, which will introduce you to the Company and prepare you for your first day.

This training session is extremely informative and will give you a good basis of understanding and expectation. You should not start work until you have completed this Induction.

9.2 DEPARTMENTAL TRAININGAll new employees will receive an extensive department training programme upon the completion of their Welcome Induction. This training will include a variety of training methods and we will encourage all staff to learn new skills and share ideas in the operation of their area.

Prior to working with our guests, you will receive a combination of formal instruction, on-the-job training and “buddying” so that you understand the tasks expected of you. The length of the programme, which may comprise anything from a few hours to several days or weeks, will depend on:

• The type of job• Your previous experience• How quickly you can demonstrate ‘competence’

Remember, if there is anything you do not understand, particularly if it involves Health and Safety matters, you must ask your Supervisor. They can provide additional training for you if required.

Our Attraction depends on effective, knowledgeable and well skilled people to achieve success in everything we do, which is why learning and career development have an important role in our business.

9.3 APPRAISALSWe formally review all staff throughout employment or in line with contractual obligations, allowing an opportunity for discussion and feedback. The meeting will allow both you and your supervisor to discuss your general peformance, objectives and to share your views.

9.4 RIGHT TO REQUEST TIME OFF FOR TRAINING We recognise that you may wish to further develop your skills for your own personal development. Eligible employees will have a statutory right to request time off for study or training.

Further details with regard to this policy are available from your Supervisor.

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10.1 CHANGES IN PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES Please inform the Human Resource Manager immediately of any changes in your personal circumstances, such as changes to your name, home address, telephone number, marital status, bank details and emergency contact details. It is vital that the Company keeps accurate information on staff to ensure that we can communi-cate with you effectively.

10.2 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES We promote an extensive Equal Opportunities Policy. It is our pol-icy not to discriminate against our employees on the basis of their gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, pregnancy, trade union membership or non membership, or the fact that they are a part-time or fixed-term employee.

It is our Policy that our employees and applicants for employment shall not be disadvantaged on any of the above grounds by any policies or conditions of service, which cannot be justified as neces-sary for operational purposes.

For further information regarding our Equal Opportunities Policy, please contact the Human Resource Manager.

10.3 EYE TESTS If you are deemed to be a VDU user, the Company will follow the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on the provision of an eye test. Should you feel that you do require an eye test, you must contact the Human Resource Manager, who will provide you with a voucher for an agreed supplier, which will allow you to receive a free eye test. All VDU users should have their vision tested regu-larly (at least every 5 years) by self or managerial referral.

10.4 ANTI BULLYING AND HARASSMENT If you consider that you are being bullied, harassed, intimidated or victimised, you should initially attempt to resolve the problem informally, explaining clearly to the person responsible that their behaviour is not welcome and that it offends you or makes you uncomfortable.

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10.4 ANTI BULLYING AND HARASSMENT CONT’D If this is too difficult or embarrassing for you to do on your own, you should seek support from your Supervisor, who will provide confidential advice and assistance.

If it is not appropriate or possible to resolve matters informally or, if after informal steps have been taken, the conduct continues, you should follow the formal grievance procedure.

10.5 WHISTLE BLOWING GUIDELINES When an employee considers that they have evidence of a wrongdoing, an illegal or dangerous practice being carried out within the workplace that is not in the interest of the public or work colleagues, or any severe breach of safety, you are actively encouraged to bring the matter to the attention of a Director, who will conduct an investigation immediately.

Whistle blowing protection will cover disclosures that the following events have happened, are happening or are likely to happen:

• A criminal offence;• A failure to comply with a legal obligation;• A miscarriage of justice;• The endangering of an individual’s health and safety; • Damage to the environment; and• Deliberate concealment of information relating to any of the above.

You will not be victimised or subject to any detrimental action being taken against you as a consequence of your action. If you feel that you are being victimised or subjected to any detrimental action for raising any matter under this policy, you should contact the Human Resource Manager immediately. All allegations of victimisation/detriment will be taken seriously. If you are found guilty of victimisation or of subjecting another employee to a detriment for raising any matter under this policy, you will be liable to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice.

Use of this procedure for malicious purposes will constitute gross misconduct rendering you liable to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice.

10.6 RECRUITMENT OF RELATIVES AND PARTNERS To avoid personal conflict, the Company may not allow recruitment of close relatives in the same department or in circumstances where one family member would be responsible for managing, supervising, auditing or authorising the work, pay, or stock/cash control of the other.

10.7 MATERNITY LEAVE In the event that you have discovered you are pregnant, you must first inform your Supervisor to ensure that your safety at work is analysed and full risk assessments are provided. A full Maternity Policy is available from the Human Resource Manager.

10.8 PATERNITY LEAVE The Company has a full Paternity Leave Policy, details of which are available from the Human Resource Manager. All Paternity Leave is paid in line with statutory requirements.

10.9 ADOPTION LEAVE The Company has a full Adoption Leave Policy, details of which are available from the Human Resource Manager. All Adoption Leave is paid in line with statutory requirements.

10.10 PARENTAL LEAVE The Company has a full Parental Leave Policy, details of which are available from the Human Resource Manager. There is no payment made for any Parental Leave taken.

10.11 FLEXIBLE WORKING The Company has a full Flexible Working Policy, details of which are available from the Human Resource Manager.

10.12 TIME OFF FOR DEPENDANTS The Company has a full Time Off for Dependants Policy, details of which are available from the Human Resource Manager. There is no payment made for any time taken off to care for a dependant. Where possible, the Company will allow the flexibility to swap days off in order to allow staff to have time off for dependants.

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10.13 WORKING TIME REGULATIONS The Working Time Directive gives employees basic rights as fol-lows:

Adult Workers (aged 18 upwards)

• A limit of an average of 48 hours per a week, which a worker can be required to work (though workers can choose to work more if they want to).• A right to 11 hours rest between working shifts.• A right to one day off each week.• A right to a 20 minute rest break, if the working day is longer than 6 hours.

Young workers (employees aged up to 17 inclusive) are entitled to the following:

• A right to 12 hours rest per day• A right to 2 days off per week• A rest break of 30 minutes if you work for more than four and a half hours at a stretch.• Work no more than eight hours per a day and 40 hours per a week

Workers aged 18 and over automatically opt out of the above regulations by signing their contract of employment. If you require opting back into the above regulations, you must put in writing that you wish this to occur, giving 3 months notice.

There are specific rules and regulations governing the employment of Compulsory School Aged Children, which are available from the Human Resource Department.

10.14 CONFIDENTIALITY & SECURITY We operate a policy with regard to confidential information. You will at all times protect and maintain the confidentiality of the Com-pany’s information and that of its guests and may only disclose such information as required by law or as is necessary during the course of your duties with the Company. You understand that this obliga-tion will continue at all times both during and after the termination of your employment.

Employees are not permitted to use Company property for any purpose other than its intended use. Company property must not be removed from the premises without prior approval from the Duty Manager.

10.15 DATA PROTECTION We comply fully with our obligations under the Data Protection Act. So that team members can also comply, please find below a summary of key points for you to note.

SUMMARY OF DATA PROTECTION RULESDO:• Obtain consent from the individual before holding data.• Only capture necessary information.• Refer any requests for an individual to view the data stored on them to your Supervisor.• Ensure that data is not held longer than is necessary.

DON’T:• Release information to anyone without the individuals consent and the consent of your Supervisor.• Release information to police/social services/any government agency without a data release form or crime number. Always take down details first and call back to ensure validity. If you are in any doubt, check with your Supervisor first.• Ignore a person’s request to view the data stored on them.• Pass any data we hold to a third party.• Use any personal data for direct marketing purposes, unless the individual has consented.• Send sensitive personal data by fax, unless you have checked that it is a confidential fax, the fax is marked confidential and the individual is expecting the fax. YOU MAY COMMIT A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IF YOU DISCLOSE INFORMATION TO ANYONE WHO IS NOT THE INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.

10.16 DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE (DBS) We use the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to help assess the suitability of applicants in a position of trust. These positions include Leisure staff, First Aid staff, Learning staff and Entertainments staff. We comply fully with the CRB Code of Practice regarding the correct handling, use, storage, retention and disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure information.

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10.17 INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY The Company has a full Information, Communication and Technol-ogy Policy, which is available from your Supervisor. You must sign and agree to the conditions of this policy before you can use any Company IT equipment in the course of your duties.

Staff are encouraged to discuss any issues they may have with their Supervisor in the first instance. Adding inappropriate comments to any form of social media is not acceptable and will be dealt with via disciplinary procedure.

No photographs of staff at work or behind the scenes should be dis-played in any public domain including social media. Should you need to take photographs in line with your duties then permission should be gained from the Operations team before any photographs are taken.

10.18 CCTV POLICY The Company operates CCTV around the site in order to support staff standards and to minimise any risk of criminal occurrences on site. A full CCTV policy is available from the Human Resource Manager

10.19 ENVIRONMENT We recognise that day-to-day operations can impact both directly and indirectly on the environment. We are committed to minimising the negative environmental impact of our business operation through good management and by adopting best practice where possible. To achieve this commitment, we will:

• Comply fully with all relevant legal requirements, codes of practice and regulations • Seek to manage waste according to the principles of reduction, re-use and recycling • Strive to reduce the amount of water and energy used • Minimise pollution to land, air and water caused by our business • Manage our Attractions in a manner sympathetic to local indigenous wildlife • Put it place and adhere to an environmental management plan that identifies targets and puts forward strategies by which these can be achieved • Continually monitor and regularly review our environmental performance and the systems in place for improving this • Communicate the importance of environmental issues to our staff & guests

All employees are responsible for working towards the objectives contained within our Environmental Policy. A full copy can be requested from the Human Resource Manager.

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11.1 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDUREThe Disciplinary Procedure is necessary for promoting orderly employment relations as well as fairness and consistency in the treatment of individuals. It enables us to influence the conduct of employees and deal with problems, by helping and encouraging the improvement of employees whose conduct or standard of work is unsatisfactory and thereby assists us to operate effectively and fairly.

The following system will apply:

1. We will write to you, informing you of why we are considering disciplinary action, or dismissal. In addition, this letter will inform you that you have the right to be accompanied, which must either be by a work colleague or trade union representative.

2. A face-to-face meeting will take place between your Manager and you. Time will be given during the meeting to consider the facts of the complaint that you have been informed of. After the meeting, you will be informed in writing of the decision made in relation to any disciplinary measures, your right to appeal and the time scale for the appeal to be made.

3. If you wish to appeal against any decision made, you must inform us in writing, to the specified Manager in the warning letter, within 5 days and a meeting will take place to discuss your reason for appeal. You will be informed of the outcome of the meeting in writing.

We may decide to suspend you pending investigation. Suspension may be with full pay; however we reserve the right to suspend an employee without pay depending on the situation.

If sickness intervenes during an investigation under the disciplinary procedure, the Supervisor will consider the nature and anticipated length of the absence and the nature of the matter under investigation.

If you fail to attend a disciplinary hearing, without contacting us to re-arrange the meeting or explain your absence, we will invite you to attend another meeting at an alternative date. However, if you fail to attend a second meeting without contacting us, the disciplinary hearing may go ahead in your absence and decisions made regarding your employment may be made based on facts available.

VERBAL WARNINGA Verbal Warning will be issued and confirmed in writing by the Human Resource Manager and will remain in force for 6 months.

WRITTEN WARNINGA Written Warning will be issued and confirmed in writing by the Human Resource Manager and will remain in force for 12 months.

FINAL WARNINGA Final Warning will be issued and confirmed in writing by the Human Resource Manager and will remain in force for 12 months.

If there has been no recurrence of misconduct within the time scales set above for each level of discipline, the warning will be disregarded in any further disciplinary issues and removed from your personnel file.

DISMISSALIf you are found to be in breach of your contract and have a valid final warning, you may be subjected to dismissal from the Company. We may also decide to terminate your employment regardless of your current status in the disciplinary procedure, i.e., you may have a written warning, but may do something that may take you higher than the next level of the disciplinary procedure.

DISMISSAL WITHOUT NOTICEThis is immediate dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice. Summary dismissal is the most serious disciplinary action that can be taken by us against an employee. This action will be reserved for cases of gross misconduct and/or where you have clearly demonstrated that you do not intend to abide by the terms of your contract of employment.

We reserve the right to implement any level of the disciplinary pro-cedure at any time dependent upon the severity of your conduct. As such, the employee may receive a written warning or a final written warning for a first offence if the circumstances warrant.

This procedure may not be followed (in part or in whole) in respect of an employee in their first year of service.

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11.2 RIGHT TO BE ACCOMPANIEDYou have a statutory right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing by a single companion who is either a:-

• Fellow worker, i.e. another of the Company’s employees• A full time official employed by a trade union; or a lay official, so long as they have been reasonably certified in writing by their trade union as having experience of, or as having received training in, acting as a worker’s companion at disciplinary hearings

Your chosen companion has a right to address the hearing but no right to ask or answer questions on your behalf.

Your companion should not be a colleague whose presence, in the opinion of the Company, would prejudice the hearing or who might have conflict of interest. If it is felt that your colleague may compromise any outcomes from the meeting, you might be requested to select a more suitable companion. We do have the right to refuse your companion if it is felt that their presence may not be suitable.

11.3 DISCIPLINARY APPEALSIf you are the subject of disciplinary action which you consider unfair and wish to appeal against the disciplinary action, you should notify the appropriate Manager or Director (as outlined in your warning letter), in writing that you wish to make an appeal, within 5 working days from the date of receipt of written confirmation of a warning or the date of dismissal.

The appeal will be heard by the appropriate Manager or Director within 5 working days from the date of the appeal, unless working conditions make this impracticable, when the appeal will be heard as soon as practicable. Any such delays will be notified and explained to you in writing.

You may have either a work colleague or union representative present if you wish.

Witnesses may be called either at ours or your request, in which case you should notify the Manager that you wish to call a witness in the written notice of your wish to appeal.

11.4 GROSS MISCONDUCTAny of the following types of behaviour will normally lead to summary dismissal (i.e. dismissal without payment in lieu of notice) from the Company, unless there are genuine mitigating circumstances, which we may take into account. It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive or exclusive list, as other equally serious acts of misconduct not specifically detailed here may also lead to summary dismissal.

• Negligence, wilful misconduct or deliberate failure to comply with Company Safety, Rules, Regulations, Policies, Practices or Procedures, such that the safety of the employee, Attraction assets, third party or other personnel is jeopardised.

• Serious breach of any Company or Client Rules and Standards. • Theft, fraud, deliberate falsification of records, deceit or other dishonesty equivalent to stealing. • Conviction for a criminal offence, which is likely to affect the reputation or the interests of the Company or its employees. • Any act or omission committed with the intention of depriving the Company of money or goods, which belong to or are due to it. • Unauthorised possession of Company property. • Possession of firearms or any other weapons (unless licensed to do so by the Attraction). • Wilful damage to and/or misuse of Company or Guest’s property or premises, or gross negligence resulting in damage or loss of property to the Company or Guest. • Wilful disclosure of any confidential information relating to the Company’s or its subsidiaries business to a third party. • Insubordination, insolence, the refusal to carry out reasonable working instructions or any other act of improper behaviour. • Actual or threatened assault upon any fellow employee, member of their respective family or third party. • Demanding, accepting or offering financial or other inducements either from/to other employees or any third party. • Any wilful misconduct that is harmful to the maintenance of discipline or good conduct amongst employees of the Company. • Incapacity or failure to carry out the work duties assigned.

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11.4 GROSS MISCONDUCT CONT’D• Any act of sexual, racial, religious, age or disability harassment/ discrimination.

• Bullying or harassment of any employee.

• Serious incapability through being under, or deemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or taking or possessing drugs, except as prescribed by a Medical Practitioner.

• Being in possession of alcohol or illicit drugs whilst on the Company’s premises/grounds.

• Misleading the Company by giving false information or documents in support of the application form, or by giving false statements or documents to the Company appointed by a Medical Practitioner, knowing any such statement or document to be false. Falsification of Reports, Accounts, and Expense Claim Forms. • Serious breach of the Information, Communication and Technology policy.

• Bringing the Company into disrepute.

• Abuse of the Company’s Sick Pay or Leave of Absence Procedures.

• Smoking anywhere on site that is not a designated smoking area.

• Failure to inform the Company of any update to a CRB check that may affect your employment.

11.5 MISCONDUCTMisconduct (amounting to less than gross misconduct) covers a range of offences, which do not normally constitute grounds for termination of employment on the first occasion. However, should they occur more than once, or in conjunction with other offences, this could result in grounds for dismissal. The following is a list of actions under this category, which may result in disciplinary action being taken. It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive or exclusive list:

• Refusal or neglect in observing established safety requirements and the Company’s Safety Rules (including the improper use of safety clothing and equipment issued by the Attraction).• Unreasonable and/or unexplained absence from work.• Frequent short or long-term absences from work.• Poor time keeping.

• Poor job performance, neglect of duties, and poor quality of work or low output.• Behaviour upsetting or disruptive to others including, for example, the use of obscene or abusive language.• Unauthorised use of Company assets and equipment (including telephones).• Failure to obey a reasonable instruction issued by a Manager/ Supervisor.• Repeatedly failing to clock in and out by using the Company’s time & attendance system.• Taking photos of staff or behind the scenes and in particular, displaying such photographs in the public domain (including social media).

11.6 GRIEVANCE PROCEDUREIf you believe that you are the subject of any action you regard as unfair or have a problem affecting your work performance, the Grievance Procedure should be followed. Grievances relating to employment, whether of a general or specific nature must not be expressed to guests or fellow colleagues, but should be taken up through the appropriate management channels within the Company as described below.

Should your grievance be about your supervisor, you are entitled to approach the Operations Team to discuss your concerns.

Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disciplinary action being taken. At any stage of this procedure, you are entitled to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union representative. At all stages of this procedure, the matter should be investigated within 5 working days unless working conditions make this impractical. If the Company is unable to hear your grievance within a 5 day period, you will be notified in writing and given an alternative date to hear your grievance.

STAGE 1In the first instance, you should raise the grievance with your immediate Supervisor, in writing, who will invite you to a meeting and through informal discussion, will attempt to resolve the matter within 5 working days.During the informal discussion you will be given the opportunity to fully discuss your grievance.

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11.6 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE CONT’D STAGE 2If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at Stage 1, you should write to the next level of management detailing the nature of the grievance. A copy of this letter will be sent to the immediate Manager and the Human Resource Manager. Again, you will be invited to a meeting to discuss the grievance. The Manager is responsible for producing a written record of the content and outcome of the meeting and for issuing copies to all concerned.

STAGE 3 If you are still not satisfied with the decision taken at Stage 2, you should write to the relevant Director fully detailing the nature of the grievance. Copies of the letter will be sent to the relevant Manager hearing the appeal at Stage 2 and the Director.

The Director shall formally reply in writing to the employee within 5 days of the Grievance meeting detailing the outcome. The decision notified shall be final.

In all the circumstances detailed above where difficulties in management availability may arise, you shall have the right to have the Grievance heard by a Manager of equivalent status. This shall also apply to the Company, where operational reasons would delay or halt the proceedings.

11.7 GRIEVANCES ABOUT DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The grievance procedure should not generally be used to complain about disciplinary action that we have taken against you. If you are dissatisfied with any disciplinary action, you should submit an appeal under the disciplinary procedure.

However, if you believe that disciplinary action has been or is being taken against you for an improper reason (which does not relate to conduct or performance issues) or for a reason which is discriminatory on grounds related to sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, age or disability, you should submit a grievance in writing to the Operations Director and it will be dealt with as follows:

a) If we receive your grievance before the disciplinary appeal hearing takes place, we may deal with your grievance at the appeal meeting.

b) In any other case, we will follow this grievance procedure.57

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12.1 ANIMAL FACTSOur Attractions are proud to have a large number of exotic species in our wildlife collections. Our guests often have questions about our species, so please find following information about the main animals across the 3 sites:

WMSP ANIMAL FACTS...

GIRAFFE• Sometimes the giraffe may be in their yard by the giraffe house. This is usually because it is too wet and slippery for them to go out on the undulating ground and they may fall.• They are fed lucerne hay, which is very good quality leafy hay rather than grass hay. They are also fed giraffe pellets and vitamin supplements. • A giraffe usually sleeps for only 1 - 12 minutes!• The giraffe’s life span in captivity is 20 to 25 years.

WHITE RHINO• They are herbivores (don’t eat meat). In the wild their diet consists of grasses, leaves and fruits. Here they have the grass in the reserve, hay, concentrate pellets, alfa hay and vitamin supplements.• White rhinos have two horns, the foremost more prominent than the other. Since the Attraction opened in 1973, 98% of the world’s rhino population has disappeared as they’ve been poached for their horns. Rhino poaching is currently running at a 15 year high in Southern Africa.• Rhino life span is around 30 -40 years in captivity.

ZEBRA• We keep two zebra species, the Burchell’s and the much larger Grevys, which are critically endangered.• Life span is 30 – 40 years

INDIAN RHINO• These “armour plated” rhino or Greater One Horned rhino to give them their other name are amongst the latest addition to the collection. • Arriving in 2010, these relatively new additions have state of the art living accommodation – a bed of bark, rubber floors, heated indoor pool and a shower! Oh, and central heating too!

LIONS• In the wild the lion is disappearing almost as quickly as the tiger, some say by 90% in the last 50 years.• This caused by a combination of human conflict, habitat loss & disease.

12.1 ANIMAL FACTS CONT’D

WHITE LIONS• These are the only pride of white lions in the UK. The founder members of our pride actually came from the Timbavati area of what is now part of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the only place in Africa where white lions have been found.• No one really understands why Timbavati has this distinction.• Even today the occasional white lion is still seen. They invariably attract too much attention however, usually from people, and don’t survive.

AFRICAN WILD DOGS• Like wolves, only the alpha male and alpha female normally breed. The rest of the pack will help to take care of the youngsters. They invest time into survival of the pack rather into survival of the individual. They are very social animals and will greet each other (very vocally) even after they wake up from just having a sleep.• For some reason people often think they are hyenas!

CHEETAH• A cheetah visit is one of the highlights of our popular Experiences as you get to feed them! • On hot days they all tend to seek shade beneath the large pine trees but when it is cooler they are very active and enjoy playfully chasing one another. Again like for many animals, playtime is a valuable learning process for young cheetah.

AFRICAN ELEPHANTS• Our elephants are the best trained African elephants in the whole of Europe. • They respond to about 50 commands, can paint, play football – and the harmonica!• They are bathed every morning, have their toe nails oiled and then go out for the day. They often enjoy an afternoon stroll up the hill too! And, if you’re very good, they will give you a hug – but please take our word for it!

HIPPOPOTAMUS• This is the biggest group of hippo in the UK by far.• Feeding time with a keeper is not to be missed.• One of the most dangerous animals in Africa, they roam far from the water at night and catch you unawares.• The bright pink skin often displayed isn’t blood but a secretion to protect them from ultra violet radiation and pollution.

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12.1 ANIMAL FACTS CONT’D

PENGUINS• Don’t associate our Humboldt Penguins with Arctic conditions - they come from sunnier climes like Peru and Chile.• They only lay 2 eggs - just like our wood pigeons!• Health checks include monthly weighing but their temperature can be gauged by the pink patch on the beak. The brighter it becomes the warmer they are.• They nest in guano - seabird droppings!

LEMURS• We keep four lemur species; the Black and White Ruffed in the Discovery Trail and the Red Bellied, White Fronted and Ring Tailed in the Lemur Walkthrough by the African Village. • It’s the biggest ‘Walkthrough’ lemur exhibit in the country. • They are quite vocal at times but don’t confuse them with the chirping noise emitted by the other species that live there - they are guinea fowl!

MEERKATS• Our meerkats live in the African Village down by the lakeside.• They live in three groups, one all male, one all female and one breeding group.• Like their wild counterparts there’s always one on ‘sentry’ duty on a vantage point.

REPTILES • WMSP is one of the few zoological collections holding venomous species.• We also have an Adder breeding/reintroduction program run separately from the Reptile House itself.• We hold daily reptile ‘encounters’ on stage as part of our education program.

SEALIONS• Our Californian Sealions can swim at approx. 40km/hr. and can even outrun us on dry land!• Their whiskers are up to 12cm long and are extremely sensitive.• They can dive to depths of 9m and stay submerged for up to 10mins - twice as long as a hippo!

DHOLES• We have the only ‘drive through’ exhibit in the UK or anywhere else for that matter!• They occupy the same environmental niche in Asia that the hunting dog does in Africa.

12.1 ANIMAL FACTS CONT’D• They are very sociable - often the whole pack (up to 10 animals) will help feed both the pups and their mother.• Although they are no bigger than a Corgi dog they have been known to attack tigers!• Like many predators numbers (only 2,500 left) are declining rapidly largely due to human conflict - living in proximity to man ex-poses them also exposes them to diseases carried by our domestic animals to which they have little resistance.

SEAQUARIUM ANIMAL FACTS...

SOUTH AFRICAN FUR SEALS• Don’t miss our spectacular demonstrations daily with our South African fur seals. • Found off the coasts of South Africa these seals have two layers of fur to keep them warm in cold ocean currents.• The Seals have amazing abilities of being able to dive to a depth of 200m and reach speeds of 20mph in the water.Harbour Seals• Harbour seals can be found in most Arctic or Temperature seas in the northern hemisphere, and are the most widely distributed of all seals. • Even though they don’t move well on the land they are a lot more graceful in the water, and they learn to swim from a young age.• Pups can start swimming and diving by themselves only an hour after they’ve been born!

BRITISH SHARKS• There are over 20 species of sharks that visit British waters throughout the year, • Starry Smooth hound, Greater spotted dogfish, lesser spotted dogfish and you can find some of them in our underwater Ocean Tunnel. • Most of these sharks and rays lay eggs that the babies will stay in for approximately 9 months before they hatch out.

RAYS• Most British Rays are totally harmless to humans; expect the stingray and electric ray.• Rays come to the surface of the water because they are intel-ligent, inquisitive fish and can see you through their eyes on the top of the head.• Electric rays can generate up to 220 volts of electricity, enough to light 4 houses.

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12.1 ANIMAL FACTS CONT’D

AXOLOTLS• These strange creatures are the Peter Pan of the aquatic world – they never grow up! Critically endangered in the wild due to the destruction of their natural habitat, Axolotls have been saved from extinction because of their unique ability to regenerate lost or dam-aged limbs, heart tissue and brain cells was studied by scientists.

LONGHORN COWFISH• Closely related to pufferfish, this cowfish is easily recognised by the horns that it is named for. They have many specialised methods for feeding; they can find food under the sand by blowing a jet of water to uncover anything tasty, and a sharp beak to break off hard corals.

12.2 SPRING GROVE HOUSE AND TREE TOPS PAVILIONBased at West Midland Safari Park, Spring Grove House and Tree Tops are our unique Events facilities, hosting a whole range of events, including weddings and corporate events. For more details about these exciting venues, please visit our web site www.springgrovehouse.co.uk

12.3 CONTACT NUMBER AND E-MAILSEach of our sites have their own internal telephone systems, so please familiarise yourself with the extension numbers for key people on site.

The main telephone numbers for each site are outlined in the sickness and notification section above.There are also some key e-mail addresses below that you can use to contact staff at Head Office:

Wage queries – wagequeries@wmsp.co.ukHR Issues – employment@wmsp.co.uk If you have any ideas or suggestions that you think will improve our operation, tell us at your next staff meeting or report your suggestion to your Supervisor or by e-mailing. We will meet constantly during the season, to exchange ideas and identify areas for improvement.

Suggestions – suggestions@wmsp.co.uk Throughout the season, we occasionally offer staff discounted tickets to some of our special events. Please check the staff web site at www.wmsp.co.uk/staff for the latest news.

INDEX PAGE NO

1 Welcome 3

2 Introduction 4

3 Putting the Guest First 53.1 Guest Importance 63.2 Attraction Knowledge 63.3 Guest Courtesy 63.4 Site Cleanliness 73.5 Complaints 73.6 Selling 83.7 Lost Children 83.8 Lost Property 93.9 Disabled Guests 93.10 Working with Young People & Vulnerable Adults 10

4 Arriving and Departing Work 124.1 General 134.2 Walking 134.3 Cycling 134.4 Drop Off/Collection 144.5 Personal Vehicles 144.6 Parking 14

5 Standards at Work 165.1 Punctuality 175.2 Attitude & Behaviour 175.3 Appearance & Hygiene 185.4 Uniform, Footwear & Name Badge 19 5.5 Mobile Phones & Messages 21 5.6 Eating Drinking & Smoking 215.7 Breaks 215.8 Personal Belongings 22 5.9 Security Searches 22 5.10 Medication 23 5.11 Alcohol, Drug & Solvent Abuse 23 5.12 Personal Visitors/Pets On Site 24 5.13 Discounts & Free Entry Pass 24

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INDEX PAGE NO

6 Working Day 256.1 Teamwork 266.2 Health & Safety 266.3 First Aid 266.4 Emergency Situations 276.5 Use of Company Vehicles 27 6.6 On Site Communication Systems 28 6.7 Noticeboards 28 6.8 Newsletter 29 6.9 Flexibility 29 6.10 Green Team 29

7 Getting Paid 307.1 Rotas / Schedules 317.2 Time & Attendance Recording 317.3 Salary & Benefits 317.4 Payment 317.5 Tax Office 327.6 Overtime & Lieu Time 327.7 Call Outs 32 7.8 Expenses & Petty Cash 33

8 Time Off & Holidays 348.1 Days Off 358.2 Sickness, Notification & Payment 358.3 Holidays 36 8.4 Bank Holidays & Special Events 37 8.5 Medical, Dental & Opticians Appointments 38 8.6 Jury Service 38 8.7 Public Duties 38

9 Training & Appraisals 399.1 Induction 409.2 Departmental Training 409.3 Appraisals 419.4 Right to Request Time Off for Training 41

INDEX PAGE NO

10 Discipline & Grievance 4210.1 Changes in Personal Circumstances 4310.2 Equal Opportunities 4310.3 Eye Tests 4310.4 Anti Bullying & Harassment 4310.5 Whistle Blowing Guidelines 4410.6 Recruitment of Relatives & Partners 45 10.7 Maternity Leave 45 10.8 Paternity Leave 45 10.9 Adoption Leave 45 10.10 Parental Leave 45 10.11 Flexible Working 45 10.12 Time off for Dependants 45 10.13 Working Time Regulations 46 10.14 Confidentiality & Security 46 10.15 Data Protection 47 10.16 Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) 47 10.17 Information, Communication & Technology 48 10.18 CCTV Policy 4810.19 Environment 48

11 General HR Policies & Procedures 4911.1 Disciplinary Procedure 5011.2 Right To Be Accompanied 5211.3 Disciplinary Appeals 5211.4 Gross Misconduct 5311.5 Misconduct 5411.6 Grievance Procedure 55 11.7 Grievances About Disciplinary Action 56

12 Interesting Facts & Figures 5712.1 Animal Facts 5812.2 Spring Grove House & Tree Tops Pavilion 6212.3 Contact Number and E-Mails 62 14 Wildlife Collection 61

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