Essex Rebels Donate Balls to the Colchester Zoological Society

A 10-month-old chimpanzee got a taste of sport thanks to the Essex Rebels and Colchester Zoological Society (CZS). 

The young great ape Keira looked on quizzically as her mother Kora interacted with volleyballs and basketballs donated by the University of Essex’s performance teams.

The chimpanzee who was born in January, stuck close to mum as she held up a volleyball. Keira and Kora investigated basketballs, while other members of their troop clutched, waved and played with the donated equipment. Other members of the troop investigated the balls around their enclosure. 
 
Donated equipment provides valuable enrichment, supporting the chimpanzees’ physical and mental wellbeing by encouraging natural behaviours such as playing, foraging and socialising. 
 
The Essex Rebels partnered with the popular attraction for the second year, with star players personally donating the balls. 

Basketball players Kyron Martin, Liv Partridge, and Cameron Taylor-Willis, alongside volleyball players Tara King and Jacob Lloyd-Williams, handed over the equipment and learned more about conservation work from zookeeper Lizzie Durkin. 

Diana Voynova, Essex Rebels manager, said:

It’s fantastic to be back at Colchester Zoological Society and see our old basketballs and volleyballs being put to such good use. We’re used to seeing our players having fun on the court but watching the chimpanzees enjoy the balls is something really special. Our partnership is about bringing two Colchester favourites together, inspiring young people to get involved in sport and helping raise awareness of the incredible conservation work taking place right on our doorstep.

Keira’s arrival in January marked the Colchester Zoological Society’s first chimpanzee birth in 17 years and represents an important milestone for the endangered species. 

Her father Napoleon arrived from Spain in April 2025 as part of an international breeding programme designed to safeguard chimpanzees for future generations. 

The donation builds on a partnership launched last year between the Essex Rebels and CZS, bringing together two of the town’s most popular attractions. 

The collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of sports fans and wildlife lovers, with special offers, ticket discounts and giveaways helping families enjoy both basketball and the magic of the animal kingdom while raising awareness of wildlife conservation. 

Amanda Willis, CZS Marketing Officer, said:

We are delighted to have partnered with Essex Rebels for a second year as part of our community initiative. The kind donations of sporting equipment have helped to provide enrichment for a range of animals at CZS. It was a pleasure to have the team visit so that they could see how the equipment has been used to encourage natural behaviours of a range of species. Conservation is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s great to be able to share our passion with our local sporting community.”