Celebrating International Men's Day: Tom Barnecut, Education Officer

This year, International Men’s Day focuses on positive role models and the importance of men’s wellbeing. At Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, we are incredibly lucky to have many caring, dedicated and passionate men across our team.

One of them is Tom Barnecut, our new Education Officer. Tom helps shape our education program here at the Zoo, and helps ensure every child who visits enjoys an inspiring and memorable learning experience.

Q: Have you always wanted to work in education? What sparked that interest and how did your career begin?

Originally, after leaving university, I worked as a professional artist. I was lucky enough to work all over the world with amazing and unusual communities and people, including in schools. After 10 years working as an artist, I thought about what I enjoyed most about my current role and I realised that the best part of my day was working with children, which was when I decided to retrain as a primary school teacher. I have been a qualified teacher for ten years, eventually leaving my last school as assistant principle.

Q: What qualities have helped you the most in your role?

A sense of playfulness and curiosity about the world. When you teach young children you realise that everything is a new discovery, so I’ve aways aimed to approach things with a sense of wonder and excitement. Patience also helps!

Q: Did you ever feel pressure to fit into a stereotype of what a man “should” be? Whether that be in the Zoo industry, or outside of work?

It took me a long time to recognise that being a man is not necessarily linked to traditional masculinity. I was never strong or athletic and I spent my teenage years wrestling with the perception that I needed to be something else or something more. As a gay man, I’m sure these feelings were incredibly common. The realisation that I could be a man but not traditionally ‘manly’ came not as a creeping realisation but like a bolt out of the blue, when a friend casually said ‘What a man!’ whilst I was doing star jumps in an aerobics class. In that exact moment it dawned on me that I could be anything I wanted to be as long as I had the confidence to do so (Thanks Merrin).

Being a father figure isn’t necessarily linked to being a biological father. I’ve always taught in early years and I think it’s important that young children have a positive male role model to show them lots of different ways of what a man could not should be.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

I’m a morning person, so I’ll get up early and walk the dog. My working day at the zoo is always a mixture of teaching visiting groups and working with the education team to come up with new ideas and plan new events and lessons. When I get home, I’m aways out for another walk with the dog. I like to cook, so always like to eat proper meal before a read and then bed.

Q: How do you look after your mental wellbeing?

I’m an obsessive gardener, so often, you’ll find me in my garden. I love the way it makes you slow down and observe tiny incremental changes over time. I’m a keen runner and walker, so I’ll spend the weekend out with the dog on a big walk somewhere wild and remote. If I get stressed, I cook or clean, I guess it’s a way to regain some control and put order onto things.

Q: What does International Men’s Day mean to you?

I’ve lost several male friends to suicide, all of whom died way too young. I like the way International Men’s Day asks men to open up and share their experiences. Being open, and honest to other people and with yourself is something that should be celebrated.