Hedgehog Awareness Week 2017
Hedgehog Awareness Week 2017
Hedgehog Awareness Week runs from 30th April to 6th May 2017 and hedgehoggy events are being organised all around the country already!
Hedgehog Awareness Week is organised by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and takes place every year. It aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how you can help them.
This year efforts are focussed on our strimmer campaign. We have produced water proof stickers that we are sending to councils, tool hire companies, grounds maintenance teams, etc free of charge on request (email info@britishhedgehogs.org.uk). The stickers remind operatives to check areas for hedgehogs before using any machinery. Once the group have received the stickers and sent us a pic of them in action, we can add them to our Hedgehog Heroes Roll of Honour! See https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/hedgehog-heroes-roll-honour/
As well as checking areas before cutting there are other things we can do to help too:
- Ensure there is hedgehog access in your garden – a 13cm x 13cm gap in boundary fences and walls.
- Move piles of rubbish to a new site before burning it.
- Ensure netting is kept at a safe height.
- Check compost heaps before digging the fork in.
- Stop or reduce the amount of pesticides and poisons used.
- Cover drains or deep holes.
- Ensure there is an easy route out of ponds and pools.
BHPS Chief Executive, Fay Vass, said “We are asking people to pledge to do at least one positive thing for hedgehogs during the week and if possible let us know, send us pictures of the hedgehog hole or home you create, or from the event you organise!”
Here are a few more ideas of how you can get involved:
- Contact your local council or tool hire shop and ask if they will use the free stickers from BHPS on their machines – ask them to email us direct on info@britishhedgehogs.org.uk
- Organise an event such as a cake sale, fun day, sponsored event, coffee morning or jumble sale.
- ]Display information (BHPS can provide) in your work place or local Garden Centre, School, Library, shop, etc.
- Contact your local newspaper or radio station a few weeks before Hedgehog Awareness Week and ask them to help hedgehogs by printing a letter from BHPS (we can provide a letter to the editor on request) or by arranging an interview with us during the week (ask them to call 01584 890 801 to book a slot).
- Post leaflets in your area letting people know how they can help hedgehogs (BHPS can provide leaflets).
- Take a selfie with our #hedgehogweek sign (click here for printable copy) and send it out via social media during the week. Remember to tag us on Twitter @hedgehogsociety and use #hedgehogweek
If you are organising an event, PLEASE let BHPS know as soon as possible so that we can keep a comprehensive list of events across the country. We often get calls from the media and public asking for local events and if we don’t know about your event we can’t point them in your direction.
We are hoping to raise £2,000 during Hedgehog Awareness Week 2017, texting HHOG17 £5 to 70070 will donate £5 to this appeal. (You can change amount to £1, £2, £3, £4, or £10 to donate those amounts).
To donate to our Hedgehog Awareness Week campaign online please click https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/bhps/haw17
Leaflets and posters are available on our website or we can post copies out on request.
Click here to download the Hedgehog Awareness Poster
Hedgehog Awareness Week Events 2017
With bonfire night and Halloween fast approaching, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and its Patron Twiggy are urging people to build bonfires on the day they are to be lit to save hedgehogs and other wildlife from appalling suffering. This will not only save wildlife from burning to death but will also stop the bonfire from getting soaked should it rain the night before! Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS, said “If material is stored on open ground in advance of having a bonfire, it’s crucial to dismantle it and move it to another spot just before lighting. Ensure it’s moved to clear ground – never on top of a pile of leaves as there could be a hedgehog underneath, and not too close to pampas grass which can ignite very easily and is another favourite spot for hedgehogs to hide under.”
If a large bonfire must be built in advance, protect it whilst building by putting some chicken wire, at least one-metre-high, all the way around the bottom. This should be held in place with stakes and the wire should slope outwards at an angle to make it difficult to climb, as hedgehogs are good climbers! In case you have missed anything light the fire from one side only and keep people away from the unlit side so that any hedgehogs can hopefully escape in peace.
If, whilst building, a bonfire is left unattended, for however short a time, it’s imperative to check for young children, hedgehogs and other animals, including family pets, before lighting. As hedgehogs tend to hide in the centre and bottom two feet of the bonfire, check by gently lifting the bonfire section by section with a pole or broom. Never use a spade or fork as these can stab them. Using a torch will help to see and listen for a hissing sound, as this is the noise they make when disturbed. Fay continues “If hedgehogs are found, take as much of the nest as you can and place them in a high-sided cardboard or plastic box with plenty of newspaper/old towelling. Ensure there are air holes in the lid and that the lid is secured firmly to the box, as hedgehogs are great climbers. Wear garden gloves so as not to get human smells on them and to keep them calm as hedgehogs are easily stressed – also, it protects your hands from their spikes. Put the box in a safe quiet place such as a shed or garage well away from the festivities, offer specialist hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food and water. Once the bonfire is totally dampened down, release the hedgehog under a hedge, bush or behind a stack of logs.”
Twiggy added “Hedgehogs are in decline and it’s so important that we do all we can to help them. Please check carefully and remove hedgehogs or other wildlife before setting fire to any bonfire piles. Have fun, but stay safe and keep our wildlife safe too.” Going to an official organised fireworks display is a far safer option for both humans and animals!
For free advice and information on hedgehogs, contact the BHPS on 01584 890 801.
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NOTES:
• For pictures, further comment or interviews with Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS, please call 01584 890801
• By giving out the above information prior to Halloween and Bonfire weekend, it will hopefully stop people from building their bonfires in advance, thus saving many hedgehogs from horrific suffering. Many thanks.
• If you would prefer to save paper and receive future press releases by email, please email 
To save hedgehogs and other wildlife from appalling suffering Ben Fogle, Patron of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is backing the Society’s plea that bonfires should not be built until the day they are to be lit. This will not only save wildlife from burning to death but will also stop the bonfire from getting soaked should it rain the night before! Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS, said “Piles of bonfire material look like five star hotels to a hedgehog in search of a hibernation site. It is important to dismantle and move bonfire material that has been stored in advance on open ground. Move it to another spot just before lighting. Ensure it’s moved to clear ground – never on top of a pile of leaves as there could be a hedgehog underneath, and not too close to pampas grass which can ignite very easily and is another favourite spot for hedgehogs to hide under.”
If, whilst building, a bonfire is left unattended, for however short a time; it’s imperative to check for hedgehogs and other animals, including family pets, before lighting. Ben says “Please remember to check bonfires carefully for hedgehogs and other animals prior to lighting. Then if it is clear, light only from one side so as to allow an escape route for anything you may have missed.” As hedgehogs tend to hide in the centre and bottom two feet of the bonfire, check by gently lifting the bonfire section by section with a pole or broom. Never use a spade or fork as these can stab them. Using a torch will help and listen for a hissing sound, as this is the noise they make when disturbed.
Fay continues “If hedgehogs are found, take as much of the nest as you can and place them in a high-sided cardboard box with plenty of newspaper/old towelling. Ensure there are air holes in the lid and that the lid is secured firmly to the box, as hedgehogs are great climbers. Wear garden gloves so you don’t get human smells on them and to minimise stress caused to the hedgehog, also, it protects your hands from their spikes. Put the box in a safe place such as a shed or garage well away from the festivities and offer them meaty cat or dog food and fresh water to drink. Once the bonfire is totally dampened down, release the hedgehog under a hedge, bush or behind a stack of logs with more food and water.”
Going to an official organised fireworks display is a far safer option for both humans and animals.
For advice and to obtain the names of carers in your area in advance of bonfire night, contact the BHPS on 01584 890 801.
