Hedgehog Friendly Campus

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Hedgehog Friendly Campus

Huge CONGRATULATIONS to all 23 universities who just achieved Bronze Hedgehog Friendly Campus Accreditation in our Hedgehog Friendly Campus project! Onwards to Silver now! It's not too late to join in!

Posted by British Hedgehog Preservation Society on Tuesday, 21 January 2020

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS

to all universities achieving their Bronze accreditation for 2019/2020 – onwards to Silver now! If you would like to get your campus involved please find out more by emailing info@hedgehogfriendlycampus.co.uk.

The following Universities have achieved Bronze Accreditation (2019/2020):

Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Essex, Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, Gloucestershire, Keele, Kent, Lancaster, Lincoln, Liverpool, Loughborough, Northampton, Northumbria, Roehampton, Sheffield, Surrey, University of East Anglia, UWE Bristol, Winchester, Worcester, York, York St John

     

BHPS announces partnership with Bovis Homes to help hedgehogs.

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Housebuilder launches industry-first hedgehog campaign to protect creatures under threat

A national housebuilder has joined forces with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and launched a trailblazing campaign to protect hedgehogs and other endangered creatures at locations across the country. In an industry-first initiative, Bovis Homes, part of the newly-formed Vistry Group, will install hedgehog highways to its existing developments and all future sites wherever possible, as part of a campaign that will also help other small mammals, birds, frogs and insects. The housebuilder has also donated £5,000 to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and teamed up with national project Hedgehog Street – a joint undertaking between BHPS and People’s Trust for Endangered Species – to further support their work.
Regional marketing manager, Louise Macrae, said: “We are proud to be the first housebuilder aiming to roll-out hedgehog highways as standard across current locations and our new developments, to help one of the nation’s favourite animals roam freely at night between gardens.”
“As part of our new sustainability steering group, protecting hedgehogs and the environment is at the forefront of what we want to achieve and we are delighted to join forces with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and take the lead in the housebuilding industry.”
“Connectivity is vital to allow hedgehogs to find enough food, mates and shelter. There are many simple measures we can all take to help their numbers recover and ensuring easy access to our gardens is a very important step.”
Bovis Homes is developing the highways – holes that are created at ground level in fencing and other barriers – which are designed to allow access between gardens and wilder areas, and marked with a plaque. It is also building hedgehog homes in green spaces. Hedgehogs walk more than a mile every night so need to move around freely between gardens. Literature will be provided for customers to inform them about the best way to help. People can encourage hedgehogs by putting a hedgehog home in their garden or a log pile, which provides natural food and shelter for hedgehogs. Ponds are also suitable if there is an escape route in the form of a ramp or a sloping edge. Hedgehogs can swim well but cannot escape steep, slippery-sided ponds.
Fay Vass, chief executive of BHPS, said: “We are delighted that Bovis Homes is making this important pledge to help our dwindling population of hedgehogs. Creating holes for hedgehogs in fences and walls is a simple step but it could have a huge impact on the amount of habitat available for hedgehogs following the development of a site.
“There are many small actions we can all take to help hedgehogs in our gardens and green spaces, and joined together those small actions can make a huge difference to a species under threat.”
Wildlife author and ecologist Hugh Warwick added that the “built environment” could help hedgehogs recover, if developments were built with wildlife in mind, and that Bovis Homes’ hedgehog highways were a “crucial” contribution. Sign the petition, using the link below, to get government to insist upon hedgehog highways in new builds: https://www.change.org/p/help-save-britain-s-hedgehogs-with-hedgehog-highways  
BHPS - Please Check Bonfires

Please #rememberhedgehogs on Bonfire Night

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BHPS - Please Check Bonfires

With bonfire night and Halloween fast approaching, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is 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.”

Going to an official organised fireworks display is a far safer option for both humans and animals!

Help raise awareness using our collection of downloadable posters:

BHPS - Please Check Bonfires

Hedgehog Highway Petition

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Hedgehog Highway Petition
– faster than Sonic!

A petition on change.org calling on Housing and Planning Minister Kit Malthouse to make the integration of hedgehog highways compulsory in all new build housing developments has taken everyone by surprise. In just two weeks over 300,000 people have signed!

Why has this taken the public by storm? The hedgehog is the nation’s favourite animal – every poll tells the same story. Yet the hedgehog is suffering from a dramatic population decline. The latest State of Britain’s Hedgehogs report from the Hedgehog Street Campaign shows how in just the last 18 years urban hedgehog numbers are down by 30% and rural hedgehogs down by 50%.

Hugh Warwick, Ecologist, Author and Communications Officer for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) started the petition “We know that hedgehog numbers are declining,” he said, “and we know that one of the biggest problems they face is the way we chop our land up into smaller pieces. This often happens when new fences are put in place – and as we are facing a house building boom there are going to be hundreds of thousands of new barriers to hedgehog movement.”

Photo Credit – Zoe Broughton

Perhaps surprisingly, new housing can help hedgehogs, if it is done with wildlife in mind. The petition is calling on Kit Malthouse to do just that – make sure all new fences have hedgehog holes built into them. Just a 13cm square, these holes help hedgehogs move the considerable distances we know they can travel each night – over a mile is not uncommon.

Hugh continues “Couple this with wildlife sensitive planting, ponds, and bat and swift bricks, new housing estates can offer homes for hedgehogs and other wildlife as well as for people.”

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS adds “This petition is aimed at making new build sites better for hedgehogs, but improvements can also easily be made in existing homes too!  Hedgehog Street is a project we run with People’s Trust for Endangered Species and its website offers a wealth of information and advice for homeowners wanting to help our prickly friends, you can even sign up to be a Hedgehog Champion!”

Our Award Winning Hedgehog Close Film

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The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is delighted to have scooped prestigious accolades at the Charity Film Awards held in London on 11th May.  Their Hedgehog Close film held off fierce competition to be placed silver in their category and honoured with the overall People’s Choice Award. 

 

Hedgehog Close was created to spread the word about how to help hedgehogs and make people aware of their plight. Voiced by Gordon Buchanan and created by Zest Productions, the ‘Aardman-esque’ film has been widely shared on social media and viewed by well over a million people to date.

 

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of BHPS said “We were so pleased to have won a silver award, you could have knocked us down with a feather when our little charity was called up to the stage to collect the major People’s Choice Award!  There were so many wonderful Charities and causes represented on the evening, many far larger organisations than us, so we were especially grateful to have received the most votes from our fantastic supporters.”

 

Simon Burton, Co-Founder of the Awards praised BHPS saying “The Charity Film Awards is all about films that change behaviour. Hedgehog Close does an incredible job of motivating that change. I don’t know a single person who’s seen the film who hasn’t told me that they’ve cut a hole in their fence to make a hedgehog highway. A brilliant film.”

 

Film Director, Tom Hooker added “When we first began moulding plasticine hedgehogs and building cardboard houses we never imagined the film would be so widely seen and successful. It was fantastic to be recognised amongst so many other brilliant charities.”

 

Fay says the awards were even more special being collected at the end of a very busy Hedgehog Awareness Week organised by the Charity each year.  “Being presented with the awards, by our lovely Patron David Domoney, was the icing on the #hedgehogweek cake!”

 

The Charity hope this will boost the popularity of the film even more resulting in more people finding out all about our humble hedgehog.  Hedgehog Close can be viewed below.

 

The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018

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Today our Hedgehog Street project launched the State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018 report. Hedgehog Street is a partnership between the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and People’s Trust for Endangered Species.

Vote for “Hedgehog Close” in the 2018 Charity Film Awards!

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Please vote for “Hedgehog Close” in the 2018 Charity Film Awards!

We are thrilled to announce that our charming short film has been nominated, but now we really need your help as we enter the public vote stage!

Please vote for us here: https://www.charityfilmawards.com/videos/hedgehog-close

 
The two minute film was released on social media during ‘Hedgehog Week’ and swiftly shared by BBC Springwatch as well as a host of other major charities and organisations. To date, the film has gathered well in excess of 600,000 views on Facebook as well as a huge amount of positive audience interaction and shares.
 
The aim throughout was to create something engaging and charming but with a strong message embedded. Achieving the right tone was crucial, and the voiceover from BBC’s Gordon Buchanan was an important ingredient in setting the right mood and feel.
 
From the outset, we wanted the film to also engage a younger audience and we were delighted about how well it went down with children and parents alike. The film has been screened in a number of schools and is now being sent out within educational packs.
 
The film was also featured on The Daily Telegraph website and endorsed by the likes of Aardman Animations guru Peter Lord CBE.

 

Hedgehog Housing Census!

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Do you have a hedgehog house in your garden?

Today, #HedgehogStreet has launched the first ever national hedgehog house survey, in partnership with the University of Reading and the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

If you have a hedgehog house, take part in the survey today: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/housingcensus/ and help us find out more about these spikey visitors so we can better protect them.

Hedgehog Housing Census

A sad day for BHPS

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We are deeply saddened to announce that our Founder, Major Adrian Coles MBE has passed away.

Major Coles, who became nationally known as Major Hedgehog, founded the British Hedgehog Preservation Society in 1982 and was instrumental in giving the hedgehog the high profile that it now enjoys.  Our Charity now has 11,000 members, publishes regular newsletters and works tirelessly to improve awareness of the plight of the hedgehog.

Major Coles was also a Shropshire County Councillor, Civic Head and Chairman, former Chairman of his local District Council (South Shropshire) and former Chairman of his Parish Council. He was well known to Members of Parliament for his campaigns to help the hedgehog, had appeared many times on television and given countless radio broadcasts.

He was awarded an MBE for his services to the community on 2000, was an Honorary Alderman of South Shropshire and was a Freeman of the City of London.

More recently he moved to London and became a Chelsea Pensioner, donning the famous scarlet coat with pride.

Major Coles died peacefully at Royal Hospital Chelsea on 23rd March 2017 aged 86.

“We are deeply saddened by loss of someone who did so much for hedgehogs.  We owe a debt of gratitude to Adrian, who leaves our thriving active Charity as a legacy to us all.  Our work will continue” said Fay Vass, Chief Executive of the BHPS – “that is what Major Hedgehog would have wished.”

Our thoughts are with Adrian’s family at this very sad time.

 

Twiggy sparks bonfire night hedgehog checks!

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Twiggy-LawsonWith 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. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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 info@britishhedgehogs.org.uk and ask to be added to email press list.  

Bonfire Night Posters

Please click on the images below to view/download a copy of the bonfire night posters.

dont-forget

please-check-bonfires look-out-for