The 2024/25 Hedgehog Friendly Campus awards has seen 43 educational settings – from primary schools to universities – proving they have what it takes to do put hedgehogs first.

Hedgehog Friendly Campus is a national award scheme designed to protect hedgehogs, enhance their habitat and create awareness, part-funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Teams consist of students and staff members who work towards making impactful changes for hedgehogs and other wildlife around their university, college, or school.

Staff and students across the country have been working towards Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum accreditations for 2024-2025 – each doing their bit to help hedgehogs and other wildlife in the places where they learn.

To maintain their great standards, teams must renew their awards every one, two or three years depending on the award level. This year, audits were conducted by 18 trained student auditors who carefully and diligently examined evidence from all teams.

This year the Hedgehog Friendly Campus engaged over 2,283 students and staff with hedgehog friendly training, workshops and assemblies. Over 800 hedgehog-friendly actions were taken over the course of the year including practical conservation tasks, citizen science surveys, fundraising and community engagement.

You can read all about the awards and the individual 25 Primary, three Secondary schools, six Colleges and nine Universities who achieved awards here.

Fay Vass, Chief Executive for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society said: “Huge congratulations go to all this year’s awardees — it’s brilliant to see such passion and determination to create hedgehog-friendly spaces up and down the country. Thank you for making a difference to our native wildlife!

“Hedgehogs are a species on the edge of real trouble – but there is lots we can do to help make like easier for them. Projects like this offer education and spread awareness, as well as create and link fantastic habitat for hedgehogs. It’s great to see so many institutions taking part.”

Hedgehog Friendly Campus is part-funded by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and delivered by SOS-UK.