Hedgehog Awareness Week 2017

Hedgehog Awareness Week takes place the 30th April – 6th May, and hoggy events are being prepared all around the country! Organised by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), the initiative is an annual event, which aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how we can help them.

This year’s focus is on the harm done to hedgehogs by strimmers and cutting machines. Every year they cause many terrible injuries or deaths and the BHPS is asking everyone to check their gardens carefully before using any machinery. As well as checking areas before cutting, there are other ways that we can help our hoggy friends.  We can:

• 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
• keep netting at a safe height
• check compost heaps before digging the fork in
• stop or reduce the amount of pesticides and poisons
• cover drains or deep holes
• ensure there is an easy route out of ponds and pools if they fall in

They have produced water proof stickers that are being sent 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 the PHPS a picture of them in action, they will be added to their Hedgehog Heroes Roll of Honour!

BHPS Chief Executive, Fay Vass, said “We are asking people to pledge to do at least one positive thing for hedgehogs during the week.  We look forward to receiving pictures of the hedgehog hole or home you create, or from the event you organise!”

There are a number of different ways in which you can get involved with Hedgehog Awareness Week:

• Organise an event such as a cake sale, fun day, sponsored event, coffee morning or jumble sale. If you are organising an event please let BHPS know as soon as possible so that they can keep a comprehensive list of events across the country.

 • Contact your local council or tool hire shop and ask if they will use the free stickers on their machines.

• Display information in your local garden centres, schools, libraries, etc.  You could also post leaflets in your area letting people know how they can help hedgehogs (information and leaflets are available directly from the BHPS)

Contact the BHPS for further information or how you can help.

Related Internet Links:
British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Hedgehog Street
thehedgehog.co.uk

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