Hedgehog Awareness Week 2019

Living Magazines Hedgehog Awareness Week

Hedgehog Awareness Week runs from 5-11 May 2019 and hedgehoggy events are being organised all around the country!

Hedgehog Awareness Week is organised by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and takes place every year. It aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how you can help them. This year the Charity is asking people to make a space for hedgehogs to live in their garden, this could be in the form of a log pile or wild area (that will also provide a buffet of creepy crawlies) or a more formal hedgehog home. The Society has a free downloadable plan for building a hedgehog home on their website.

There are many other simple things we can all do to help hedgehogs:

  • Make sure there are CD case-sized gaps in boundary fences and walls to allow easy passage.
  • Move piles of rubbish to a new site before burning it.
  • Check areas carefully before mowing or strimming.
  • 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 would love to see what you have done for Hedgehogs during the week. Send us pictures of the from the event you organise or of the hedgehog space you create, and if you are on social media do use #hedgehogweek! It’s a great excuse to get the kids away from their screens and out in to the garden, get them to create a sign declaring your garden a Hedgehog Friendly Space or maybe a name plaque for the hedgehog home!’

BHPS is hoping to raise £1,000 during Hedgehog Awareness Week 2019, You can donate to the 2019 #hedgehogweek appeal at www.justgiving.com/campaign/HAW19.

Leaflets and posters are available on the Charity’s website www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk or they can post copies out on request.