Over the past 5 years, I’ve seen hundreds of hedgehogs come through my door, without you all & your kind support, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did in helping so many,  desperately sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs, so I really, really wish to thank you all so very much, from my heart to yours. 
Teamwork really did make the dreamwork. 

For me personally, it’s been such amazing journey. I never imagined that from the humble beginnings of simply helping hedgehogs in my garden,  I would then decide to dedicate a FB page to help raise awareness of their plight locally, it grew greatly from there. Soon I would have my first admission. 

Remembering that very first collapsed hedgehog, my husband, a vet, didn’t think she would make it through the night, however, I was determined to help her, I nursed her day & night to get her back on her feet. 

It was from that moment,  I decided to really further my knowledge of hedgehog care & rehabilitation, make a little Hogspital in an upstairs bedroom & the help of a knowledgeable mentor guiding my hands,  & a Vake Wildlife hospital course, I was soon offering first aid, care & rehabilitating many hedgehogs. 

Quite often I became full to capacity so I decided I needed more space, it had taken over many rooms in my home, fortunate it coincided with my husbands retirement and we secured a smallholding 10 miles away. Eventually we moved, I had a wonderful outbuilding which I personally converted thanks to an inheritance from my grandfather & I was able to expand into a bigger space, - A dedicated Hogspital. 

Thankfully, I had a wonderful team of amazing volunteers helping with some of the many chores, it made such a difference to have a great team. I was meeting caring finders, who sought help for the hedgehogs they found, hedgehog champions . Also with so much help from all you wonderful supporters. Sending kind donation’s which helped keep us afloat. 
Teamwork really did make the dream work. 

It’s been an  absolute honour to  work with & help these endearing little creatures who are having such a hard time. 
I can honestly say as much as it was hard work, long hours, sleepless nights, worry,  with extremely heartbreaking times,  yet, the positivity was we had so many amazing success stories,  with a majority of hedgehogs, nursed back to full health & rehabilitated back to the wild. 
Where they belong. 

I wouldn’t change any of these past years for the world. 
It’s been my absolute pleasure to dedicate my time & energy to helping these hedgehogs. 

I will always look back on this achivmwnt in my life with pride & a warm feeling in my heart. We all made a difference. We really did. Thank you for helping me do that. 

The respect and understanding I now have for rescues who work tirelessly day & night saving the humble,  beautiful hedgehog is massive. It’s not easy. 

Please may I ask you to always support your local Hedgehog rescues.
There is no government funding or funding body to turn too. Your generous help makes the world of difference,  remember most who do this, do it 100% Voluntarily. Your helps always very appreciated. 

Life out there for the hedgehogs is often very hard & cruel, these little creatures need as much help as they can get. 

So much of their natural habitat has disappeared, they face such adversity in this ever changing modern world, givhbf them real challenges which had affected them so much so they have been put in the vulnerable to extinction list. 

With a huge loss of habitat, which  in turn causes many problem la lack of natrual food, shelter, ever being pushed into smaller places, use of insecticide/ pesticides/, rat poisons. 

Roads, buildings, people, strimmers, mowers, dogs, plus so many more dangers which push against the continued existence humble hedgehog, we can all help turn it around. 

Now, while I may not be able to run my rescue anymore, I vow 
100% to continue to support the hedgehogs in my garden, many who I’ve nursed back to health & have been released here on our property/ area, many whom visit my many feeding stations nightly & some who live in the many hog boxes I’ve dotted around the place. 

I’ve also let large swathes of our small holding go wild, great for hedgehogs. With hedgehogs highway’s making sure they can access our garden with ease.  

I hope you will all help in whatever way you can too,  doing what you can to look out for the hedgehogs in your gardens.

please make 5 x 5 inch gaps under or through your fences, keep offering, food, ( dry cat or kitten complete or tinned meat flavoured cat or dog food is perfect)  keep a bowl of food out even in the winter, as well as always having  shallow bowls of fresh water dotted about the garden. 

If you can make hog house or purchase, for them to find & shelter/ hibernate in & of course always keep an eye out for any sick injured or orphaned hedgehogs needing help. 

Often the sick injured hedgehogs will be seen out in the day,  observe, is it out in the sun, wobbly, is there flies landing on it? If so, 
Please act quickly, get help for it. 

Keep a number of your local rescue in your phone & reach out to the rescue ASAP for advice or even a  wildlife friendly vet, if you can’t get hold of a rescue.  

Wearing gloves, or using an old towel, pick the hog up, pop it in a high sided box with an old towel to hide in: You can offer water, some meat flavoured dry or tinned cat kitten food. 
Contact a rescue right away. Speed is of upmost importance, in getting the hedgehog the help it needs desperately. 

You can find local hedgehog rescues by following this link to HelpWildlife, a substantial database of rescues up and down the country. 

https://helpwildlife.co.uk

Or phone the British Hedgehog Preservation Society as soon as possible on 01584 890 801 for further advice and the numbers of local independent rehabilitators.
The link here offers advice on what to do if you do find a hedgehog. 

https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog/

St Tiggywinkles in Aylesbury, an amazing large famous wildlife hospital will take in hedgehogs 24/7, 365 days a year.  Fully staffed with vets on site. Day or night, you don’t have to even call, just turn up ring the bell & they will always help. 

https://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk


Now, sadly,  it’s time for me to sign off, I’ve such special memories, I will hold them dear to my heart.. 
Many, many, many thanks to the hedgehogs who taught me so much about compassion, love  being kind always & the kind wonderful people I’ve met along the way.. you all rock. 

With very much Love & best wishes always 
Amanda & the Hedgehogs 
💜🦔💜🦔💜🦔💜