There was a time that I sat in the audience with everyone else as Nick Cope spun stories and songs that swung our kids into glee ... and now!

'Have you heard about Hugh' was already an amazing track - charting the misfortunes of a young hedgehog as he tries to cross the A32 - he'd been out there hunting worms, but he took a wrong turn - and now he can't get across to get home ... 

And now it is the title of his new album as well - being launched on Sunday 2nd December in Oxford. I will be there, of course!

The hedgehog story emerged from the wonderful Wood Festival - Nick is the regular superstar who makes hundreds of children happy in a way that also keeps their parents sane! Me, I run a small stage, called Kindling, where I bring together fascinating people to tell fascinating stories about things they think of as important.

Each year Wood has a different animal as its icon - and 2017 was the Year of the Hedgehog (I had been lobbying for quite some time!) - and in honour of that Nick wrote a song .... and while trying to think of a name that began with 'H' ... well, the rest of history!

We made it into the local press ... I got a flier into each cd case (conveniently the size of a hedgehog hole!) ... and now - 'Make a Hole for Hugh!' will be the cry on the lips of children around the country as they make sure their parents incorporate Hedgehog Streets where they live ... all to supplement the wonderful work that will be done when this petition creates the CHANGE it is designed for!

So as ever - THANK YOU for your support - and please continue to share this petition ... we WILL make a difference. And thank you to Amanda Knight for the photos!