There were some of you who feared that the Facebook group - Hedgehog Highways - which I set up last week - would keep me away from this forum. That is not the reason for the radio silence ... this weekend I have been running (as I have done for the last 6 years) a stage a small local festival in Oxfordshire.

Wood Festival has been running for eleven years now and I have managed to find the best way to keep me occupied - the Kindling stage - where ideas are kindled into bigger things. This year there was a blind disability rights activists, poets or various persuasions, a campaigner for urban woodland and another for rewilding - and many other wonderful people.

Hedgehog highlights came from my 30 minute slot in which I shared the latest results from our petition (and was pleased to find a few signatories in the audience)  - and additionally from the awesome performer, Nick Cope. He is too big a star for my small stage - and when he was on the main stage I heard the start of his song all about me (or at least a hedgehog he called Hugh) - you can hear the song HERE ... and picture features him and his adoring fans! He really is worth tracking down - for your children or grandchildren - his music is really tolerable on long car journeys, unlike most pre-school music!

As for the petition - I have just got off the phone with Vicky Ford - the MP for Chelmsford in Essex. She was contacted by a constituent (thanks Caroline) who saw me speak the previous weekend at a conference - and Vicky is offering me advice on how to take my case to Kit Malthouse - with whom I am meeting on 4th June. Remember - NONE OF THIS would have happened without your support so THANK YOU!

Please keep sharing - and for those in that world, the Facebook group is going amazingly well - over 1500 joined already!