Saturday 30th April is an auspicious day … the 40th birthday of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society!

Major Adrian Coles MBE, who became nationally known as Major Hedgehog, founded the BHPS in 1982 and was instrumental in giving the hedgehog the high profile that it now enjoys.

It all began when Adrian found a hedgehog in a cattle grid on his land; he rescued it using a saucepan and realised that if he had not been on hand with, with a saucepan (clearly life in the army had taught him well!), the hedgehog would not have survived! He used his position as a County Councillor to get Shropshire Council to install escape ramps in all its grids. The resulting publicity made him realise it was not just a retired Major who loved this quite neglected animal … and so, the Society was born.

Now - I have suddenly dumped an EXTRA birthday into your calendar … and with that there is all the stress of what to get as a present - well, I can help you … here are a few things that the BHPS would love you to do - so consider them birthday presents that will also help hedgehogs!

• Make Hedgehog Highways in fences - 5” x 5” (13 x 13cm) square gaps in the bottom of fences or walls should do it! Once created you can log these on the BIG Hedgehog Map.  
• Create an undisturbed log pile that will offer shelter and food.
• Buy or build a Hedgehog Home (see plans at www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/hedgehog-homes or contact BHPS for a paper copy). 
• Offer water and meaty cat or dog food for hedgehogs – you can even build a feeding station to help keep the food safe (see plans on BHPS website or contact them for a paper copy)
• Check areas carefully before mowing or strimming.
• Ditch pesticides and poisons.
• Ensure there is an easy route out of ponds and pools.
• Create a wild corner – leave a corner or edge to go wild, supplying shelter and natural food for hedgehogs in the form of bugs and grubs! 
• Join BHPS (or if you are already a supporter – recruit someone else). Prices start at just £7.50 for an individual UK supporter! 

As if this were not enough - there is a chance on Tuesday 3rd May to tune into a free online event all about hedgehogs featuring some wonderful people (and me!) as part of Hedgehog Awareness Week (more on that soon).

If you happen to live near Oxford I am doing a non-hedgehog(!) event … at the Natural History Museum - where I will be in conversation with the amazing Hannah Bourne-Taylor - exploring the magic of her debut book, Fledgling - the event is free, but do book a place if you can make it. 

And finally - something about which I am a bit nervous … one of you suggested I look to an online fundraising model … despite the odd person thinking I am living a life of utter luxury and am in receipt of vast amounts of income from my books (really!!! You should see my accounts!) … I get no support for running the petition, writing updates - or managing the Facebook group for that matter. So - if any of you feel the urge to ‘buy me a coffee’ - then can I direct you to this site … the set up is simple, the online platform take 5% of all that is donated. I am not greedy, and if I end up being overwhelmed by support, I will pass on any excess to the BHPS. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hedgehoghugh

Thank you for all your support - it is so appreciated.