A chance conversation with carer Sally Key brought me into the world of hedgehogs. Sally was looking for a suitable garden to release two hogs she’d nursed back to health. I suggested ours might suffice.
Sally came to “inspect” outside before agreeing to free a male and female. They were called Maxwell and Betty – after the Daily Mirror owner Robert Maxwell and his wife. As Maxwell and Betty ambled off into the sunset, we cracked open a bottle of bubbles to toast their release.
I spent 17 years as a reporter and news editor at the Mirror before moving into television news and documentaries. I worked for another 17 years at ITV Central in Nottingham and retired as Head of News. After putting up my feet, someone sent me a copy of the Hedgehog Welfare newsletter and, with much modesty, I suggested we could improve it.
Working together, we certainly have. Janet does all the heavy lifting by collecting many of the stories and writing a first draft. I then set about subbing and editing the copy and pictures.
Over the last few years, I’ve become more involved in Hedgehog Welfare. Indeed. I’m now the chair of the trustees. The things you do for a slice of Janet’s raspberry frangipane.
Janet has been caring for hedgehogs for more than 40 years. She looked after hedgehogs in her home in Surrey after finding two, with cages on the dining table and sideboard.
As the numbers grew after moving to Nottinghamshire, Janet put the organisation on a more formal basis. Funds were raised, and a hedgehog hospital opened. (a shed in the back garden). Hedgehog Welfare now has a network of trained carers. She start Hedgehog Welfare in 1993 has nursed and returned hundreds of hedgehogs back into the wild.
Now as she has Essential Tremor she no longer looks after hedgehogs but still is very much involved in Hedgehog Welfare, writing the newsletter, keeping the accounts up to date, ordering food, etc.
Having spent her early childhood on a farm Sally has always loved animals. Over the years this interest developed and as an adult Sally became even more passionate about wildlife, nature, and conservation of our native species. She is a lifetime member of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and is an active committee member of the Newark branch.
After retiring from the NHS, having worked 29 years as a Therapy Radiographer, Sally now volunteers as a carer for Hedgehog Welfare.
It began by chance in 2011 when Sally attended a training day on the care of sick hedgehogs. Sally was so impressed by the care and dedication of the team that she helped to raise funds for HHW by doing a sponsored walk at their annual fund raiser.
Having received some basic training Sally cared for her first hedgehog in 2013.
Gradually over the years, Sally has become proficient in all aspects of hedgehog care. She takes in and assesses most of the hedgehogs and decides the best treatment for them. This involves working closely with our specialist vets. She also hand rears tiny hoglets which is very labour intensive.
As soon as the hedgehogs are out of critical care, Sally passes them on to other carers who are a vital part of our team.
Sally says, ‘every hedgehog is special and every one released back to the wild is a step towards conserving this beautiful and endearing mammal’.
I am pleased to introduce myself as a Trustee of Hedgehog Welfare.
I became interested in the organisation when I stumbled across my first poorly hedgehog in the garden a few years ago. Liaising with Hedgehog Welfare to help the hedgehog (whom we called Milk Thistle) made me realise wildlife needed help on my own doorstep and inspired me to become a Friend of Hedgehog Welfare and to take more interest in wildlife – with the result that I also joined The RSPB and The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
I became a Trustee more recently, after acting as a volunteer for a short while.
As previously I had been a Solicitor in probate, wills and trusts, this role was a complete change for me.
As a Trustee, I work with a dedicated team of volunteers and my co-Trustees. My role is both practical and administrative. On the one hand caring for poorly hedgehogs personally, or arranging care by the team of volunteers, sorting out medical treatment, transporting the hedgehogs and re- homing/releasing the hedgehogs back to the wild. On the other hand, carrying out duties of an administrative nature including fundraising, marketing activities for events, raising awareness by talks, liaising within the community to encourage hedgehog holes in fences /hedgehog road signs-and generally taking all steps possible to improve the hedgehog’s environment.
Growing up in rural Lincolnshire, I was surrounded by wildlife, am concerned by its recent decline in our country and so am excited to be part of a charitable organisation whose aim is to reverse that decline. It is my view that, with the support of the Friends of Hedgehog Welfare and public support, we can make a real difference.
I hope you will join us in achieving this.
The information on this site only relates to British WILD Hedgehogs in the East Midlands Area. Information about other hedgehogs should be sought locally.
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