Happy birthday Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue!
2015 was the year Vicki Oliver first took care of the much-loved animals into her home
Dear readers - welcome to just my second post for my own blog Call Me Will. So far over 60 of you have joined the free mailing list and who knows, that could go over 100 by the end of this week!
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My latest piece is dedicated to one animal that has captured the hearts of a nation.
As the website Hedgehog Street states, hedgehogs may be “prickly, smelly, and really make themselves at home in your garden” but the mammal also has a “unique, charismatic appearance and harmless perception as quite a vulnerable little creature.”
It is not surprising that hedgehogs regularly make it to ‘Britain’s favourite mammal’ in numerous polls, an animal that has deep roots in our culture. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter is one example of hedgehogs evoking an affection within the nation’s soul, a love that is evident at Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue.
From backroom to rescue centre - ten years of Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue
Dedicated and inspiring are two words volunteers and others have used to describe Vicki Oliver as a person, someone who started helping hedgehogs in her backroom alongside daughter Emily.
The current Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue site based in the community at Abbotswood Shopping Centre only opened two years ago and inside you can see how much hard work takes place be it fundraising, answering calls, transport volunteers and yearly open days. Over 90 cages are inside to look after hedgehogs that mostly arrive injured, in distress or sadly underweight.
2024 was the rescue’s first-ever year of staying open fully due to the numbers that came in - a record 958 hedgehogs to be exact compared to 132 ten years ago. Each year since has been a challenge and the determination to help hedgehogs came down to conversations with vets, Wild Hogs Rescue based at Whitminster, and Vicki herself volunteering at Vale Wildlife Hospital.
Given encouragement to help set up the rescue, a tenth birthday for everyone who works hard is a milestone to enjoy, because “part of me cannot believe it is ten years but when I look back to what we started, it does feel good now, Vicki said. Sometimes it can feel a very lonely job but I wouldn’t be here without volunteers. More people are getting on board with the knowledge that hedgehogs are declining and in my generation hedgehogs were in good number but now it’s actually quite shocking during our open days on how many children have never seen a hedgehog.”
Daughter Emily was 13 when mum brought in the first hedgehogs and in ten years since, Emily is extremely proud of what Vicki has achieved.
“Mum has never backed down in helping hedgehogs and she has inspired me, Emily said. The rescue has become bigger than we could have imagined but I’m so proud because not many people know that mum is more than just someone who cares for hedgehogs. Going to conferences in Europe to help with research and communicating with the public, seeing my mum put so much effort into this is amazing.”
Kim Lewis is one volunteer to speak to, committed to helping hedgehogs after she found one struggling with a little leg injury. Seeing an appeal for volunteers, five years of Kim’s life has been dedicated to helping hedgehogs because “when you come face to face with a hedgehog they are an animal that has everything stacked against them, she said. The anniversary means a lot to us and Vicki is just superwoman! Helping the animals is a worthwhile thing to do because it can be rewarding.”
The work delivered into helping hedgehogs matters to Vicki, Emily, Kim and every volunteer, most especially when situations are sometimes awful to witness. Sadness fills the heart when you hear stories of hedgehogs suffering, including one that was attacked by a dog and another one half burned after being found in a bonfire.
The data is also bleak because as Fay Vass, Chief Executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society explains, populations are in sharp decline. “We know from the State of Britain’s Hedgehogs report (published in 2022 by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and People’s Trust for Endangered Species) that rural hedgehog populations have declined by between 30-75 percent in different parts of the countryside since 2000,” Fay said.
“The report also shows that urban hedgehog populations appear to be stabilising and might even be starting to recover in some places, albeit from a low level after years of decline, Fay adds. This highlights the importance of gardens and green spaces, and local action, to ensure that continues, so congratulations to the team at Brockworth as they celebrate this important milestone! Wildlife rehabilitation requires a lot of dedication and specialist knowledge, and rescues play an important role as we work to reverse the decline of our native hedgehog populations.”
Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue are always in need of donations. Items that are always needed are dry and wet cat food, hand towels and newspaper. Please do contact the rescue before delivering any items.
Below are some tips from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society:
Keep hedgehogs in mind when taking care of your garden – avoid pesticides and let it grow a little bit wild
Add 13x13cm square hedgehog highways to fences and walls and always check before using mowers or a strimmer as hedgehogs can be found hiding in long grass, compost heaps or hedges.
Be sure to check bonfires before lighting them as wood piles are ideal shelter for hedgehogs too.
Become a Hedgehog Champion at Hedgehog Street where you can also find out how to add sightings to the BIG Hedgehog Map and become a ‘spotter’ for the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme from the comfort of your own sofa!
Every single hedgehog life matters and by taking extra care to look out for wildlife all year round, we can all make a real difference to their welfare and chance of survival.
