Prickles Hedgehog Rescue Centre is based in Cheddar and is completely run by volunteers.

They receive hedgehogs of all ages which have been found by the general public all over the South-West. The hedgehogs have often suffered from injuries arising from cars, strimmers, other animals, or are just too ill or small to hibernate properly. The centre is well equipped to look after over 600 hedgehogs and cater for their every need. When the animals are well enough to go into hibernation, they are given to volunteers to look after until they can be released into the wild where they were found.

FW Whitchurch Ltd are a local manufacturer of wooden pet products – and hibernation boxes are one of the products they produce and sell. These can be placed in any garden to encourage hedgehogs to hibernate safely and securely. They have donated three boxes to Prickles to give to their volunteers to house the hedgehog, during hibernation.

Prickles are inundated with hedgehogs at the moment as, due to the mild weather, a lot of the animals are coming out of hibernation too early.

If you see a hedgehog anywhere at this time of year, please call them on: 07806 744772 and they will pick it up and get it back into hibernation, so it is ready for the spring.

If you would like to be a volunteer to look after a hedgehog, or can donate cat food, dried mealworms or newspapers, please do not hesitate to call or visit: http://www.prickleshedgehogrescue.org.uk">www.prickleshedgehogrescue.org.uk

Brenda Whitchurch