Over the last five years, since discovering hedgehogs in my garden aged 13, I have been involved in hedgehog conservation, and working on a campaign to reduce the number of injuries suffered by hedgehogs from gardening related activities such as strimming and mowing.
I am pleased to now publish the WonderWall showcasing the amazing companies and organisations who have got behind this campaign, including manufacturers, retail outlets, local authorities, and community groups. If you're interested in finding out more, please contact me.
If you would like to make a donation to hedgehog rescue centre I take poorly hedgehogs to, please click on the link below. Every penny goes directly to them. Thank you.
Rescue Centre Donation
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HedgehogAware came about after I discovered hedgehogs in my garden during the Summer 2020 lockdown. I was 13 years old at the time and since then have learnt all I can about one of the UK’s most loved mammals – the Erinaceous Europeas – and done as much as I can to help them not only survive, but thrive.
This works aligns really well with my wider interests in sustainability and supporting efforts to reduce biodiversity loss across the UK. I am hoping to pursue a career path in sustainability in the near future, and have been privileged to benefit from so many insightful experiences from my hedgehog awareness work.
As a Hedgehog Champion across Monmouthshire and South Wales, I raise awareness of the decline in hedgehog numbers and the struggles they face, which is indicative of the wider nature emergency. I am a guest speaker at gardening clubs, WI meetings, schools, and youth groups, and have exhibited at community events. I have also talked on national media including Radio One, the BBC One Show, Radio 4 Today, and Sky News. I never take a 'speakers fee' but ask for donations to go directly to volunteer hedgehog rescue centres and the First Response Unit project. I also organise 'Let's Talk Hedgehogs' community events in partnership with the Wye Valley National Landscape who have made the hedgheog a priority species.
In January 2024 I launched the Hedgehog First Response Unit, run by volunteers helping sick or injured hedgehogs get the care they need as quickly as possible. This ran as a successful pilot for 6 months covering the Monmouthshire area and is now an established operating throughout the year. There is huge potential for this model of triage support for hedgehogs to be rolled-out across the UK and I'm happy to speak to anyone interested in taking this forward elsewhere in the country. 2024 was a busy year for the First Response Unit with over 160 calls taken, and our volunteers have worked tirelessly to make a tangible difference to hedgehog populations across the Wye Valley.
On 27th March 2024, my hedgehog conservation work was awarded the Prime Minister's Points of Light Award, recognising outstanding volunteers making changes in their community. I dedicated this award to all the amazing volunteers across the UK running hedgehog rescue centres. In June 2024, I was also thrilled to have been chosen as one of 16 finalists from hundreds across the UK in the under-18 category of Springwatch Wildlife Hero awards.
As part of the annual Hedgehog Awareness Week I run live-stream events giving tours of my garden, discussing how to make gardens hedgehog friendly, looking at options for wildlife cameras, talking with local rescue centres, and answering questions. You can subscribe to my HedgehogAware channel to receive updates and watch previous recordings.
(Photo Credit: Emma Drabble / Drabble and Co Photography)
My showreel below gives an overview of some of the key parts of my Hedgehog Awareness work, and can be viewed below or found on the 'HedgehogAware' YouTube channel. Click the video title or the 'YouTube' button on the video player to access a full-screen copy.
As featured on:
I'm an award-winning filmmaker, with my film 'The Wonderful World of Hedgehogs' winning the Best Narrative Film (Documentary) in the 11-15 years age category of the University of South Wales's Film and TV Schools Wales Schools and Colleges Awards.
The film has become one of the top viewed favourites on the Hedgehog Street's YouTube channel and in 2022 was shortlisted in the 'Best Documentary' (under age 19) Film the House Awards, where I attended the ceremony at the House of Lords.
My work as a Hedgehog Champion has been featured in the Autumn Edition of Wildlife World published by the People's Trust for Endangered Species, and in many other publications including: Daily Telegraph, South Wales Argus, Sunshine Radio, Free Press, Leamington Observer, Matters Magazines, and News Break. My ‘Make a Hoggy Highway’ took third place in a national poetry competition in the Young Wild Writer Competition 2021. I was also featured in the BBC Wildlife magazine, Spring Edition 2021.
In December 2021, my work was recognised as part of the Radio One 'Teen Hero' initiative. I had a great time speaking with Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James (opens in new page) about my work, and chose a song as part of the 'ten minute takeover'. On 6th May 2022 I featured on the BBC One Show (opens in a new page) as part of Hedgehog Awareness Week 2022, and in April 2023 was interviewed live by Martha Kearney and Amol Rajan on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme (opens in new page). My final media appearance before my GCSE exams was on Sky News with Kay Burley on 6th April, an extract of which can be viewed here (opens in new page). Post-GCSEs I was back to spreading the word, and have since been featured in a wide range of media including BBC Wales and Yahoo News UK.
Following the BBC One Show feature I was sent this wonderful picture drawn by Kitty from Norwich, who has been telling her local neighbourhood all about Hedgehogs and how to look after them during Hedgehog Awareness Week. It's great to see young people involved in helping hedgehogs and going out and about in their local communities to spread the word. Well done Kitty! Most recently, a group of children from my local area got together to do a sponsored litter pick and raised over £200 to help poorly and injured hedgehogs. This is a fantastic achievement and is already making a difference to the hedgehogs currently in care. I'd love to hear from more young people who are helping hedgehogs - please do get in touch!
HEDGEHOG RESCUES
Before establising the First Response Unit, I was often called out to rescue hedgehogs found out in the day which were poorly and/or injured in my local area. These included incidents of hedgehogs being caught in netting, falling down a garden pit, or desperately sick and out in the day. Here are just a few photographs of some of the rescues I've done which (apart from one or two), have survived and now living a great life out in the wild again thanks to quick responses, emergency care, and amazing dedication from the rescue centres I took them to:
'Fossil' - an older hedgehog found out in the day on a garage forecourt badly dehydrated with severe damage to its snout. Thanks to quick thinking and action (we always have a rescue box to hand - read more about how you can put one of these together on the Information page) with several weeks medical care at the rescue centre he survived, and was eventually released into a safe garden where he is monitored, and very much enjoying himself!
'Pitman' - rescued from a neighbouring garden where it had fallen down a pit. It was a little dehydrated and hungry, but after some tender care from myself following advice from the rescue centre, he was placed in the hedgehog house and continues to visit our garden regularly.
'Red' - a small hoglet out in the day, weighing just 346g, severely dehydrated with internal parasites. Once again, quick thinking from the people who discovered him, followed by my swift rescue then over to the volunteer rescue meant he stood a chance of survival. Sadly though, little 'Red' didn't make it - the internal infection was just too severe for him to fight, even with medication, and he passed away pain-free and comfy.
'Spikey' - a hoglet weighing just 302g caught up in garden netting. Swift action by the family who found him, then cared for by myself overnight it could go to the rescue centre. Made a good recovery and now back in the wild.
'Carrie' - a hoglet weighing just 269g, made a fantastic recovery, released back in our garden where she is now a regular visitor.
'Ivan' (who we originally thought was Ivy!), resuced just before Christmas was at death's door. Taken indoors for 3 weeks by a kind-hearted person who thought they were helping, but little Ivan weighed just 250g with internal parasites, and severely dehydrated. Emergency care given, then supported at the rescue through winter, then released into our garden 3 months later weighing a super-healthy 817g - that really is a success story!
'Dipper' - found out in the day, weighing 338g, severely dehydrated and painfully thin. Taken immediately to the rescue centre. He had terrible internal parasite infections and just didn't have the strength to make it, sadly passing away after 24 hours of care and pain relief.
'Dylan, Delilah, Norman & Nora' - In early Summer I was called out to a local farm where a nest had been disturbed containing 4 tiny hoglets. Following advice from the rescue centre, we waiting to see if Mum would return, but sadly she didn't, so early in the morning before school I rescued them and took them to the centre. They were tiny - just a few days old, eyes still closed, and needed intensive care. Sadly, Nora passed away after a short time, but the other three (Dylan, Delilah and Norman) are thriving thanks to the incredible 24/7 care given from the centre. All three grew up to a great size and are thriving in their supported garden!
EVENTS
I'm always happy to exhibit at events in the region to promote Hedgehog Awareness, and have run 'Let's Talk Hedgehogs' events with the Wye Valley National Landscape which encourages people in the local community to learn more about what they can do, and young people in particular sign-up to become hedgehog champions! I was delighted to be invited to exhibit at the Jewson Live On Tour event at Birmingham NEC which gave me a great opportunity to talk with suppliers, and builders about what they can do to help hedgehogs and wildlife in general through the introduction and promotion of sustainable and innovative product ranges.
The ACE Climate Future Festival is just one example of an annual event where I have spoken with hundreds of visitors wanting top tips on how to make gardens 'hedgehog-friendly', and watching footage of hedgehogs from my night vision cameras. They also have opportunity to look inside a hedgehog house (thanks to Riverside Woodcraft) and purchase some hedgehog gift items, raising much needed funds for the volunteer rescue centre I take poorly hedgehgs to.
Please use the contact page to get in touch if you'd like me to exhibit and/or speak at community events, corporate opportunities, WI groups, gardening clubs, schools etc.