Our charity this month is the incredible British Hedgehog Preservation Society who offer help and advice to those with sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs.
It will shortly be coming up to the time of year where our little spikey friends will be going into hibernation, which will also be the societies busiest time of year.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society was founded in April 1982 by Major Adrian Coles MBE of Knowbury, Shropshire and followed his discovery of a hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) that was unable to escape from a cattle grid, into which it had accidentally fallen. Major Coles realised that without some form of escape the creature would die of starvation or dehydration and that many animals and birds must have already suffered death in this way. So, in his capacity as a local councillor, he was able to persuade Shropshire County Council to install escape ramps, like the one he had installed in his own cattle grid, in all the grids within its authority. The ensuing publicity aroused so much public interest that the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) was subsequently founded. Many County Councils now make it mandatory to include escape ramps in all their cattle grids and the British Standards Institute has included specifications for escape ramps in its British Standard 4008, after consultation with the Society.
The Society ran at first from the home of Major Coles in Knowbury and then in October 1988 an old village shop and adjoining house at Dhustone, Shropshire was purchased to renovate as the sole office of the Charity, just a few miles from Adrian’s home. This work was completed in the early 1990’s but some work was still carried out at Knowbury House until mid 2000’s when Adrian retired from the Charity.
Adrian then went on to become a Chelsea Pensioner for the last four years of his life, a chapter of his life he fully embraced and enjoyed very much, albeit a long way from his beloved hill! Although officially retired, Major Coles remained involved with the Society until he sadly passed away in March 2017 aged 86.
Now, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is just as dedicated as ever to helping & protecting hedgehogs native to the UK. Through their campaigns, advocacy and educational projects they work to raise awareness of the practical steps people can take to help reverse the decline of hedgehogs in the wild, improve their welfare and safeguard the future of this much-loved animal. They also fund research that provides important new insights into the conservation and welfare of hedgehogs.
As always 10% of our profits will be going to help them continue supporting our prickly friends with their incredible work!
