Great Oakley has its very own hedgehog rescue: Jen’s, which was set up by Jennifer Woodward just over three years ago, has since gained over 2000 supporters on social media.  Jen, her family, and a handful of dedicated volunteers, work tirelessly to save this endangered species.

The European hedgehog is firm favourite of the avid organic gardener; there is little need for pesticides when you have one of these solitary little friends, munching their way through aphids and grubs!  Beatrix Potter’s Mrs Tiggywinkle, is a British icon, and with less than one million hedgehogs currently alive in Britain, we all have a duty to help this creature that is so closely tied to our heritage. 

So what can we do to help?  Firstly, make sure to leave shallow dishes of water out, as dehydration can be a huge problem for hedgehogs.  Jen ended up with 76 hedgehogs in her care last summer due to the dry conditions we experienced.

Secondly put food out.  Even though these little hogs love nothing but snuffling around, foraging for grubs, their natural food source has greatly reduced in recent years, due to our impact on the environment.  You can offer dry cat biscuits, small kibble dog biscuits, tinned dog food (no fish or gravy) or hedgehog specific foods. Avoid giving bread, milk and mealworms as these can be detrimental to the hogs’ health

Make your garden hedgehog friendly by putting holes in fences and or tunnels for them to be able to roam.  Have a wildlife patch with log piles, overgrown grasses, plants that attract their natural food source, wildlife ponds (with access allowing the hedgehogs to climb out) or bury a hedgehog house in the undergrowth, hidden away out of site.  Please also check your lawns before cutting the grass or strimming, as this can do terrible damage to hedgehogs.

Jen’s Rescue receives plenty of hedgehogs in need of her care.  She is always in need of volunteers, anything from helping with the daily mucking out, to fundraisers and education representatives, as there is so much more to a hedgehog rescue than simply taking them in, rehabilitating them and then releasing them back to where they came from.

Another way to can support the rescue is through monetary and supply donations.  Jen is in need of: kitchen rolls, antibacterial wipes, absorbant puppy pads, vinyl gloves, sterile medical equipment, medicines, bin bags and much, much more.

If you would like to help in any way, please get in touch with Jen and her team by email on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  

@jenrescue        

jenshedgehogrescue         

jenandthehedgies Amazon wish list: www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/2AAA9JHRGISG5

Donations through PayPal paypal.me/jenandthehedgies