Get Creative to Celebrate Hedgehog Awareness Week
- Admin
- Apr 26
- 3 min read
Updated: May 3
ENTER OUR COLOURING COMPETITION TO WIN A HOGGY GOODY BAG
To celebrate this year’s Hedgehog Awareness Week, Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital is inviting children of all ages and abilities to take part in a fun colouring competition.
Hedgehog Awareness Week, organised annually by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, takes place during the first week of May. It is an important time to raise awareness about hedgehogs in the UK and how we can all help protect these much loved but vulnerable animals.
A SPECIAL COLLABORATION
We are delighted to be working in partnership with author Julie McDonald and Aldingbourne Country Centre for this project. This collaboration brings together shared values of celebrating our differences, creativity, and nature.
Julie’s beautifully written and illustrated books encourage children to explore kindness, empathy, and understanding of differences in a thoughtful and accessible way. Through her character Hedgy the hedgehog and his wildlife friends, she gently introduces everyday and social challenges that help children reflect on big feelings, friendship, and inclusion. This storytelling approach makes her a natural partner for a project that aims to inspire compassion for wildlife and a deeper respect for the natural world.
Aldingbourne Country Centre also provides meaningful opportunities and creative experiences for people with learning disabilities. Their focus on bringing inclusion and community together in nature and outdoor spaces makes them an ideal partner in creating an activity that is accessible and inspiring for everyone.
Together, we are using Hedgehog Awareness Week as a chance to engage children and families through creativity, while encouraging a deeper understanding of our differences.
HOW TO ENTER:
Simply download and print one of the 2 colouring sheets above
Sheets are also available to pick up from Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital, Sidlesham or from Aldingbourne Country Centre, Westergate
Get creative and colour in anyway you like!
Once you have finished, take a photo and email it enquiries@brentlodge.org
Make sure you include the artists name and age.
By entering you agree for us to add your email into the prize draw and be entered to Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital's, Aldingbourne Country Centre and Julie McDonald mailing list.
Entry between Sunday 3rd-Saturday 9th May 9pm.
2 winners will be selected at random from each colouring sheet category. Winners will be contacted on Monday 11th May by email to collect their hoggy prizes.
ABOUT HEDGEHOGS?
Here are 5 fun and simple facts about British hedgehogs:
Hedgehogs are covered in thousands of spines that help protect them from danger.
They come out at night, so you might spot one in your garden after dark! If you do spot one in the daytime then they may be poorly so call for help.
Hedgehogs love to eat bugs, worms, and beetles.
When they feel scared, they curl up into a ball of spikes to stay safe.
In winter, hedgehogs hibernate, sleeping for months until the weather gets warmer again.
If you find a sick or injured hedgehog then they will need help at a special animal hospital like Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital. Here we care for hundreds of poorly hedgehogs to get them healthy again for release. Hedgehogs are very special creatures and need our help to stay safe in the wild.
Here are 3 simple ways to help hedgehogs:
Create a hedgehog-friendly garden by leaving a small gap in your fence (a “hedgehog highway”) so they can travel safely between gardens.
Provide food and water by putting out shallow dishes of fresh water and some hedgehog food or meaty cat food (never milk, as it can make them very ill).
Leave piles of leaves or logs so hedgehogs have somewhere to hide, nest, and hibernate.
ENTER OUR HEDGEHOG RAFFLE
To mark this special week we are also pleased to partner with some generous and enthusiastic organisations and businesses to bring you our Hedgehog Raffle. THREE lucky winners are in with a chance to receive hedgehog goodies. Prizes have all been kindly donated and funding goes to help hedgehogs in our care at Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital. Tickets are just £1 per entry!! Entrants must be 18 or over. Draw closes Saturday 9th May 10pm. Winners will be contacted soon after via email.
By Asha Park
This is such a wonderful, creative way to mark Hedgehog Awareness Week! The colouring competition perfectly blends fun art with vital wildlife education for children, paired with simple, actionable tips to make gardens hedgehog-friendly. I love the thoughtful partnership with Julie McDonald and Aldingbourne Country Centre, which brings inclusivity and empathy to wildlife conservation. Could you share a gallery of the best entries once the competition closes? --times table
I love how Hedgehog Awareness Week encourages creativity while teaching children the importance of protecting wildlife. Activities like colouring competitions make learning fun and help create lasting awareness from a young age. In the same way, Book Publishing Services help turn creative ideas and meaningful stories into something that can inspire readers.
After helping the children complete their drawing assignments, parents can also relax their minds with a few vocabulary games like Dordle during their free time — it's both a lighthearted pastime and a great way to relieve stress after a day spent with their children!
Community initiatives like Hedgehog Awareness Week show how meaningful experiences can bring people together for a positive cause. Organizing successful campaigns and events requires careful planning, support, and coordination. Similar attention to detail is valued in services like a private chauffeur service, where smooth experiences depend on thoughtful preparation and reliability.
Love seeing creative ideas that raise awareness for hedgehogs! After finishing a fun craft project, I like to relax with a quick round of Slope 2.