Hello everyone,

I hope it’s okay to share this here.

I’m involved in local hedgehog rescue and conservation work, and over recent years we’ve witnessed an alarming decline in hedgehog numbers across Lincolnshire. Habitat loss, increasing housing developments and new roads are contributing to the loss of safe shelter, food and water sources.

I volunteer at **Andrews Hedgehog Hospital**, where we care for hedgehogs found injured, underweight, sick or displaced. Some require short-term treatment before release, while others need extended rehabilitation and round-the-clock specialist care.

However, our vision extends far beyond rescue and treatment.

We are working towards establishing a **larger, purpose-built hedgehog hospital** that will not only increase our capacity to care for patients but also become a centre for education, research and public awareness. We want to help people understand the causes of hedgehog illness, the emerging threats to their survival and how we can better prevent and control disease.

Our plans include public outreach programmes, educational initiatives for schools and communities, and collaborative studies with major universities and agricultural colleges. By combining practical rescue experience with scientific research, we hope to contribute to a greater understanding of hedgehog health and conservation.

Alongside this, we will continue encouraging hedgehog-friendly gardens, safe access between habitats, feeding stations and wildlife corridors.

This ambitious project will require larger premises and significant funding, but we believe it could make a lasting difference to the future of our native hedgehogs.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting our local wildlife. Every contribution, connection and shared message helps us move closer to making this vision a reality.