Harrogate school learns of vital role of family-run rescue centre for hedgehogs as much-loved creatures go into decline

Pupils at Ashville College have been learning about the dire plight of hedgehogs from a family-run local charity Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue which does so much to look after them.

Hedgehogs are declining rapidly in Britain.

Over the past 20 years, the UK’s hedgehog population has plummeted by 30% and in some areas as much as 50%.

The Prickly Pigs Rescue Centre shared its experiences with pupils in Ashville Acorns Pre-Prep on a visit to the school.

The youngsters, aged between two and five, enjoyed a genuinely hands-on experience when Prickly Pigs brought along a two-year-old hedgehog called Rhubarb.

Following Rhubarb’s visit, children at Ashville College, which was founded in 1877, have now embraced hedgehogs in their learning - singing songs about them in music lessons and making homes for them out of logs and leaves.

Hedgehogs and their environment have also been used as a theme to animate maths lessons and to enhance outdoor learning as a fundamental part of the school curriculum.

Head of Ashville Acorns Pre-Prep, Charlotte Cryer, said: “Each day at Ashville Acorns Pre-Prep is a new adventure, as we aim to ignite the imaginations of our pupils and bring learning to life with external visitors and trips outside of the classroom.

“Our spacious and leafy campus enables our Acorns and Reception children to spend lots of time exploring the great outdoors, be curious and develop a love for learning.”

The Otley-based charity, which relies on donations, was founded three years ago by Diane and Andrew and has already helped over a thousand hedgehogs recover from sickness or injury, releasing many back into the wild.

But the day-to-day operational costs of running the rescue are growing as quickly as the demand for the charity’s services in terms of food, medicine, medical treatments, and necessary materials.

The decline in hedgehog numbers has been spurred by an increase of easy-maintenance gardens, more intensive farming, and the removal of grassland, meadows and hedgerows.

More information at: https://www.pricklypigs.co.uk/ and https://www.ashville.co.uk/