Steph Goodway and Colleen Powell breaking in two more patients. Summer 2010.

THE BROOKSBY MELTON COLLEGE HEDGEHOG HOSPITAL

SPONSORED BY LEICESTER HEDGEHOG RESCUE - OPENED JUNE 2009.

Thanks to Brooksby Melton College, Woodside Animal Centre (RSPCA Leicestershire Branch) and Leicester Hedgehog Rescue, Leicestershire now has a purpose built Hedgehog Hospital at Hives Farm Brooksby Melton College.

The idea was born in December 1995 when the Alliance & Leicester Building Society became a bank. Colleen Powell, Founder of Leicester Hedgehog Rescue and three other members of the group had Alliance & Leicester fundraising accounts that qualified for free shares. These were used to set up a Building Fund to be used solely to build and fit out a permanent Hedgehog Hospital Unit when a suitable site could be found. They were initially transferred into the safekeeping of Woodside Animal Centre (RSPCA Leics. Branch) and then a more suitable site was found at Brooksby College when a chance discussion with Colleen revealed they had a site available and were interested in building a hedgehog unit there. In June 2009 Colleen’s 14 year dream finally became a reality.

Cherilyn Huff, an Animal Care Lecturer at Brooksby who is in charge of the unit, has over 20 years experience in working with wildlife and was trained and worked at St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Aylesbury. Leicester Hedgehog Rescue have always worked to the medications and treatments advocated by ’Tiggys’ which meant we were working together from day one. Cherylin has been a lecturer in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation at the college for many years.

INSIDE THE HOSPITAL

SURGERY for intensive care and treatment.

KITCHEN with food storage and preparation area, fridge, freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer.

HEDGEHOG ROOM showing 8 of the 13 specially designed moulded fibreglass housing units with built in heat pads. Awaiting sponsorship and their first patients.

THE AIMS OF THE UNIT – By Cherilyn Huff – Animal Care Lecturer.

The aims of the Hedgehog Hospital at Hives Farm, Brooksby Melton College is first and foremost to take in injured, sick, underweight and orphaned hedgehogs from the local area working with Leicester Hedgehog Rescue as our main provider. The hospital will nurse the hedgehogs back to health through a thorough rehabilitation plan and find suitable release sites for them once they are fully fit.

The hospital will be used as a teaching resource for Level 3 and Level 4 students who are working on Animal Management courses at the college and who undertake modules relating to the care and knowledge of looking after wildlife and understanding their natural habits. In the near future the College will be offering a short course on wildlife first aid and hedgehog rehabilitation to others in the industry who have an interest or who run their own rescue centres for hedgehogs.

The hospital is a real asset to the local community where not only can we look after our local wildlife but also work with Leicester Hedgehog carers to support their needs in busy times.

Holly helping at New Parks Primary School, Leicester.

Holly Barnwell, a student at Brooksby College helped us as part of her course work. As well as fostering 2 hedgehogs at her home, Holly helped Colleen with a schools talk and fundraising.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Leicester Hedgehog Rescue gratefully acknowledges the following people who have made this Hospital Unit possible.

For providing the means to set up the original Building Fund:-

• Linda Bodicoat, Marie Potter, Nickie Hughes and Colleen Powell.

For sponsoring the 13 hedgehog units at the hospital:-

• Chris and Andy Warren (1)
• Edith and Albert Crane (1)
• The O’Connell Family (1)
• Whetstone Power Station (3)
• Jane Monk (1)
• Margaret Llewellyn-Tooth (1)
• Wild-aid Scotland (4)
• Mrs Quinton (1)

Chris and Andy Warren’s unit receives its first patient.