Stonehouse Women's Royal British Legion: Hedgehog Conservation with John Crowther

THE monthly meeting of the Stonehouse WRBL took place at the Community Centre on Thursday, September 29.

Chairman Janet Walsh led the exhortation and silent tribute.

There were 22 members present.

Our speaker on Hedgehog Conservation was John Crowther.

He gave a very interesting talk and told us that the Hedgehog hospital was the brainchild of Annie Parker.

She started in a small shed with a few hutches about nine years ago.

The work has grown so much that last winter they looked after 147 hedgehogs and now have four hospitals within the group - the main one is at King's Stanley.

They take in any sick, injured or orphaned hedgehogs.

When they are well they are released into the wild in pairs or small groups.

John told us that the reasons hedgehogs have declined so much in recent years are habitat loss, widespread use of pesticides, badgers competing for their food and our gardens are fenced more, making it difficult for the hedgehogs to get in and look for earthworms which is their main source of food.

John brought in Harriet the hedgehog for us all to see and she was beautiful.

If any one wants to put out food the best things are tinned cat meat, Iams biscuits and dried mealworms.

Do not give milk as hedgehogs are lactose intolerant.

If you need to ring the hedgehog hospital the local number is 01453 823871.

John was thanked for his talk.

The competition winners for a mini hedgehog were Janice Eliot and Hilda Rhodes.

Our next meeting will be the AGM on October 27.

Members are asked to bring an item for the Christmas hamper raffle.

The competition will be "my favourite mug".