Hedgehog Rescue Centre receives a visit from Congleton Town Mayor

Congleton Mayor, Cllr Margaret Gartside, paid a visit to the Baddley Green Hedgehog Rescue centre and donated £50 collected from staff and councillors in the Town Council along with 10 new names for future hedgehogs at the rescue centre.

The Mayor met Clare Simmons, who runs the rescue centre from her home. Last year the centre took in over 400 hedgehogs from across the area, and is already busy with many diseased and injured hedgehogs. Many of the females found at this time of the year are pregnant. On the day the Mayor visited, one of the hedgehogs who was being treated for parasites gave birth and was feeding six hoglets. The hoglets can’t be touched for the first two weeks or the mother may reject them.

Clare, a former paramedic, has an in-depth knowledge of the health and needs of these wild creatures and is able to nurse many hedgehogs to a stage where they can first go to hedgehog friendly host families, and when strong enough be released back into the wild. The costs of the heating, lighting, incubators, cages, bedding, feed, medicine and vet bills are all substantial and the group relies on generous donations and fundraising activities. It is planning to register as a charity to make it possible to apply to more companies for support.

Clare said: “Hedgehogs do not sunbathe! If you find a hedgehog out in the day, unless it is moving purposely for food or nesting materials, then it is almost certainly in ill health and in need of rescuing. If you can please collect it, put it in a box and bring it to the rescue centre as quickly as possible. Hedgehogs can also be injured by strimmers and when cutting back long grass please check for hogs.”

Congleton Town Mayor said: “I was so impressed with Clare, her knowledge about the welfare of the hedgehogs and the care and love that she gives to each and everyone of them. She has already taken a number of hedgehogs from the Congleton area and I was pleased to be able to offer some support to this voluntary group.” 

You can follow information about the Baddley Green Hedgehog Rescue Centre and the latest news on hedgehogs at the centre on their facebook page.

Pictured - Congleton Town Mayor & Clare Simmons.