Spotlight of the Week – Hedgehog Friendly Campus

In recent months, we have showcased various societies related to art, sports, games, and education. This week, we have something different to share with you- a society that is dedicated to a noble cause - saving hedgehogs. The society is known as "Hedgehog Friendly Campus," and we are thrilled to introduce them to you. Their mission is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting hedgehogs, and we believe that their efforts could make a real difference. So, join us as we learn more about this inspiring society and the impact they are making in their community.  

The Hedgehog Friendly Campus (HFC) initiative is run by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and is an accreditation to be earned by Universities across the UK. 

There are three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Our campus is already implementing many measures that meet the award criteria, but there hasn’t been accreditation assigned to the university yet, however! It’s time to change this! 

The society is run by the manager Shaun Saunders.?The main goal of this society is to keep the initiative running year-on-year. Every year, we have to re-apply and re-meet the criteria for whichever level of accreditation we are aiming for (even if it is to maintain Bronze status). 

The work isn't significant and easily fits around full-time work (this year, it has been predominantly organised and completed by Jess alone!), we just need to keep the spirit and message open and going, to help our hedgehogs as best we can.

Events and Activities 

On Monday 26th February, the society has organised a hedgehog costume session in Squeezebox where you can craft your own hedgehog friendly costume. The session will start at 5 in the evening and end at 7. 

If you decide to get involved, we will focus on completing tasks matching the HFC criteria to earn our accreditation. Alongside this, we will be looking at what mini-events we can organise to help our on-campus hedgehogs outside of these criteria. There is opportunity to get involved in: 

• Hedgehog ecological surveys (footprint tunnels, wildlife cameras, visual identifications). 

• Competitions. 

• Litter picking events. 

• Travelling to local primary schools to help educate the leaders of tomorrow about hedgehogs. 

• Other fundraising/information sharing/campaigning work.

Benefits of Joining the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Society:

Engage in Meaningful Activities: 

• Participate in fun and creative events like?hedgehog costume making. 

• Conduct?ecological surveys?using footprint tunnels,?cameras,?and visual identification. 

• Organize?competitions?and?litter picking events. 

• Contribute to?fundraising, information sharing, and campaigning?efforts. 

Personal Growth: 

• Develop new skills in?wildlife research, event planning, and communication. 

• Meet like-minded individuals who share your passion for animals and the environment. 

• Gain valuable experience that can be beneficial for future careers. 

Join the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Society and make a difference for these charming creatures! 

How to join Hedgehog Friendly Campus? 

Remember: Membership is FREE with no commitment to anything, you simply being here is more than enough! Follow the simple steps below to join the society online. 

1. Click here to Join Hedgehog Friendly Campus  

1. Log in with your student details.? 

1. Click join and checkout in the basket. 

If you need more information, you can reach out to their email on hedgehogs@groups.staffs.ac.uk