Haskins is welcoming Elaine Sinclair, rescue officer at Wadars Animal Rescue, to its Roundstone centre on Monday (October 15) to raise awareness of the plight of hedgehogs.

Wadars Animal Rescue is focusing its attention on the protection of hedgehogs throughout the month of October, in a campaign aptly named ‘Hogtober.’

Every year, the charity responds to hundreds of calls from residents about sick, injured, underweight and orphaned hedgehogs. Over recent years, surveys have shown a decline of hedgehogs and they have been declared a priority species for conservation.

Haskins has teamed up with Wadars to encourage members of the public to donate food for the hedgehogs. Those interested can bring food to the collection point for Wadars at the Roundstone centre to help provide care during the colder winter months.

On Monday October 15, Elaine Sinclair will visit Haskins in Roundstone to provide a talk on the ways in which Wadars helps protect hedgehogs, as well as ways that residents can protect the hogs. All spaces for the talk have been booked, with 70 local residents due to attend.

Alasdair Urquhart, Haskins’ in-house plant expert, commented: “Once a common sight, it’s now a treasure to have a hedgehog in your garden. Their natural food includes insects, slugs, snails, beetles, caterpillars and worms, so creating an environment which supports these creatures will encourage hedgehogs to stay.

“Alternatively, the best non-natural food for hedgehogs is either cat or dog food as this is formulated for small mammals. They prefer non-fish or non-gravy based versions and please don’t give them milk as they are lactose-intolerant.

“You can also help hedgehogs thrive by leaving a few corners of your garden wild. Introducing log or leaf piles provides an excellent shelter for them and other beneficial garden creatures.”

As Haskins’ nominated ‘Charity of the Year,’ all fundraising efforts raised by the Roundstone centre goes towards Wadars. The centre is proud to act as a drop-off point throughout October (‘Hogtober’) for members of the public that want to donate hedgehog food and goodies.

Tracy Cadman, operations manager at Wadars Animal Rescue, commented: “We are delighted to be teaming up with Haskins for our Hogtober campaign. The care and welfare of hedgehogs in our community is something that is right at the heart of what we do, and given the fantastic response to the talk already, it is clearly something that appeals to local people too.”

Wadars, based in Worthing, provides protection to animals of all kinds and co-ordinates their rescue and rehoming. The charity rescued more than 1,200 injured, orphaned and at risk birds and wildlife last year, as well as rehoming over 300 cats, dogs and other companion animals.

Haskins Garden Centre in located in Angmering, Littlehampton, West Sussex. Visit www.haskins.co.uk for more information.