Hedgehog homes unveiled in Ledbury Cemetery

The town council had challenged children to come up with designs for homes for the animals during Ledbury Carnival.

“The council were inundated with artistic and imaginative designs, all of which were judged by the mayor of Ledbury,” a spokesperson said.

The new hedgehog homes (Image: Ledbury Town Council)

“Although a difficult decision, it was decided that Charlie would win first place with his truck design, and Willow came a close second with her rainbow cottage.

“Once the designs had been picked, Ledbury Town Council’s community development officer and mayor’s secretary worked closely with the team at Shed’s Together to bring the designs to life.”

An unveiling ceremony was held at the New Street cemetery last month.

Both children and their families attended and were given the opportunity to cut the ribbon and open their Hedgehog Homes.

The ceremony was well attended with members from the Shed’s Together team, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Ledbury Poetry, the mayor with her deputy, and Ledbury Town Council officers.

Ledbury Town Council would like to say a huge thank you to all the talented team at Shed’s Together who were involved and contributed their time to making Charlie and Willow’s Hedgehog Homes come to life and to all of the children who provided entries.

This is the poem read by Ledbury mayor Helen I’Anson at the ceremony: 

For thousands of years as darkness falls, 

And the eerie stillness of night hangs silent,

The familiar shuffle, snap and snort, 

Can be heard in your garden.

What creature is that,

Hugs close to the wall,

And under the bushes so low?

Trundling amongst long grass and leaves, 

Snout held high.

Sniffing the air so slow?

Ah… I hear you retort.

We know this creature so fair,

It’s loyal and kind, 

A ball of prickles, that’s quite unrefined, 

Needle sharp quills of brown, black and tan. 

He means no harm to man. 

He is simply there to feast,

On all those wriggly, slippery, crunchy beasts. 

But I need to tell you loud and clear that…

There’s a dinosaur in your garden! 

And if we are too slow to act, 

That dinosaur in your garden

Will be fiction not fact.

Deinogalerix was one of the first hedgehogs to be found in the world. He was around when the dinosaurs were roaming the earth. 

Poem courtesy of Suffolk Prickles Hedgehog Rescue.