Cuddlies Hedgehog Campaign - further steps to report

Good afternoon Everyone.  Cy Bear with you once again:

The Cuddlies Campaign to save the UK Hedgehog population has moved on - a few steps, even though progress might seem to have stalled.  However, looking back, it is only three weeks since we started blogging about our plans, so perhaps we have come quite a long way. At least progress is forwards.......

The Hedgehog Family with Me in our Living Room earlier today

The Hedeghog Family have been travelling around quite a lot this week - what with one thing and another.  On Thursday of this week, they went with Isobel to Roma Fabrics Limited, the factory from which the fabric we need to make more Hedgehogs is manufactured. (Isobel has been reluctant to start making new Hogs until we'd got a line of supply established.)  It's just a 7 or 8 minute 'bus ride from our flat here in Kirkby, and easily combined with a shopping trip to our next town, Sutton-in-Ashfield, where one of Isobel's favourite super-markets is located.

 I'm pleased to tell you that she is due to pick up the first metre of the material on Monday, and will then be making the whole family using this fabric - as it is just a little different from that which we've been using until now. (The Hedgehogs accompanied her so Roma Fabrics could see what their fabrics had been used for (as well as for matching purposes for ourselves).   One thing that Isobel now realises is just how lucky she has been to date in being able to get hold of the faux fur fabric we've used to date.  Buying, even when Trade Prices are on offer, are eye-wateringly more expensive - but, at the present moment, Isobel doesn't plan on any increases in the cost of any or all the Hedgehog Family.  (It will obviously be dependent on how quickly they all find new Forever Homes and she needs to replace the faux fur fabric).  

Baby Hedghog fits nicely into my lap

Another Baby Hedgehog is going to be purchased by an old Morrell Family friend, whom the whole family (including Isobel's new Grandson,ER) visited yesterday.  MrsPC is the Forever Friend of Fred Bear, who was a Patient in our Stuffed Animal Restoration Clinic (https://www.etsy.com/listing/79124185/stuffed-toy-animal-restoration-clinic?ref=shop_home_active_17 - )   (Fred's treatment was reported here -  https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1044056030171719602 and finished herehttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1044056030171719602 )

A near neighbour of MrsPC hosts a real live hedgehog, and a couple of weeks ago, a very small Hog was seen drinking water from one of the plates that MrsPC puts out in her garden - for just such a purpose.  However, as it was about 1400 BST, she was a little concerned as to whether the Little Chap should really have been so visible - being nocturnal animals by nature. When seen in daylight, it CAN indicate they're in distress.  However, having drunk his fill, the Little Chap scurried off - and hasn't been seen since.  However, when introduced to the Coldham Hogs yesterday, MrsPC said she'd take a Baby  - as a present for her neighbour:  who, as all good neighbours do, looks in on her regularly and undertakes shopping chores as and when required.

The gentleman who offered to help us, with the promotional material for the campaign (MrPE) was unable to meet Isobel this week - since his other business commitments mean that he is fully committed during the day.  We're hoping he'll be able to call in to see us en route home one evening this week.  Apparently he has lots of blank cards previously produced for the Wildlife Sanctuary here in Kirkby, (mentioned in last week's post) which are now somewhat redundant.  He also has some cards on which information about Hedgehogs is already printed.  We're going to see how, or even if, they could be used to mutual benefit by both of us combining ideas.  You will be kept informed.

Mommy Heddgehog, being bigger, has to sit on my leg

We've not been able to progress contact with Joan Lockley of West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue as the lady has been inundated with telephone calls from hither and yon - following her trip to the House of Lords to get her award for services to wildlife over the past 15 years.  When Isobel telephoned her on Friday afternoon, it was to discover that in addition to interviews from press, and invitations to appear on radio and television as a result of the publicity generated by this event, she has had 19 new hedgehog patients requiring attention throughout last week.  All are accepted, even though her Hosprickle is bursting at the seams.  No wonder, MrsJL (as I shall refer to her - as you all know I am a very well brought up Bear, and do not address older folk by their first names at any time) had not even opened her computer all week, and so had not seen Isobel's introductory note about the Cuddlies, herself, and her campaign plans.  (A hard copy of the said note was posted to her on Saturday!)

 However, we did find out that West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue do have a Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Friends-of-West-Midlands-Hedgehog-Rescue-173568902822170/   The link is included, so that interested parties can go, read, link and do whatever else it is you folk do when you are "on Facebook"!  We hope it also provides "comfort" for those who plan to buy a ColdhamCuddlies Hedgehog (or even two or three!) that the target of our "ten per cents" is real and will use the results of the fund-raising efforts Isobel plans to send.

Daddy Hedgehog and I - us Gentleman Toys sit side by side for comfort!

Earlier in the week, though, Clare sent Isobel a link (again via Facebook) in which we learn that East Midlands Wildlife Trust were also anxious to find out where Hedgehogs in their areas of influence might be located.  Isobel sent them a message - from which she still awaits an answer - but on Tuesday of last week, BBC East Midlands Today ran  a short piece about the disappearing Hedgehogs of the UK on their lunchtime and early evening programmes. (This time from the Richard Attenborough Wildlife Reserve outside Leicester).  However, during the afternoon, between the two programmes, Isobel rang them in their Nottingham office (just 25 miles down the road from here) and was rung back, quite quickly,by someone from their Editorial Department.  Her plans were noted down and we have been promised they will get back should they do any more on the Hedgehog problem.  It may well be that we will have to prod their memories, but we're not quite in a position to do so - YET!

Until next week, then - your Friend Cy Bear is signing off.  Hope you all have a great week!