So last Tuesday off I went to meet assistant producer Will and presenter Martin at Christchurch Park in Ipswich to talk about our project, how the green spaces of Ipswich are being managed for wildlife, and what everyone with a garden can be doing to help!

Next stop we headed to the very wildlife friendly garden of Hedgehog Champions Emma and her daughter Daisy! This was a great opportunity to hear what Daisy and her mum do to help their local hedgehog population. Lots of ‘hog sized gaps could be found all along their fencing, as well as multiple purpose-built hedgehog houses. These were a mix of shop bought and home made, and all looked like fab nesting spots for hedgehogs.

Daisy spoke to us about her after school hedgehog activities, including putting out dried mealworms, fresh water, and checking the camera traps for any ‘hog visitors. She explained why she liked helping hedgehogs – she wanted to make sure they would still be around when she grew up. A great reason, and one I hope persuades others of Daisy’s age to help the ‘hogs in their gardens!

The CBBC crew then headed out to speak to a local hedgehog carer – Ann – to find out how she and many others are caring for sick, injured or abandoned ‘hogs. Ann has around 80 or 90 hedgehogs currently in her care, from abandoned babies and injured ‘hogs caused by road traffic, strimmers or netting, to sick hedgehogs suffering from disease. Her job is to help these hedgehogs recover and get them up to weight before releasing them back into the wild.

A great afternoon, and great exposure for our new project! You can see the video here.