Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, visited the West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue Open Day on Saturday to see the work being done to care for rescued hedgehogs.
Gavin met with Joan Lockley, who works for the charity, and Cellie the hedgehog, named after he was discovered in a cellar. There was a variety of entertainment on offer including face painting, a tombola and lucky dip. The total amount raised was £1160.35.
The Open Day was held to support the charity, which takes in injured and sick hedgehogs to nurse them back to health, until they can be released back into their natural habitat.
He heard about the many reasons for the fall in the hedgehog population including the loss of habitat and poisoning.
Gavin said: “I greatly enjoyed visiting the West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue Open Day this weekend. The charity does wonderful work to care for sick animals in order to release them back into the wild, when they are restored to full health.
“I was sad to discover about the fall in the hedgehog population in recent years. I hope that we can find a way to help the hedgehogs and see a rise in their population in the future.”
Due to the fact hedgehogs are naturally nocturnal, it is unlikely that they will be spotted during the day. If you spot a hedgehog and suspect that it is ill or injured, you can contact Joan Lockley from West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue on 01922 419 532 or 07837 409 533.