Hedgehog awareness event in Sanders Park

Buy photos » Jayne Lawrence shows Elliot Gray and Isabella Gray the baby hedgehogs. s

RESIDENTS will be able to meet some prickly friends at Sanders Park this Sunday (September 30) as part of a month-long event to raise awareness of hedgehogs and funds for a local rescue charity.

Representatives from Bromsgrove's Willows Hedgehog Rescue will be joined by volunteers from a number of animal rescue organisations serving the town and the county.

As well as meeting a variety of creatures, visitors will also be able to find out about what the charities do and volunteering opportunities.

Among them will be Central England Reptile and Owl Rescue, which will have some rescued owls there, Heart of England Ferrets and the Cinnamon Trust, which helps keep elderly residents and their pets together or fosters the furry friends if their owners have to go into hospital.

It will be the last chance for people to enter Willows Hedgehog Rescue's prize draw which will be made on the day by Bromsgrove District Council's Civic Head Janice Boswell at 1pm. Among the prizes on offer are a long weekend break in Wales or a stay at the Hilton Bromsgrove with dinner and use of the spa facilities.

Earlier this month, one of the founders of Willows Hedgehog Rescue took two of the prickly creatures along to Webbs garden centre so residents could meet them.

Baby hedgehogs Milo and Shirley were at the centre in Wychbold with Jayne Laurence who spoke to customers about the charity, its work and to raise awareness of the animals' plight.

Willows is a self-funded rescue centre dedicated to helping distressed and injured hedgehogs. It relies on public donations for 100 per cent of its funding.

This grand finale of the hedgehog awareness month runs from 10am to 4pm.

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