The adventure of the wild hedgehog (who became a famous model)

Meet Sticky. He was a teenage-sized hedgehog when he discovered a couple of shop bins that smelled interesting and started rummaging for food. Unfortunately this escapade didn’t end well when he was covered in glue…

Sticky was bathed (a few times) and cleaned up, then went on to become a famous Christmas card model, before being released back into the wild.

Martin Maylin and his mum Harriet are the founders of the Hornbeamwood Hedgehog Sanctuary and I was lucky enough to discover this amazing place, perched on the hill behind Harpenden, a couple of years ago. Since then, I’ve been learning about the work they do and the brilliant team of volunteers working at the Sanctuary helping the hedgehogs, the team of vets tending injuries, foster families offering care and homes, and local businesses reaching out to support the charity: it takes a community.

When it came to choosing a charity for my “donation-in-lieu-of-Christmas-cards” this year, it was an easy choice. But, because I love taking photographs and creating things, I asked Martin if I could use my donation to create and print cards for him to sell, which would potentially increase the funds raised for the charity by up to four times.

One of the healthy juvenile hedgehogs being filmed by the BBC in 2021 as part of a programme to increase awareness of wild British hedgehogs.

Well, it seems that Sticky and his fellow model Nettle - along with their adventures told on the back of the cards - are selling fast. If you would like to join the Christmas fundraising drive for the hogs this week, you can buy cards and gifts here:

A huge thank you to those of you who have bought cards and gifts or made donations already. Sticky and Nettle, along with the 1,500 hedgehogs rescued by the sanctuary, will be purring happily during their long winter sleep.

Nettle - mum to Teasle, Bramble and Clover stayed at the Sanctuary for two months over the summer because of the drought, and the little family were released into the wild after the rains. They are hopefully getting ready for their winter hibernation right now after a very busy year!

Martin at the Hornbeamwood Hedgehog Sanctuary Stall at the Childwickbury Arts Fair in the summer. Martin and his team of volunteers work very hard to create awareness of how to help wild British hedgehogs and raise money to cover the running costs of the charity. Why not visit him and his team this week at all the Christmas markets?