A hedgehog rescue charity in East Yorkshire says its brand-new expansion has transformed daily life for both the animals in their care and the volunteers who look after them.
Holderness Hedgehog Hospital, which has been treating sick and injured hedgehogs since 2016, now cares for around 60 animals across its network of small hospital sites in Keyingham, Beverley, Burton Pidsea and Skeffling. The charity recently received a major boost: funding and donations have allowed it to purchase 42 brand-new pods designed specifically for hedgehog rehabilitation.
For trustee Cath Novis, the upgrade has been nothing short of emotional. “I’m getting all tearful just thinking about it,” she admitted. “It makes our lives so much easier — and, more importantly, it makes the hedgehogs’ lives easier too.”
More comfort for hedgehogs, more efficiency for volunteers
The newly installed pods are thoughtfully designed, offering two separate compartments: one for sleeping and another for food and water. The clear layout gives the hedgehogs more space to curl up and rest, while still making it simple for volunteers to monitor their wellbeing.
Before the upgrade, volunteers had to clean older, bulkier cages that were slow to dismantle and noisy enough to disturb the sleeping animals. Now, Ms Novis said, the process is streamlined: “Cleaning out a pod takes just a few minutes instead of 10 or 15. It’s so much quieter and calmer for the hedgehogs as well.”
Because the pods are compact and stackable, each location has been able to increase capacity. That means dozens more hedgehogs can now be taken in during peak rescue seasons, especially during autumn and winter when underweight juveniles often need emergency care.
Donations made the difference
The expansion was made possible thanks to generous public donations, contributions from the charity’s own volunteers, a £5,000 grant from the Matthew Good Foundation, and support from the John Good Group. Without this financial help, the charity said the upgrade would not have been possible for at least another two years — pushing expansion back to late 2026.
Ms Novis said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support. “I honestly can’t express how much this means to us. I can’t believe how generous people have been. It’s absolutely marvellous.”
A year-round effort
Holderness Hedgehog Hospital runs its rescue operations 12 months a year and relies on about 50 dedicated volunteers who help with feeding, cleaning, medical care, fundraising, and transportation. With the new pods in place, the team feels better equipped than ever to handle the growing number of hedgehogs needing help across East Yorkshire.