That was a busy week for HedgeOx … first we contacted all the fencing companies and DIY stores in Oxfordshire – working with Low Carbon West Oxford – giving them the opportunity to get listed in the HedgeOx Hog-Hole Roll of Honour … they need to get their response in by 1st May – when we will publish this list of people and companies willing to help the nation’s favourite animal. This even got picked up by the local press though suggesting I had written to every company in the country (rather than county) was a bit alarming … the postage alone would have bankrupted me!
And then on Sunday – 31st March – there was the bake-off. I had been a little apprehensive about the event – a small community campaign group – LEAF (Local Environment Action Florence Park) – had come up with the idea and I wondered how many people would actually turn up … but no need! Cakes, costumes and crowds – there were prizes, speeches and stalls. We even got Jo Brand in to do the judging …. here are some photos of the day:
But there was more! We had one of the first appearances of Naturehood – the Earthwatch programme of citizen science and engagement that will be working in the area.
And I also got to meet Anneliese Dodds – our local MP. It is always a delight to have ones prejudices confounded – and it would do us all a lot of good to meet our representatives and see them as people – not as ‘politicians’. It would also do their cause some good to spend less time as ‘politicians’. She has promised to help get my petition some attention where it is needed – in government.
But the highlight of the day – a woman had come from Stoke to share her experience … she had gone to her local fencing company – Fabcast – and found that they could supply her with a hedgehog friendly gravel board – and she brought a photo:
To top a really super weekend – I got home to find a short video from my father-in-law’s trail camera…. he had just cut a hole in the fence … look what happened!
Let’s make holes for hedgehogs – they work!