Coleg Gwent’s journey to a hedgehog-friendly campus

Here at Coleg Gwent, education often extends beyond the classroom and into the natural world. A shining example of this is the achievement of the animal care students at our Usk campus, who have secured a bronze award in the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative.

Hedgehogs, once a common sight in British gardens, are now in sharp decline. Recognising the importance of protecting these spiky creatures, our Level 3 animal care learners embraced the challenge of securing the award.

The award was achieved following several activities across the college and the wider community with the ultimate goal of becoming a hedgehog-friendly campus.

Sherrie Harris, lecturer, explains the inspiration behind joining the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative: “When we discovered that there were sightings of hedgehogs around our campus, joining the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative seemed like a great opportunity to link our learning with a worthwhile cause. Across all levels of our animal care courses, learners cover modules on wildlife and conservation, where monitoring the wildlife on campus is a key part of the curriculum.

“The Hedgehog Society, which runs this initiative annually, provided the perfect platform to raise awareness about the decline in hedgehog populations and how to create a safe haven for them on our campus.”

Our students engaged in several activities, from litter picking and hedgehog monitoring (through footprint tunnels and habitat surveys) to organising fundraising events and educating the public.

Jessie Ingleson, Animal Centre Coordinator, said: “One of the key highlights was our students volunteering at the Adult Skills Centre, where they delivered talks and led fun activities focused on hedgehogs. They also visited learners with severe learning difficulties and mental health issues, giving interactive lessons about hedgehogs. During these sessions, we produced information packs to share with them, as well as making wool hedgehogs.”

One of the most surprising discoveries during the project was the number of hedgehogs on campus. Students were excited to monitor the hedgehogs not just on campus but also while at home.

Sherrie continued: “Since achieving our bronze award, our campus has become a more hedgehog-friendly environment. Not only that, but our learners have developed their skills and confidence and gained valuable experience.

“It has been really lovely to see learners socialising together and becoming invested in local wildlife, and so our hedgehog-friendly initiatives are here to stay! We plan to keep up the momentum by following the scheme’s guidelines, fundraising, and keeping the campus community engaged and informed about the importance of hedgehogs. I, alongside our learners have thoroughly enjoyed working on this project, and it has made me so proud to be part of the scheme.”

The Hedgehog Friendly Campus Award (HFC) is a national award scheme designed to protect hedgehogs, enhance their habitat and create awareness.

Helen Morgan, Head of School Landbased said: “This initiative is an example of how our staff provide relevant and worthwhile activities for our learners whilst studying animal related courses at the Usk Campus. I would like to thank the team for their hard work, in particular Sherrie Harris for going over and above in securing this award for the college and our learners. Great work to all involved.”