We’re pleased to announce that we’ve won the title of ethical business of the year in the LUXlife awards due to our long-standing commitment to British wild hedgehogs across Yorkshire.

Our founder, Ellen began working with hedgehog rescues since 2016 was inspired to support the region’s hedgehog population having found a hedgehog who she named Stanley out during the day whilst driving home.

Ellen says “I had never seen a hedgehog before meeting Stanley, however I knew something was up as I knew hedgehogs were nocturnal creatures. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that his eyes were cloudy and that he had burns across his chest, so I intervened and drove him across to a rescue. Unfortunately, Stanley didn’t make it, it was believed he was poisoned.”

Since then, Ellen became aware that most of Yorkshire’s wildlife rescues across were run by volunteers who received no funding for their work, Ellen continues “I couldn’t understand why wildlife rescue work was unpaid as I assumed their work would be funded by the government. I felt compelled to give back, so I set up a region-wide hedgehog transport volunteer group, take a day off work once a month to volunteer at a rescue, fostering hedgehogs and hand rearing hoglets on behalf of rescues and where I can, finance hedgehog rescue work, which includes buying vital equipment such as incubators.”  

Ellen became aware of her award win as ethical business of the year last month after her work was vetted by LUXlife’s panel of industry professionals who recognised her unique and innovative way of giving back through her business. “To say I was surprised is an understatement” Ellen continues “I am pleased my business has been recognised, but I do what I do because I love hedgehogs and want future generations to enjoy watching them in their native habitats as much as I do.”

One of the biggest challenges facing British hedgehogs is parasites. “With food now limited in the wild, this has resulted in hedgehogs having to eat things which may not be good for them. For example, slugs and snails are only a very small part of a hedgehog’s diet, the more slugs and snails they consume the more likely it is for them to catch parasites from them” Ellen reveals. To help prevent this, Ellen suggests providing food for hedgehogs by creating hedgehog feeding stations in your gardens as well as around your business premises.

In 2023 Ellen is looking to increase her hedgehog work further and is intending to launch a hedgehog education CIC to teach others how to look after wild hedgehogs in their garden and community areas. To find out more about our work with British Wild Hedgehogs, click here.