I'd like to thank you for all your support though this tough year with the covid-19. I know a lot of people with small businesses are struggling I do hope things don't get worse again before they get better.
I have been quite busy this past month sorting out a whole raft of projects. Between the hedgehog rescues and rehabilitation, I have been spending the rest of my time sorting out the hedgehog to do list I have a back log, a very very large back log, of hedgehog updates which I'm going to try and compile once this weather makes a turn. I've been outside most days recently though.
I'm in the process of writing up lots of update articles for all the projects that I've been working on, and that are now complete! Watch this space as I'll be posting full articles on each project sometime starting end of next week.
The hedgehog to do list was really slow in progress to begin with as I was struggling (covid-19 outbreak). But, for the last month I've had the greatly appreciated help of Mike on many hedgehog projects!
We have several people who make lots of craft items for us to sell and help raise funds for the Charity. Unfortunately we had been unable to sell these this year as all the events had been cancelled (covid-19). So, I converted one of the sheds in to a mini gift shop at Hornbeam Wood Hedgehog Sanctuary and will now be able to offer Educational and Awareness group visits and events (childrens groups such as Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies, and Girl Guiding) small craft gifts for sale to help raise funds for the Charity. I think it looks fab Full article to follow...
Another project (the biggest project) has been the Hogs Hospital which is also now complete. This has taken a huge amount of my time up recently as I've been working on it nearly every day between other things. It would have taken me another month to finish if it was not for Mike's help. The grand opening is next week Full article to follow...
Mike has also been helping me with stands for all the outside rehabilitation hutches which we put together this week! We now have over 35 outside hutches all raised above the ground for easy access and cleaning. They look amazing! Full article to follow...
Mike has also been helping me with renewing the Hedgehog Check in and Check out zone which is made up of 8 stacked hutches for new arrivals prior to going to vets, a rehabilitation hutch, or intensive care. And, once they are ready for release. It looks amazing! Full article to follow...
We are currently going through every single hutch and refurbishing them back to as new condition. Just about every hutch had something wrong with it and I had been doing band aid fixes, but they are going to be like new next week! Full article to follow...
I've been tinkering with the hedgehog rescue vehicle and doing a bit of 12v rewiring It can now hold two 12v mobile incubators which will be a life saver for some of the hogs we rescue. Full article to follow...
I have also been working on alot of administration bits for the Charity (now we are a registered Charity) and will be communicating everything I've done soon, but in short, we are now listed on Amazon as a Charity, thus anyone who purchases from Amazon can select Hornbeam Wood Hedgehog Sanctuary as a chosen Charity and Amazon will donate up to 1.5% to us! We are also now on eBay as a Charity you can select just like Amazon, also on Paypal, and shortly on Just Giving, along with a host of other sites online. I've also had to write a lot of "official" documents. Full article to follow...
The educational and awareness visits are beginning to be booked/rebooked by the childrens groups (you can book them via our website, right now!). The "Discover Hedgehogs" events we run in partnership with the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust have also started up again (if you're interested in the Discover Hedgehogs events please contact the HMWT). This is really good news as they provide an excellent way for us to spread awareness of the troubles hedgehogs face. There is another project attached to these Educational and Awareness events which I'm working on behind the scenes. I'm hoping to be able to announce something about this soon, but it may not happen, so for now toes crossed Full article to follow (if it happens)...