Join The Wildlife Trusts’ Hedgehog Walk for a wild adventure from 30th March to 30th April
From 30th March to 30th April, little legs across the country will be taking big steps for wildlife in The Hedgehog Walk – a fun and family-friendly fundraising challenge in partnership with Timmy Time of the multi-award-winning studio Aardman.
On a mission to create safer spaces for hedgehogs to thrive, the annual challenge invites thousands of individuals year-on-year – including families, schools, clubs and learning groups – to walk, wheel, crawl or roll 3km with Timmy and friends. Travelling the same distance a hedgehog wanders in a single night, the challenge helps to raise vital funds for nature and highlights how everyone can help wildlife, including hedgehogs, to thrive.
With hedgehog numbers having fallen by 30% in just over 10 years, there are now thought to be fewer than one million left in the UK. As the challenge takes place during the same time hedgehogs start to come out of hibernation, those taking part can really help to make a difference and raise awareness of hedgehogs’ plight.
Priya Popat from The Wildlife Trusts, says: “Nature is a lifeline for us, and it’s hard to ignore how much pressure wildlife across the UK is under right now – from hedgehogs in our gardens to the trees on our streets and the life in our seas. The Hedgehog Walk is a lovely, simple way for people to reconnect with the natural world while helping to protect it. By taking on this 3km walking challenge, you and your family can enjoy the nature around you and know you’re doing something small but meaningful to support the wildlife and wild places that make our local spaces so special.”
Rachael Peacock, head of brand marketing at Aardman, the creators of Timmy Time, says: “We’re delighted to return with The Wildlife Trusts for another Hedgehog Walk, with Timmy and Apricot leading the way once more. It’s a brilliant opportunity for families to enjoy the outdoors together, learn about the wildlife around them, and take part in something that makes a real difference.”
Sign up today, and you and your little hoglet will receive a downloadable activity pack bursting with Timmy Time fun. It’s packed with engaging resources such as posters, activity sheets, fact sheets and tracking timelines to help mark the 3km milestone, sparking curiosity and helping young wildlife enthusiasts learn how to care for the natural world around them. Plus, you’ll get everything you need to fundraise for the wildlife you and your little one love.
Whether you’re toddling through the park with Timmy, marching through the woods with Apricot, or counting laps in the playground with Bumpy, every step with Timmy and friends helps build a better future for wildlife. Use the hashtag #HedgehogWalk on social media to share your adventure! To find out more about The Hedgehog Walk visit
Top tips to help hedgehogs:
- Create hedgehog highways | Hedgehogs need to be able to roam far and wide. Get together with your neighbours and cut a 13cm x 13cm hole in your fence or dig a channel beneath your garden boundaries to connect your gardens.
- Make water safe | Hedgehogs are great swimmers but can struggle to climb out of steep-sided ponds. Provide a ramp or create shallow areas at the edge so they can scramble out.
- Provide nesting sites | Logs, leaf piles, wilderness areas and purpose-built hedgehog homes make great places for spikey friends to nest and hibernate.
- Grow a variety of plants | Attract plenty of natural hedgehog food by keeping your garden diverse. Ponds, log piles, hedges and a wide variety of plant types make the perfect habitats.
- Avoid the use of pesticides | Ditch the slug pellets, as they can harm hedgehogs. Thankfully, hedgehogs are natural pest controllers and need a varied supply of invertebrate prey to stay healthy.