The Lower Sunbury Hedgehog Project is a collaborative campaign led by the Lower Sunbury Residents Association, in partnership with Friends of Sunbury Park and Spelthorne Borough Council. The initiative aims to halt the decline of the local hedgehog population and, where possible, support its recovery.
Why Hedgehogs Need Our Help
Hedgehogs are in serious decline across the UK, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Lower Sunbury is no exception—sightings have become increasingly rare compared to just two decades ago. These much-loved creatures are now listed as vulnerable to extinction in Britain.
How We Can Make a Difference
Hedgehogs thrive in domestic gardens, which offer a rich variety of natural food sources. However, they typically travel one to two kilometres each night in search of food and mates. To do this effectively, they need to move freely between gardens.
A simple yet impactful action residents can take is to create a small opening—approximately 5 x 5 inches (125 x 125 mm)—at ground level in fences or walls. These openings form part of a “hedgehog highway,” enabling safe passage between gardens and increasing their chances of survival and reproduction.
Why Lower Sunbury Is Ideal
Our neighbourhood is uniquely positioned to support a thriving hedgehog habitat. Many homes have generous gardens that back onto parks, school grounds, playing fields, and other green spaces. By linking these areas, we can create an extensive and effective hedgehog corridor throughout the community.
Get Involved
By making our gardens more hedgehog-friendly, enabling movement between spaces, and logging sightings, we can monitor the local population and contribute to its revival. This is a grassroots effort that welcomes participation from all corners of the community.
We aim to spread awareness through schools, Neighbourhood Watch groups, local organisations, and residents’ networks—including WhatsApp groups. The project offers an excellent educational opportunity for schools, encouraging students to engage with wildlife conservation in a hands-on, meaningful way.
Launch and Awareness Week
The launch of the Lower Sunbury Hedgehog Project coincides with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s Hedgehog Awareness Week, taking place from 5th to 11th May. It is the perfect time to get involved and help protect one of Britain’s most iconic and endearing species.
Stay Connected
The Lower Sunbury Hedgehog Project has an active presence on Facebook, which serves as the central hub for all project-related resources and updates. You can access the page by scanning the QR code or visiting: 🔗 facebook.com/groups/426944583187007
What You will Find on the Facebook Page:
- 🦔 Practical guidance on how to make your garden hedgehog-friendly
- 📍 Instructions for recording hedgehog sightings and garden links on the national interactive platform, The BIG Hedgehog Map by Hedgehog Street
- 🔗 Additional resources and links to support your involvement
- 📢 Project updates, community stories, and shared experiences
Due to current limitations, we are unable to host a dedicated Lower Sunbury Hedgehog Project page on this website. However, we will continue to share key updates and news through our main site’s news section.
A Local Focus with a Broader Vision
While the project is currently centred on Lower Sunbury—reflecting LOSRA’s area of focus—we warmly welcome collaboration with neighbouring Residents’ Associations. Hedgehogs, after all, do not recognise boundaries. If your community is running a similar initiative or is interested in starting one, we are happy to share insights, resources, and support.
We believe this project offers more than just environmental impact—it is an opportunity to build community spirit around a shared goal: protecting one of Britain’s most beloved and vulnerable mammals. Hedgehogs are now listed as “Vulnerable to Extinction” on the IUCN Red List for British Mammals, and together, we can make a meaningful difference.
