Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Hedgehog hero’s royal recognition
A RETIRED Perthshire teacher who devotes her life to caring for sick and injured hedgehogs has been honoured by the King.
Alison Middleton can usually be found with her sleeves rolled up, dispensing food, medicine and love to the patients of Hogscroft Hedgehog Rescue centre in her Inchture garden.
But this week she donned her Sunday best and joined the throng at the royal garden party at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Alison’s invitation came out of the blue. And she’s still not sure who nominated her.
But she says she was proud to represent the loyal band of volunteers who have supported her since she launched her hog hospital last year.
“I was so taken aback,” she said.
“And it was lovely to meet so many people who are doing so much good for their communities.
“You just never think about all these volunteers, and all these people in paid employment going out of their way to help others. It was a lovely atmosphere.”
Alison embarked on her new enterprise at the age of 66, after retiring from her job as a head teacher.
Word quickly spread and soon people were bringing hedgehogs from across Perthshire and beyond.
It’s now a registered charity. And since the start of 2023, 171 hogs have passed through Hogscroft Hedgehog Rescue.
Not all of them make it. Many are too poorly by the time they arrive.
But Alison and her team do everything in their power to give their patients a fighting chance, even if that means getting up every two hours through the night to feed motherless hoglets.
“It’s so worth it,” she said “When you see a very sick hedgehog come in and then a couple of months later you’re able to release them into the wild, that’s just the best feeling.”
Simply getting to the royal garden party took lots of careful planning.
Volunteers, who normally help out in the mornings, took over Alison’s duties so she and her companion Anne Houston could enjoy one day away.
She says she’s immensely grateful to her team, and to the supporters who help out in other ways.
But she’d love to hear from other hedgehog lovers who would be interested in volunteering – and from potential sponsors.
Hogscroft Hedgehog Rescue survived a major drama late last year when it was flooded during Storm Babet.
Alison waded through rising floodwater to carry 20 hedgehogs to safety.
She says she’d love to move the rescue centre from its current location, in a converted dog kennels, to a flood-proof site. She’d also like to create more space so she doesn’t have to turn hedgehogs away. But a modern, purpose-built shed is likely to cost around £25,000.
Anyone who thinks they could help with costs, or with volunteering, can contact Alison by calling the number on the Hogscroft Hedgehog Rescue Facebook page.