An East Lothian project that aims to help the hedgehog population in Dunbar has been awarded new funding of around £4,000 to continue throughout 2024. Sustaining Dunbar’s ‘Pledgehog Project’ will now be supported by local waste recycling company Viridor and tenancy deposit protection scheme SafeDeposits Scotland.
The project encourages Dunbar residents to think about hedgehogs in their outdoor space and take steps to carry out hedgehog friendly improvements. As well as providing better habitats for these rare and secretive animals, the project also connects people as they share a mutual interest. Locals are encouraged to borrow a feeding station and night-time camera to try and spot hedgehogs in their own garden.
Alan Partridge, SafeDeposits Scotland Marketing Manager, said, “We are delighted to be supporting the Pledgehog Project with a grant from the SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund. We were compelled to select Sustaining Dunbar’s application as a grant recipient as this project meets more than one of our funding criteria, namely sustainability and the environment and social inclusion. Setting out to conserve Dunbar’s hedgehog population and involving the town’s human residents in doing so, it truly is a community initiative.”
Liam Cantwell, Viridor Community Benefits Officer, explained, “Viridor is committed to being a responsible neighbour in the communities we serve. We are proud to support the Pledgehog Project in Dunbar, an initiative dedicated to protecting hedgehogs and educating the local community.
Hedgehogs are a vital part of the UK’s ecosystem, but their numbers have been declining dramatically. The Pledgehog Project directly aligns with Viridor’s values of sustainability and environmental responsibility. By supporting Pledgehog, we’re helping to ensure the future of these fascinating creatures and fostering a deeper understanding of their importance within the local environment.”
Jen Walker, Sustaining Dunbar’s Pledgehog Project Officer, added, “We are extremely grateful to receive £2263.53 from Viridor to allow the project to continue this year and £1,900 from SafeDeposits Scotland to let us purchase new hedgehog feeding stations, night-time trail cameras, Scotia Seeds wildflower mixes and information leaflets to distribute within the local area.”
Jen and the project recently featured on BBC Landward which can be watched again on BBCiplayer (episode 3). To find out more about the Dunbar Pledgehog Project and how to make your own garden or outdoor space good for hedgehogs see: www.sustainingdunbar.org/projects/thepledgehog-project.
If you would like to meet Jen and find out more about the Pledgehog Project and what you can do to help hedgehogs, then pop along to Belhaven Community Garden in Dunbar on Saturday 18th May from 2-4 pm for their annual Seedling Swap. There will be young plants to swap or buy, tours of the garden and a bake sale.