Freeman Homes Partners with Herefordshire Children’s Author Helene Gardiner to Bring Hedgehog Awareness to Local Schools

Freeman Homes has teamed up with local children’s author and illustrator Helene Gardiner to inspire the next generation to protect one of the UK’s most-loved and increasingly threatened, native mammals: the hedgehog.

To mark Hedgehog Awareness Week (3–9 May), the regional housebuilder is hosting a series of interactive school readings of Helene Gardiner’s Hedgehog and the Fence across primary schools in the region, engaging young pupils in a fun and educational way.

Pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will welcome Helene Gardiner into their classrooms, where she will read from her much-loved book, share insights into hedgehog behaviour and habitats, and lead an engaging discussion about how families and communities can help hedgehogs thrive.

Each child taking part will receive a signed copy of the book, a bookmark, and a hedgehog care pack filled with practical advice on how to make gardens and shared outdoor spaces more wildlife-friendly, ensuring the learning continues well beyond the classroom.

The initiative forms part of Freeman Homes’ wider commitment to connecting communities with nature, a core pillar of its sustainability framework and long-term Net Zero 2045 journey, underpinned by its Planet Mark certification. At its Daylestone Park development in Alderton alone, Freeman Homes has integrated extensive wildlife-friendly features including hedgehog highways, specialist bird and bat boxes, wetlands, and thousands of new trees and plants.

Joe Teakle, who leads Freeman Homes’ Planet Mark certification and Net Zero transition, said: “Protecting local wildlife must go hand-in-hand with building great places to live. Through our Planet Mark certification and our commitment to reach Net Zero by 2045, we are constantly looking for meaningful ways to give back to the environments we build in. Working with schools, families and conservation partners to raise awareness about hedgehogs is a meaningful way to connect sustainability, education and community impact.”

Children’s author and illustrator, Helene Gardiner added: “Early picture books are a wonderful way to nurture empathy and curiosity about the natural world. By sharing Hedgehog and the Fence in schools, we’re not just telling a story, we’re helping children build a lifelong connection with wildlife and understand that even small actions at home can make a real difference.”

Hedgehog Awareness Week is run by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, which has provided the educational leaflets and posters for families, helping to extend conservation messaging into the wider community.

Fay Vass, Chief Executive at British Hedgehog Preservation Society said: “Education is a huge part of what we do at BHPS, and activities like school readings and take-home resources are vital for helping families understand how simple changes, such as creating hedgehog highway gaps in fences or creating organic, wild spaces where hedgehogs can safely nest and forage, can have a positive impact. It’s encouraging to see local businesses supporting Hedgehog Awareness Week and championing more wildlife-friendly choices.”

Freeman Homes hopes the initiative will inspire children and parents alike to take small, practical steps to protect hedgehogs, while reinforcing the message that sustainable homes, wildlife and thriving communities are closely connected.

To order your own copy of Hedge and the Fence visit: www.helenegardiner.com/shop/books; for more information on how you can help hedgehogs and educational resources visit: www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk