The Ghost Hedgehog workshop was the last event of the Nature Festival and was attended by several families despite wet and windy weather. It was hosted at The Chequers pub who very kindly let us use their garden and marquee. Our thanks to the artists Andrea Brewer, Jules Bishop and Edwina Sercombe who ran the workshop with smiles but also their love and knowledge of hedgehog life. The workshop linked in beautifully with the current survey being done by our volunteers on hedgerows in Watlington.
Guest Blogger: By Eleanor R Short (age 11 and a bit)
I went to the ghost hedgehog event today (31st October) which took place at The Chequers organised by Watlington Climate Action Group as part of the Nature Festival. This was a creative workshop designed to help the innocent and worryingly less common hedgehog cross the road more safely as cars often go too fast and squash them, but with the hedgehog signs, we made things might run things a little more smoothly. Made from a waterproof card, we started by drawing the template outline onto the card, then cutting it out. It sounds pretty basic and simple but it was a bit tough cutting it out as it was so thick, but I managed it eventually. The name from the workshop referred to the ghosts of the dead hedgehogs that have died on the roads, trying to help the living but when I saw the sign I thought it was for Halloween, which is understandable. Here are some photos of the event!
How to help:
In the Watlington Times, there is a hedgehog picture that you can cut out and stick in your window to remind people about how vital it is to slow down on the road.