2025-12-31-accounts

Registered charity No: 1207682

HEDGEHOG FRIENDLY PORTLAND

Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statement 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Charity Details

Hedgehog Friendly Portland

Hedgehog Friendly Portland (HFP) became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission on 2 April 2024, registered charity number 1207682.

Charity Address and Contact Details

Address: 18 Cove Cottages, Portland, DT5 1JJ Telephone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Facebook: facebook.com/hedgehogfriendlyportland

Charity Trustees

Helen Carr, Chair Vivien Kimber, Secretary Antje Becker, Treasurer Nicola Scott Christina Moody Joanna Morland, Co-ordinator

Staffing

The charity is run by volunteers with no paid staff. The main rescue on Portland is managed by a Trustee, Joanna Morland, with occasional relief support by trained Trustees to cover sickness and short breaks. An annex rescue is in Dorchester. Trustees and a small team of volunteers help with public engagement, information and advice sessions, stalls at community events and fundraising.

Structure, Governance and Management

Type of Governing Document

Hedgehog Friendly Portland is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation based on the Charity Commission’s model constitution for Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisations (in which the Trustees are the only Members of the charity).

Governance

The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees. Its constitution requires that there are at least three Trustees, with a maximum of ten Trustees. The Trustees meet at least quarterly. At each meeting they receive a financial statement, discuss and agree policy, activities and priorities for the coming months.

Trustee Selection

Trustees are appointed by invitation, and formally agreed at an AGM or EGM. They are selected with consideration for the range of skills and experience required to manage the charity and its activities effectively and in accordance with charity law.

Objectives

Summary of the Charity’s Purposes

For the benefit of the public to promote the conservation and protection of European wild hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Portland and Dorset, and to relieve the suffering of wild hedgehogs in need of care and attention by:

1. Promoting public awareness and advancing public education in the ecology, habitat and conservation of hedgehogs, their care and methods of treatment.

2. Relieving the suffering and distress of hedgehogs in need of care and attention by providing rescue, care and rehabilitation services for sick, injured, or orphaned hedgehogs with the aim of releasing such hedgehogs back into the wild whenever possible.

Summary of the Charity’s Main Activities

Providing information to the public on the ecology of wild hedgehogs and how people can help them in their gardens and communities, through articles, leaflets, talks and workshops, advice and conversations.

Receiving from the public and veterinary practices sick, injured and orphaned wild hedgehogs for treatment, care and rehabilitation, and returning viable individuals back to the wild.

Statutory Declaration on Public Benefit

The Trustees of Hedgehog Friendly Portland confirm that they have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Activities

Community

A core part of Hedgehog Friendly Portland’s work is to actively raise awareness of hedgehogs and how Portland residents can help them in their gardens and in the wider habitat of Portland. We do this via talks and workshops, advice in person at community events and on the ‘phone, advice posts on facebook, topical monthly articles in two local publications (Free Portland News and Wyke Regis Horticultural Society magazine), occasional articles in The Register magazine, and distribution of information leaflets.

In 2025 we had stalls at eight community events, ran three workshops with Brownie and Beaver groups, and gave talks to Island Community Action’s Chat A Latte group and Southill Gardening Club. We also contributed to the RSPB volunteers’ induction training for monitoring the Chesil Beach Little Tern Colony Project with a session on hedgehog ecology, feeding and breeding, and took part in a Nature Trail for

four classes of 30 pupils aged 10-12 years at Atlantic Academy, giving a short talk to each group on hedgehogs, alongside other experts covering butterfly, amphibian, bird and marine wildlife.

We regularly review and update our leaflets and distribute them widely both on our stalls and alongside sales of knitted hedgehogs at local cafes and other outlets. Leaflets include Three Easy Ways to Help Hedgehogs, How to be a Hedgehog Champion, How to make a Cat Proof Feeding Station, When to Rescue Hedgehogs and 15 Hedgehog Facts. This year we have produced a postcard with information detailing when a hedgehog needs to be rescued and including our contact details.

Sightings

The European hedgehog is on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable to Extinction in the UK and is a UK priority species due to declining populations under the UK Biodiversity Framework. Recording sightings helps track the size and location of the local population and contributes to national data. It also advises developers applying for planning permission who must consult Dorset Environmental Records’ database and submit a Biodiversity Action Plan which complies with the 2021 Environment Act. The Act currently makes biodiversity net gain (BNG) a condition of planning permission, requiring all developers to demonstrate how they will deliver a 10% improvement to the biodiversity value of any application site.

In 2025, we recorded 102 hedgehog sightings on Portland (date, size, location). These included 57 adults, 39 babies/juveniles, 5 hedgehogs killed on the roads and one hedgehog skin, presumably a badger attack. This is fewer sightings than previous years, although the reason is not clear – possibly a drop in the local population, fewer people reporting hedgehogs they see or an adverse impact on survival rates due to the cold spring and long, extremely hot summer heat wave.

Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation

Hedgehog Friendly Portland has two rescue centres – the main rescue is on Portland, with an annex rescue in Dorchester. Both are run by HFP Trustees. During 2025 we took in 138 sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs in total, all at the Portland rescue. Admissions were from Portland (26%), Weymouth (30%), Dorchester (15%) and rural West Dorset (28%).

2025 had a cold, late spring followed by the extremely hot period June-August with prolonged drought conditions. This had a noticeable impact on admissions of orphaned babies (under 300g) making up 50% of all admissions, most arriving in those three hot, dry months. Many very small ones 60g-150g had probably been abandoned by their mums who could not find food or water and were unable to produce enough milk to feed their families. We also observed that some babies and juveniles were very slow to gain weight, or failed to thrive at all, which we attributed to poor nutrition in utero due the heat wave. This may have an impact on breeding in future years as this year’s youngsters mature.

• 138 hedgehogs were admitted

• 74 hedgehogs were released

• 10 hedgehogs overwintered from Autumn 2025 (for release in 2026)

• 34 hedgehogs died/euthanised within 48hrs of admission due to injury or illness

• 19 hedgehogs died/euthanised later than 48 hrs after admission

• 18 hedgehogs were overwintered from Autumn 2024 (released in Spring 2025)

Financial Review

Our finances continue to be healthy giving a solid foundation for the charity. Our two main sources of income are fundraising sales and donations. Handcrafted items, especially knitted hedgehog soft toys made by three dedicated volunteers, are sold from our stalls at Portland community events and via supportive local businesses. A regular supporter makes and sells hedgehog houses and garden furniture from used pallets, donating the income to Hedgehog Friendly Portland. We are very grateful for these

valiant fundraising efforts. In addition, we receive small donations from members of the public bringing hedgehogs to the rescue, increased this year by extremely generous donations from a few individuals and substantial donations from Weymouth Paws, Hedgehog Friendly Chickerell and the Joan Turner Foundation. Donations into our Medivet Portland account totalling £450 were made by Hedgehogs Need You and Blandford Hedgehog Group, which really helps with vet’s bills. Gift Aid is claimed on eligible donations and from the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme, which provide an additional boost to funds.

The majority of expenditure is on veterinary care, medication and day to day rescue running costs. The general increase in the cost of living is reflected in higher costs of consumables and veterinary fees/medication costs, despite fewer admissions in 2025 and direct donations made into our vet account during 2025 and carried forward from 2024. However there were no major equipment purchases in 2025. Overheads in the form of a contribution towards the rescue’s utilities costs, and petrol for hedgehog transport costs, and fundraising costs are also slightly lower.

Declaration of Liabilities – Hedgehog Friendly Portland has no outstanding debt or liabilities, and has not given any guarantee where potential liability costs based on current petrol prices and the vehicle’s mile/litre rate.

Reserves Policy – Our reserves policy requires £6,000 to be held covering: Contingency £500, Cash Flow £1000, Maintenance £1000 and Running Costs for 6 months £3500.

Funds materially in deficit – No funds held by the charity are materially in deficit.

Declaration of Liabilities – Hedgehog Friendly Portland has no outstanding debt or liabilities, and has not given any guarantee where potential liability is outstanding.

Remuneration of Trustees – All Trustees are voluntary and receive no payment or other material benefits from their services to the charity. Out of pocket expenses incurred by Trustees in promoting the purposes of the charity are reimbursed at cost.

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Hedgehog Friendly Portland does not hold any funds on behalf of others.

Thanks

….to the individuals and businesses who have supported Hedgehog Friendly Portland with donations, raffle prizes, selling knitted hedgehogs and handing out information leaflets. Particular thanks to Lorna Mortimer and Viv Kimber who between them knit, stuff, sew up and distribute knitted hedgehogs, raising significant sums, and to Fran Ball who knits hedgehogs, and makes hedgehog houses from pallet wood and sells them to raise funds for us. Thanks also to Linda, Wendy and Jenny Monger for making hedgehog craft items and growing plants for sale, and to Sara Harpley who made a fantastic donation raised by dog sitting and Camera Club judging! Thank you to The Beehive Café, Lobster Pot, Easton Pet Shop, Portland Museum and Craftlines for selling our knitted hedgehogs without taking commision. Thanks to the staff at Medivet Portland for their care for the hedgehogs we bring to them, to Bredy Vets for their support, and to our colleagues in rescues across the county, especially Paula’s Wildlife Rescue, New Milton Hedgehog Rescue and Dorset Hedgehog Rescue for their advice. And finally, thank you to our lovely team of volunteers who have supported us throughout the year.

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENG￿D AND WALES Recei tsand ents accounts CC16a To (Mtrt1ra)25 31J12r2025 Sectiori A Receipts an(fj payinents A1 R•c 716 n• Sub fotsl{Gmss for AR) l•w t•bl•l. 8.81• A3Pa A4 A•••t •nd In%Mtm•nt • t•bl• Sub to A• Ca•h fund• la•t y••r 15.747 15.747 Q37 10,888 16,74 CCYX Rl *xxxrt Issi

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period nd* 81 C••h lun OJ7 nd• Dciails Details Details D•t¥ils 86 U•bllltl•8 Z4•a IrJ