In The Garden

Save our Hedgehogs!

Did you know that hedgehogs are in serious decline in the UK? It is now estimated that there are currently less than one million hedgehogs left in the wild across England, Scotland and Wales, compared to 30 million in the 1950’s and yet it is surprisingly easy for us to help them. A few simple steps can help protect and encourage hedgehogs to once again thrive in our neighbourhoods.

SMALL CHANGES = BIG DIFFERENCE

Create a Hedgehog Highway by linking your gardens to your neighbours. Hedgehogs need to roam, and can cover 1 to 3 miles each night in search of food. A small 13 x 13cm (5 x 5’’) hole or gap in your wall or fence will allow a hedgehog through but will be too small for most pets.

Create a wild corner in your garden to provide hedgehogs with some shelter and to encourage the insects that they need to feed on. Add a wood pile or even an insect hotel too.

Make ponds, holes and drains safe. Hedgehogs are strong swimmers but need to have a shallow edge or a ramp to be able to climb out if they fall in. Put out a shallow tray of water and some food so that they can supplement their natural diets. Meaty cat or dog food, kitten biscuits or hedgehog food are all suitable. (You could build a simple feeding station if you don’t want the local cats to eat it first!)

Make a Hedgehog House for them to shelter in during the day, or even to hibernate in over the winter.

Don’t use chemicals in your garden.

Insecticides, pesticides and slug pellets will poison hedgehogs. Let your local hedgehogs come and eat your slugs and snails instead!

I hope that you are now able to make a few small changes in your garden which could make a big difference to our local hedgehog population. Simply linking up our gardens will provide hedgehogs with access to the habitats that they need to thrive!

Join Hedgehog Highways Dunstable on Facebook

Please join the local Hedgehog Highways Dunstable Facebook group where Dunstable residents can share ideas and inspiration. We would love to see what you have done to help hedgehogs in your garden. Lots of information and advice can also be found on the excellent Hedgehog Street website, www.hedgehogstreet.org, where you can even become a Hedgehog Champion! Happy Hog watching!

The Dunstable Fraternity

of St. John the Baptist (1442 - 1547) Part 2

This edition we continue answering the question :- What were fraternities and how did they come about?

The basic thesis for a fraternity was that it should do “good work” within the community From its outset, the Dunstable fraternity’s Brotherhood House was not only for its own meetings but also had 6 beds and an infirmary for poor travellers plus accommodation for 4 older brethren or for those who had fallen on hard times. It also provided a school from Day 1 and, in addition, the fraternity gave alms to townsfolk who were in desperate need. But perhaps its greatest act of generosity on behalf of the town came in the late 1400s when the church roof was in “a ruinous state”. This reignited the agreement struck between the town and the Prior in 1392 when the town had agreed to maintain the north and south aisles, the nave and chancel in return for that space being recognised as the parish church. So the town was now required to pay for whatever repair work was necessary - and repairs to the roof was likely to be very expensive!

George Cavendish

Interior of church prior to roof lowering 1480