Sir, As a supporter of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), I thought I would write to let you know about Hedgehog Awareness Week which runs from May 3-9 this year. Hedgehog Awareness Week is organised by the BHPS and takes place every year. It aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how you can help them. Lots of tips to make sure our prickly friends stay safe can be found on the society's website http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk">www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk This year, efforts are focused on gardeners - there is so much that gardeners can do to help the hedgehog, very simple things like ensuring there is access into the garden (all that is needed is a 13cm/5" square gap), checking areas before strimming or mowing, moving piles of rubbish to a new site before burning it, ensuring netting is kept at a safe height, checking compost heaps before digging the fork in, stopping or reducing the amount of pesticides and poisons used, covering drains or deep holes, and ensuring there is an easy route out of ponds and pools. With hedgehog numbers in decline, getting involved is more important now than ever. BHPS have produced a poster highlighting dangers hedgehogs face in our gardens; readers can obtain a free copy of the poster and details of membership by sending an A5 sae to BHPS, Garden Dangers, Hedgehog House, Dhustone, Ludlow, SY8 3PL, or seeing the BHPS website at http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk">www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk. Thank you.

Alison and Basil Lees,

Penally