Creating More Space to Protect Britain’s Hedgehogs at Prickles and Paws
Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue has been awarded a new grant from the Anthony V. Martin Foundation to help complete two vital new spaces at its purpose-built hedgehog hospital near Newquay, creating dedicated facilities for infectious cases and vulnerable mothers and their hoglets.
Founded in 2010 and becoming a registered charity in 2017, Prickles and Paws rescues, rehabilitates, and releases European hedgehogs back into the wild, providing a vital lifeline to one of the UK’s most beloved but threatened species.
In February 2026, the charity moved into its new purpose-built hospital on the Carnanton Estate near Newquay — a project costing more than £300,000 and partly funded by a previous AVM grant. The new facility provides a modern, purpose-built environment for the charity to care for hedgehogs and support their recovery.
The charity is already experiencing an exceptionally busy year. By the end of July, Prickles and Paws had admitted 728 hedgehogs, including 253 in July alone, as wildlife continues to face the challenges of repeated heatwaves.
This latest Foundation grant will help transform two outdoor cabins at the new site into dedicated specialist spaces. One will become a maternity unit, providing quiet surroundings for mothers and their hoglets away from the busy ward environment. The other will become an isolation unit, helping the charity strengthen biosecurity and prevent the spread of infectious conditions.
Speaking about the Foundation’s support, John Lewis, CEO of Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue, said:
“Summer 2026 has proved to be our busiest season yet at Prickles and Paws Hedgehog Rescue. As at 31st July we had admitted 728 hedgehogs, 253 in July alone. Wildlife has been struggling with the repeated heatwaves and hedgehogs are no exception.
Our move to new, purpose-built premises at Carnanton, near Newquay – part-funded by AVM - allows us to rehabilitate hedgehogs in a modern, state-of-the-art facility. A second AVM donation is enabling us to repurpose two outdoor cabins as a maternity unit and isolation unit respectively. The former will provide quiet spaces for mothers and hoglets away from the busy ward environment whilst the latter will help to improve biosecurity around infectious cases.
Prickles and Paws is extremely grateful for AVM’s generous support towards these life-saving projects, and we look forward to working with them on our future expansion plans.”
The Anthony V. Martin Foundation is proud to continue supporting Prickles and Paws and its vital work to rescue, rehabilitate, and protect hedgehogs, helping the charity make the most of its new facility and care for even more animals in need.
🔗 Learn more about their amazing work here: https://www.pricklesandpaws.org/