Students at a north Norfolk sixth form college have launched a new campaign to make their campus more hedgehog friendly.

A small group of students at Paston College in North Walsham have hosted an event at the college to raise funds to build houses for hedgehogs to hibernate in this winter.

They are collaborating with charities such as the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Hedgehog Haven Rescue, and Norwich Men’s Shed, which will be building the hedgehog houses being installed across the campus.

The group, who are all T Level management and administration students at the college, are also raising awareness of what people can do to help hedgehogs in their gardens.

North Norfolk News: Students from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescueStudents from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescue (Image: Sonya Duncan)

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“We’ve done a lot of research into how to keep hedgehogs safe,” Ella Evans, 19, who is in her second year at Paston College, said.

“We want to become accredited with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, which we need to complete tasks for.

“We’ve created posters and an Instagram account, and the money raised at the launch event will be put towards hedgehog housing and future events, as well as some of the money going to charities.

North Norfolk News: Students from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescueStudents from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescue (Image: Sonya Duncan)

“The event was a success as we had a lot of people come in. There was a good turnout, and everyone was engaged in learning about hedgehogs.”

Georgia Roberts, 17, who is also in her second year of studying management and administration at the college, said: “We’ve all developed good teamwork skills working on this project.

“It’s all about putting into practice what we’ve learnt in our leadership and management module.”

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North Norfolk News: Students from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescueStudents from Paston College in North Walsham launch their Hedgehog Friendly Campus project with the help of Marian Grimes of Hedgehog Haven rescue (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Marian Grimes, of Hedgehog Haven Rescue, attended the event, bringing some of her prickly friends with her. 

There was a raffle which sold more than 200 tickets, a guess the hedgehog competition, and cake sale.

North Norfolk News: A hedgehog from Hedgehog Haven rescueA hedgehog from Hedgehog Haven rescue (Image: Sonya Duncan)