My daughter Lois doesn’t send Christmas cards. Instead, she picks an animal charity to help by donating food, toys or blankets.

Last year she decided to help Vale Wildlife Rescue, as they needed lots of dog/cat food for the 300+ hedgehogs they were looking after over the winter. We went over to take the food and, as well as being really grateful, they showed us lots of the little hogs who wouldn’t otherwise make it through the winter.

I asked what happens to the hedgehogs when they are big enough to be released and they said they have a list of people who offer to home them. Guess whose name went on that list next!

Well, April came and so did my phone call – did I still want two hedgehogs? Of course I did! I duly collected Henry and Hermione in my cat basket, took them home and popped them into my hedgehog house (which I had been given for Christmas). After 9pm I was allowed to let them out and off they went.

I left food down for a few weeks but never actually saw them. Oh well, I thought – I’m sure they’ve found somewhere nice to live.

Throughout late summer and autumn, I was delighted to see them so regularly in my garden, busily hoovering up all the slugs on my lawn and enjoying a bit of wet dog food that I also put out. They were busy piling on the reserves they needed to go into hibernation, which hopefully they have now.

Although they investigated the hedgehog house which was bought for me, they actually prefer the natural ones I’ve made. It’s so simply – just build piles of logs or branches from a fallen tree and cover with leaves and bark. They then take in their own bedding (see my photos) and make themselves at home.

If you have a big enough garden to accommodate a couple of hedgehogs, get in touch with your local rescue centre and ask for more information. Due to urbanisation and growing levels of traffic on the roads, hedgehog numbers have declined significantly in recent years, so they could do with a helping hand (or paw!).

Make sure you and your neighbours also have gaps in your fences to allow them to travel with ease. There is lots of information online about hedgehog highways, how to create them and the benefits they have for these cute little creatures.