One Surrey school boy is set to complete a remarkable challenge in aid of his favourite animal. Orran O’Brien, 9, has given himself the task of walking 50km to raise money to save the hedgehogs.
Orran told SurreyLive: “It should take roughly 14 hours. I am a pretty good walker and I have done my training, a 30 kilometre walk and a 40 kilometre walk. They went well. My blisters, they healed in about a day, my dad’s healed in about a week.”
Orran will be completing the walk alongside his father, who himself has climbed Everest. When asked who was dealing with the training better, Orran said: “If you count the fact that my blisters were taking quicker than dad’s, probably me.”
“My dad suggested an easy route but it’s got to be challenging, the hedgehogs need it. I mean going from Gomshall to here, twice isn’t really that much.
While the Surrey Hills walk is a long way for little legs, Orran is determined to succeed for the hedgehogs. His hike, scheduled for this Saturday (January 18), will involve a walk from his home to Newlands corner, towards Shere for lunch, before going all the way back, tackling Saint Martha’s Hill and the Chantry Woods and then back to Newlands corner.
The original aim was to raise at least £832 to buy a new incubator for the Wildlife Aid Foundation, based in Leatherhead. However, generous donations to Orran’s Gofundme now mean he is being more ambitious.
Orran told SurreyLive: “A top of the range incubator, has temperature control, humidity control, oxygen, content control, and some of the really top of the range ones even have a nebuliser, which is basically a thing that sprays out this mist with the medication in it, so the hogs can take it if they can’t drink.
“We didn’t plan for one with the nebuliser, but we are thinking of getting the really top of the range one which has the nebuliser.”
Hedgehogs have been a fascination for Orran for some time. He told Surreylive: “It all started in year two when they had a person come round with two hedgehogs. I was really fascinated by them, especially the bit when they were barging at each other. From then I’ve loved them ever since.”
He also has some words of advice for how others could look after hedgehogs. He said: “First, make a hedgehog Highway. All it is a 14 by 14 cm square hole in your back garden, that allows hedgehogs to travel freely between gardens. Next thing, put out food and water and houses for them. They like houses even though they may not use them. And if you put out food and water and you have hedgehogs, they will probably take it. If you have food, water and a house, it is advised that you don’t put the food and water in the house. You put them in a feeding station in a different place.
“Also, another thing is don’t use chemical slug repellent, that can be very bad for them. Use organic. If you have a pond that doesn’t already have a shallow end or a ramp or a ladder type thing, it’s probably best to add escape routes.
“If it’s during the night, and it’s looking healthy enough, they should probably just leave it. They don’t like being picked up. However, if it’s out in the day and isn’t moving with a particular purpose, it is best advice to put them in a box, only with straw in it, then call up your local rescue centre asking what to do.”
You can donate to the fundraiser here.