Coventry-based IPP, one of Europe’s largest poolers of sustainable wooden pallets, has teamed up with the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary as part of an initiative to protect hedgehogs from bonfires this November.
The Meriden headquartered business has launched the HAPPI – Hedgehog and Pallet Protection Initiative – to educate the public about bonfire building in the run up to November 5.
It is combining the wellbeing of hedgehogs with its own initiative to educate the public about the need not to use pooled pallets – those that are in active use in the retail supply chain’s circular economy – when they are building their bonfires.
“We want millions of people to enjoy their bonfires, but we want them to take heed when it comes to hedgehogs and pallets,” said Phil Storer, UK and Ireland director for IPP.
“Every year hundreds of the nocturnal creatures hibernate in warm undergrowth, and this includes garden bonfires, where they are vulnerable to serious injury or worse as thousands of families commemorate Guy Fawkes night.
“There’s a strong environmental caveat when it comes to wooden pallets, because businesses like IPP pool or rent them to keep FMCG products moving though the supply chain as part of the circular economy. We need to extend their life through constant repair and repatriation so they are ready to go again.
“People who burn them for bonfires break that cycle. By cutting a pallet’s life short, they are contributing to the need for cutting down more trees unnecessarily.
“We chose to work with NWWS because of the fantastic work that goes on there. Apart from hedgehogs, the sanctuary looks after all kinds of wildlife from foxes to deer and snakes, badgers, owls, exotic and poisonous spiders that arrive in the UK attached to fruit, and even an albino magpie which is really rare.
“Without the sanctuary, these indigenous animals would not be here because they would be left to fend for themselves – they do great work.”
Geoff Grewcock, founder of the NWWS charity, which operates its sanctuary complete with fully-equipped animal ambulance and hospital unit in Oaston Road Nuneaton, said:
“This initiative is raising much-needed attention to the plight of the humble garden hedgehog.
“We want bonfire organisers whether they are community groups or families in their own gardens, to check if hedgehogs have crawled into the fire for hibernation before it is lit and too late.
“We applaud the HAPPI campaign for raising awareness so that we can all enjoy bonfire night without any unnecessary loss of life or the end of the line for pallets.”
For more information about Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, visit: www.nuneatonwildlife.co.uk.
For more information about IPP, visit: www.ipp-pooling.com.
