Our People - the heart of everything we do
Our story
Irene Thomson is the founder of Lowton Hedgehog Rescue and has spent the last fifteen years rescuing and rehabilitating vulnerable hedgehogs.
Irene met her first hedgehog fifteen years ago when her neighbour knocked on her door saying that there was a hedgehog in the garage and he didn’t know what to do with it. Nor did Irene. Neither of them was aware at that time that if a hedgehog, a nocturnal creature, is out and about during the day it is 99% certain that it needs help. Well, luckily for this particular hedgehog, it rolled up on Irene’s doorstep. She immediately set about finding the right support and identified a hedgehog rescue in Warrington. She was so impressed with the work they were doing that she promptly volunteered her time despite being in full time work. She became a fosterer, caring for recovering hedgehogs, made her garden hog friendly and released her charges into it. She was hooked and “persuaded” her neighbours to also get involved. Hogs need to roam 2km a night to find food, so access from garden to garden is crucial. And so Irene’s journey and passion began.
Irene now runs Lowton hedgehog Rescue full time, with the assistance of a small army of volunteers.
In March 2025 the Rescue registered as a charity, so there is now a Board of Trustees to help with the boring bits on the admin and governance side of things, in addition to the 50 or so foster carers and 3 satellite units that are all under Irene’s supervision as Chair and CEO.
Our Satellites
It isn’t easy to follow in Irene’s footsteps, but fortunately there are some who are prepared to give it a go! There are always some volunteers who are not content with basic skills training, but want to increase their knowledge and experience, learning to administer medications, follow a treatment plan, care for injuries, expand their fostering facilities to include sick hogs, learn to triage hogs and devise treatment plans, and eventually qualify as rehabbers themselves. The very best might eventually end up running a satellite unit!
Lowton currently has three satellite units, each run by a qualified and experienced Supervisor and fully equipped to provide the same standard of care as the Lowton Hub.
Each of the Unit Supervisors has individually passed the WBC Knowledge Assessment Examination.
They take hogs admitted through the Lowton hub to free up space for new arrivals, and directly from local veterinary practices and members of the public (usually referred through Lowton).
Lynda
Supervisor
North Warrington
Judy
Supervisor
South Warrington
Alison
Supervisor
St Helens
Our Volunteers
We couldn’t possibly carry out all the work we do without the invaluable help of all our volunteers.
From those who come into the rescue in the mornings to help with cleaning out and feeding, to the foster carers who look after the “bed blockers” when their treatment is finished but they are not yet ready for release, to all those who help at our events, transport hedgehogs from finders, various fundraising initiatives, trips to the tip, and moderating our Facebook Group and Instagram account.
You are all as much a part of Lowton Hedgehog Rescue as we are!
