My name is Jeannette Hampstead. I retired from nursing after 37 years and thought I would enjoy living a life of leisure. How wrong can one person be?

I found a hedgehog in my garden that was obviously ill and could not get any of the local rescues to answer my call for help. On returning from the vet with medication for the hedgehog whom we called Erica, I googled how to give your hedgehog medication. I found a mentor, did a couple of courses. Went to conferences and started my own rescue. My favourite job is caring for the urchins. They are a constant joy when they are here, even though it's hard work and I get very little sleep.

Here we are a few years down the line taking nearly 300 hedgehogs a year. I have a band of volunteers to whom I am ever grateful and a committee who keep me on the straight and narrow. I could not do any of it without the help of my lovely husband, Graham.