We’re urging football fans to support their clubs to reach the final of the country’s first ever Hobsons’ Hedgehog Cup!

Run by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and sponsored by Hobsons Brewery, the Hedgehog Cup has seen 47 clubs in the Hedgehog Friendly Football League drawn to ‘play’ each other to score points through hedgehog-friendly actions.

Since launching in February, 43 clubs have been knocked out and now only four remain for the semi-final:

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Northampton Town

Everton FC vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

They now need to score as many points as possible through hedgehog-friendly actions and secure a spot in the final that begins on 16^th October.

The Cup has enabled smaller clubs to take on Premier League giants in the battle to win a piece of silverware to show they care for wildlife – and has seen the likes of Oxford United take on Everton FC and Northampton Town beat Leicester City!

Find more information on point scoring activities and Cup Rules here

Fay Vass, Chief Executive at BHPS said: “Whilst there may not be many hedgehogs at the stadiums, there certainly will be in fans gardens and maybe at training grounds too, so it’s vital we get the message out there about being mindful of wildlife when we do maintenance or gardening and how we can help hedgehogs thrive in our community.

“This is the first ever Hobsons’ Hedgehog Cup, and we’ve loved seeing clubs get stuck in and encouraging their Men’s, Women’s and Academy teams to all get involved.

“Hedgehog numbers are in serious decline and it’s more important than ever that we stand together to help protect their welfare and habitats – supporting the Cup and the Hedgehog Friendly Football League is a brilliant way to do just that.”

Kate Pearce, Commercial Director at Hobsons, said: “We’re so pleased to be sponsoring the inaugural Hedgehog Cup – it’s a fantastic way for football clubs and fans to do something positive for hedgehog welfare and to help protect our native wildlife.”

The Hedgehog Friendly Football League (HFFL) is designed to spread the word about hedgehog-safe groundskeeping, getting clubs to place ‘check for hedgehogs before using’ warning stickers on all their grounds maintenance machines, and encouraging fans to look after their own gardens and green spaces with hedgehogs in mind.

Clubs wishing to join the League should email info@britishhedgehogs.org.uk for details.