The Hedgehog of Hope
By Belinda Martin – Community Collaboration
Working in collaboration with Cubs, Brownies, and Scouts from Uffculme, this project brings together young people and artists to create The Hedgehog of Hope, a powerful symbol of environmental responsibility and collective action. The hedgehog
has been chosen as a familiar and much-loved creature whose vulnerability reflects the wider impact of litter and pollution on wildlife in our village and beyond.
The Hedgehog of Hope represents our shared commitment to eliminating litter in Uffculme, with the long-term ambition to become a beacon of hope and inspiration for other communities. Through this visible and meaningful artwork, we aim to demonstrate that positive change begins at a local level, led by education, care, and collective effort.
The sculpture has been constructed using renewable and sustainable willow, interwoven with discarded plastic bottles and cans. These materials purposefully highlight the damaging presence of litter in natural environments and the direct threat
it poses to wildlife. By embedding waste materials into the structure, the artwork makes the impact of pollution impossible to ignore, while also showing how
discarded objects can be reclaimed and re-imagined.