St. Tiggywinkles founded by OE Les Stocker

If you find yourself in Buckinghamshire try and make time for a visit to TiggyWinkles Animal Hospital. This remarkable hospital has become a major local attraction after being set up by Les Stocker (OE 1954-1959) in the late 1970s.

Les Stocker

The hospital started out very humbly, Les and his wife cared for injured hedgehogs in his back garden, then wrote a book on the subject, and the hospital just grew and grew. Eventually it had to move from his back garden and with the help of the Council he relocated to 6 acres of disused land in Haddenham, a village between Aylesbury and Thame. The hospital cares for 100s of animals at any one time and when it was reopened in 1991, it was recognised as one of the world's leading centres for wildlife care and rehabilitation.

Mr Stocker is also an accomplished photographer and his animal photos can be bought from his website at www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk. He is acknowledged for writing the classic text on hedgehogs and has written many practical guides on animal care and welfare including. Practical Wildlife Care which has just had a second edition published. He also pioneered a City and Guild Qualification for young people interested in animal welfare. For his services to wildlife he has won virtually every award possible, including an MBE in 1991.

Tiggywinkles can be found on on Aston Road in Haddenham near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.