Pine Cone Club dancing pine cones Hector the house rabbit

This website is for the entertainment and education of Dominic, Eleanor, Emily and Ada

Hector the house rabbit escapes the long, sharp teeth of the fox, shoots through a gap in the garden hedge and out into the wild, where he is rescued by the really rather cultured wild rabbits of Hampton Court Warren, and becomes a member of Pine Cone Club, the school for young rabbits.

 

 

Pine Cone Club

 

While games, sport, singing, bouncing-about, and grazing take up at least half the day, young rabbits must spend time each day learning how to survive out in the wild. 

 

All young wild rabbits join the Pine Cone Club and become Coneys.

 

At Pine Cone Club little Coneys learn very important survival skills and earn badges, just like human Brownies and Cubs. Of course, rabbits do not sew the badges to the arm of their uniform, that would be silly. Instead they paint badges onto the walls of their family burrow. 

 

Even though Pine Cone Club is great fun, the lessons are taken very seriously.

 


“Coneys love to shout hurray, we're always having fun!
Hurray, hurray, it”s time to eat, hop to it everyone!”

 

 

 

Badges for achievement

 

The Pine Cone Badge 

Pine Cone Club Badge

This is the first badge a new Coney will receive. The badge is presented for learning the many uses of the pine cone.

 

Pine cones have many uses in the warren. They can help to predict the weather, they make sturdy screens, and they can be stacked to block tunnels to prevent cheeky dogs and ferrets from invading.  Oh, and they make an excellent brush for Hector's beautiful long fur.

 


  

 

The First Aid Badgector's pine cone club, the pine cone club,

 Pine Cone Club Badge for First AidHe

 

Craft and Hobby Badges

 

Pine Cone Club Badge for acting Pine Cone Club Badge for sport Pine Cone Club Badge for drawingPine Cone Club Badge for historyPine Cone Club Badge for singing
actingsportdrawinghistorysinging

 

 

Pine Cone Club Badges for identifying: 

Pine Cone Club Badge for flowersPine Cone Club Badge for fruitPine Cone Club Badge for insectsPine Cone Club Badge for plantsPine Cone Club Badge for wild birds
flowersfruit & nutsinsectsplantswild birds
Pine Cone Club Badge for droppingsPine Cone Club Badge for DangerPine Cone Club Badge for the night skyPine Cone Club Badge for tracksPine Cone Club Badge for creatures of the wild
droppingsdangernight skytracks

creatures

 

A photograph of deer droppings
Deer droppings - Pine Cone Club Badge

“You become a Coney to learn about the wild,” she continued, “not just to play games!  We start by naming plants and seeds, then learning footprints and feathers. As you learn you earn badges, which you draw on the wall of your burrow.  It’s great fun!”


Tom interrupted his sister.  “I have a badge for stargazing,” he said, excitedly.
“Last night I saw the planet Venus shining silver in a pink sunset-sky.  Do you like to watch the stars come out?”
Hector was about to say he never looked at the night sky when Harry butted in.
“I have badges for ALL the sports,” he shouted, bouncing energetically on the spot.


A very tall rabbit called Oliver announced in a deep voice, “my badges are for map-reading and I have a prize for collecting more pine cones in a day than anyone else.”


“So much to learn,” exclaimed Hector.  “But when do we eat, I am starving!”

Pine Cone Club Singing Badge

The Coneys of Hampton Court Warren - Singing Badge

“Do you want to learn our Coney song?” asked Georgie, but before Hector could answer they all burst out singing…


“Coneys love to shout hurray, we're always having fun!
Hurray, hurray, it”s time to eat, hop to it everyone!”


“Hurray, hurray, it”s time to eat!” repeated Hector and everyone settled down for a feed.

The Lord and Lady of Hampton Court Warren

Hector the house rabbit introduces the 3 secrets of success to the Coneys of Pinecone Club at Hampton Court Warren

Hector goes wild! Jo Rutherford 2010

Hector and the Coneys love to bounce