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Worcester Cathedral to hold 'Vicar of Dibley' style service
Wendy
Wendy, one of the greyhounds that will benefit from the service.
Animal Blessing to celebrate the Retired Greyhound Trust's 40th anniversary

Hundreds of hounds and their owners will congregate at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday 18 April for a special charity service in aid of the Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT) .

The service will be held in a style reminiscent of a ceremony in the BBC Sitcom, Vicar of Dibley.

The "All Creatures Great and Small" Animal Blessing is one of a number of events being held to celebrate the RGT's 40th anniversary. It will include a special, animal friendly service which includes animal-related hymns, music, readings.

Furthermore, a special Memory Tree will be available on which those who wish to remember a pet that has passed away can place a memorial heart.

After the special blessing, pets and their owners will be able to enjoy refreshments and browse a number of charity guest stalls.

Tracey Parbery, secretary of the Hall Green branch of the RGT and organiser of the blessing said: “We are excited to welcome greyhounds, owners, RGT volunteers and supporters to this very special service which commemorates 40 years of the Retired Greyhound Trust’s work. The RGT has found loving homes for over 70,000 greyhounds since 1975, and I thought this blessing would be a lovely way to recognise this achievement.

“We would like to extend an invitation to anyone who loves animals, supports the RGT or who would simply like to find out more about the charity’s work. It promises to be a great day for dogs and owners alike, and we hope many people will join us for this unique celebration.”

The Blessing starts at 2pm and admission is free. For further information, contact Hall Green Retired Greyhound Trust on 07703 280321 or by email via hallgreenrgt.co.uk.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.