The AHT collection has arrived at Harper & Keele Veterinary School.

Rare and extensive collection will live on in new veterinary school.

The Animal Health Trust (AHT) has donated its extensive collection of journals, textbooks and reports to Harper & Keele Veterinary School.

Thanks to the generosity of former deputy president, The Lord Kirkham CVO, the AHT Library has been relocated to the Harper Adams University campus, where it will be known as The Lord Kirkham Collection from The Animal Health Trust.

Many items in the rare collection will go on display in Harper Adams' new Veterinary Education Centre, recognising the work of the AHT. The rest will be managed by The Bamford Library at Harper Adams, for use by the school's veterinary medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and biosciences students.

The AHT Libary began in 1942 when Dr W.R. Wooldridge founded the AHT. It was initially stored in the Equine Research Station at Balaton Lodge, Newmarket, before moving to Lanwades Park in 1997 where it remained until the institute closed in May 2020.

Lord Kirkham said: “I have been associated with the Animal Health Trust since 1990 and I have very many happy memories. I was deeply saddened when it had to close last year but am so pleased that the library can live on in this exciting new veterinary school”.

Dr Matt Jones, the founding head of the Harper & Keele Veterinary School, said “It is wonderful for the School to receive such a very generous gift from Lord Kirkham and for the students and staff at a new vet school to have such ready access to a historical collection.

“I am extremely grateful to Dr Andrew Higgins, former director of AHT, for his help in negotiating the donation of the Library and we are proud to be continuing this important part of Wooldridge’s vision at Harper & Keele.”

Image (C) Harper Adams University.