Gwen Rees welcomed into office after AGM.

British Veterinary Association (BVA) Welsh Branch has elected Gwen Rees as its new president following its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 27 June.

Gwen Rees, a farm veterinarian and academic, takes the position following two years as junior vice-president. Former president Collin Wilson will move into the role of senior vice-president, with Phoebe Carter as the new junior vice-president.

Dr Rees was welcomed into the position by BVA president Malcolm Morley at the annual Welsh Dinner.

Dr Rees is well-known in the Welsh veterinary community, having served as the project lead for Arwain DGC’s Veterinary Prescribing Champions Network, a Welsh government-funded national antimicrobial stewardship programme. Following the success of this project, which prompted a UK-wide launch of the Farm Vet Champions programme, she was awarded the RCVS Impact Award in 2021.

On becoming president, Dr Rees said: “I look forward to my time as Welsh Branch president. I am passionate about supporting the veterinary profession in Wales in all its variety. I believe that being a vet in Wales should be something people aspire to, and that we can act as a role model for the profession across the UK.

“It is a profession I am proud to be a member of, and BVA Welsh Branch works hard to show that Wales can lead the way with a forward-thinking approach to animal health and welfare, to prescribing medicines responsibly, and to the wellbeing of our vets and vet nurses.

“While responsible prescribing will remain an issue very close to my heart during my term as president, I am also keen to tackle the many other challenges facing vets in Wales today. We need a strong workforce of happy and fulfilled vets, with a focus on developing good workplaces and a sustainable model of veterinary training.

“Other areas of focus over the next two years include dog breeding, the ongoing endemic disease challenges including bovine TB and avian influenza, embedding vets at the heart of the Sustainable Farming Scheme and ensuring the animal welfare measures that would have come into force with the failed Kept Animals Bill remain on the political agenda.”

BVA president Malcolm Morley said: “Gwen has already proved herself an invaluable member of the team during her term as junior vice president and I look forward to working with her even more closely.

“There are many challenges on the horizon for Wales, from endemic diseases to veterinary capacity, and I’m delighted that we will benefit from Gwen’s extensive understanding of the farming community here in Wales as we navigate these issues.”

Image (C) British Veterinary Association