Talented vets recognised with BVA awards
(L-R) Sindhu Devkumar, Natasha Tredgold and Kate Higgins received awards.
Three veterinary professionals have received awards from the British Veterinary Association in recognition of their contributions to the Council and the veterinary profession.
The awards were presented as part of the association’s BVA Day, formerly the BVA Members’ Day, which was hosted at its London headquarters on Thursday, 26 September.
This year’s BVA Council Impact Award (Bleby Cup) has been awarded to Kate Higgins. The award celebrates her outstanding contribution to BVA Council.
Dr Higgins qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2002 and began her career in small animal practice in the South East. She went on to join Village Vets, near Liverpool, where she is now the owner.
As part of the BVA Council, Dr Higgins represents the views of her region and amplifies local members’ voices in meetings. She is contributing to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation through the BVA’s working group.
Dr Higgins said: “I was both surprised and humbled to learn I’d been selected to receive the John Bleby Cup this year.
“I enjoy every minute of being on Council - it’s incredible working with a group of people who are all so dedicated to serving our wonderful profession.”
The Harry Steele-Bodger Memorial Travel Scholarship has been awarded to Natasha Tredgold.
A final year student at the University of Liverpool, Ms Tredgold seeks to conduct research at the Talarak Foundation’s Conservation Breeding Centre in the Philippines. Her project will focus on critically endangered Negros bleeding-heart doves to improve the success of their reintroduction programme.
Ms Tredgold said: “It is a massive help towards my project, and I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to develop my interest in wildlife medicine and the animal welfare of veterinary interventions.”
Due to the quality of applications for this year’s awards, BVA Trustees felt it appropriate to present a second travel scholarship.
This smaller scholarship was awarded to Cambridge graduate Sinthu Devkumar. Dr Devkumar will use her scholarship to investigate 'Evaluating Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies' in Japan, with a focus on a One Health approach.
Dr Devkumar said: “As someone keen to pursue a career in One Health, I’m thrilled to have received part of this scholarship and am very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an important field.”
Outgoing BVA president Anna Judson said: “This year’s BVA achievements awards shine a light on three inspiring members of Team Vet.
‘Kate’s hard work and contributions since joining not only BVA Council but the veterinary profession itself have been really valuable and she is so very worthy of this award recognising her dedication.
“We are also really impressed by Natasha and Sinthu: their projects spotlight interesting and important issues and we hope the scholarships benefit their career – we know their futures as part of the veterinary profession are bright.”
Image © BVA
Joanne Webster, a professor of parasitic diseases at the RVC, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
