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Charity appoints first 'vet student champion'
Mariella Savage
First-year vet student Mariella Savage will be the inaugural vet student champion.

New scheme aims to create a platform for knowledge sharing
 
The British Horse Society (BHS) has appointed its first 'veterinary student champion' as part of a new drive to forge links between vet students, horse owners and the BHS.

Under the new scheme, a student from the University of Surrey's vet school will be chosen each year to raise awareness about the work going on at the university and within the charity. It will be their job to explore ways for the two organisations to benefit from one another's expertise.

First-year vet student Mariella Savage will be the inaugural vet student champion. She was one of many to apply for the role, but BHS says her knowledge, passion and enthusiasm set her apart.

Commenting on her new position, Mariella said: "I was keen to help create a bridge between my university and the British Horse Society. I feel it will really benefit us as veterinary students, as well as enabling us to share our experiences and the knowledge we are gaining with BHS members."

The inspiration for the scheme came from Dr Teresa Hollands, a senior teaching fellow in veterinary nutrition.

"Veterinary universities provide an amazing opportunity for the work of the BHS to be promoted to a new and important audience," she explained.

"Equally exciting will be the sharing of research being undertaken by veterinary universities and the dissemination of this knowledge to members."

Image courtesy of the University of Surrey

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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.