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CQ Graduation celebrates next generation of vet nurses
Graduates were presented with their scrolls by conservation campaigner Cat Capon.
Graduates received their ceremonial scrolls from Cat Capon.

Central Qualifications (CQ) has celebrated the success of its students with its annual Graduation and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, 31 May 2025.

Held in Westminster’s Central Hall, the ceremony saw newly-graduated veterinary nurses celebrate their graduation with an audience of friends and family.

The graduates were presented with their ceremonial scrolls by ecoadventurer and naturalist Catherine ‘Cat’ Capon. Cat, a conservation campaigner, also delivered a keynote speech to the graduates, in which she congratulated them on their successes and discussed the importance of advocating for animal welfare.

The ceremony honored the recipients of CQ’s Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, marking the beginning of their careers as qualified veterinary nurses. The graduates will now be equipped with the nursing knowledge and practical skills needed to begin their careers in the veterinary nursing sector.

Jacqui Garrett, CQ director, said: “It is so rewarding to see a new cohort of veterinary nurses receive their Diplomas at the CQ Graduation and Awards Ceremony.

“This event recognises all of their hard work studying and practising their veterinary nursing skills. I am sure they will have excellent careers and make a difference to the lives of so many animals.”

The ceremony also saw CQ announce the winner of its 2025 VN Educator of the Year. The award recognised Plumpton College lecturer Matt Badham, whose students nominated him for his 'passionate' and 'inspiring' teaching style.

Mr Badham said: “It was always my goal to be a supportive educator for my students and so to realise that many of them must have taken time to write about me for their nominations is honestly very moving."

CQ was recently awarded with full accreditation from RCVS to provide it Level 3 Diploma in Small Animal Veterinary Nursing and Level 3 Diploma in Equine Nursing for the next five years.

The awarding organisation was recognised for his External Quality Assurance Processes, as well as its commitment to continuously improving its OSCE assessment practices. RCVS also noted CQ’s innovative approach of utilising multiple clinical supervisors simultaneously.

CQ says that its new qualifications will enable it to have a more integrated approach to the delivery and assessment of veterinary nursing knowledge.

Image © Central Qualifications

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.