Recipients of RCVS Honours

Below are summary citations for successful recipients of RCVS Honours from the last few years.

The Queen's Medal

2024: Professor Stuart Reid CBE FRCVS, received the Queen’s Medal in recognition of his of his extensive work in the field of veterinary education and his research focused on zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance in a One Health context. He is President of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), and an autonomous member of the University of London Federation. Professor Reid’s career saw him become dean at the University of Glasgow in 2005 before moving to (RVC) in 2011. Profession Reid has over 160 scientific publications to his name and has received over 16M in competitive funding throughout his career. Additionally, Professor Reid was President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2014-2015 and was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2018 for services to the veterinary profession and higher education.

2023: Dr Bruce Fogle MBE MRCVS, an author and veterinary surgeon of more than 50 years’ standing, he received the Queen’s Medal in recognition of his career as a clinician, author and humanitarian. As well as being the Director of his London-based veterinary practice since 1973, Dr Fogle was one of five vets responsible for setting up London’s first ever 24-hour veterinary emergency service, was a co-founder of the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity in 1982, which has since paired 1,000 dogs and people, and is also chairman of Humane Society International UK, a charity protecting animals from abuse and harm, since 2012.

2022: Professor Mike Herrtage FRCVS, received the Queen's Medal for his prestigious and extensive clinical and academic career both in the UK and across the world. Based at Cambridge Vet School, throughout his career, Professor Herrtage has been involved in veterinary organisations and governance, for example, he was the first President of the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and served as President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) as well as being an RCVS Council member for 21 years. He has also had an extensive research career and has provided his expertise to charities such as the Kennel Club.  

2021: Dr John (Iain) Glen MRCVS, part of a team at AstraZeneca responsible for the discovery and development of the anaesthetic drug propofol, which is one of the world’s most common anaesthetics for medical and veterinary use. Dr Glen received two separate nominations, from Professor Ronald Jones FRCVS and Professor John Boyd MRCVS, both of whom praised his role in propofol and his dedication to One Health as a veterinary surgeon who had brought his knowledge and expertise to the pharmaceuticals industry.

2020: Dr Mary Stewart MRCVS, a retired academic who spent most of her career at the University of Glasgow where she was responsible for the development of the modern vet school. She was nominated in recognition of her influence on the development of an ethical approach to the vet-client-patient dynamic and on recognising the emotional impact that euthanasia can have both on the client, and the attending veterinary surgeon. Her nominator, Professor Stuart Reid, praised her for taking a leading pivotal role in the development of Glasgow Vet School along with its founder Sir William Weipers, as demonstrated by the fact that she has a building at the school named after her.

2019: Professor the Lord Trees, Emeritus Professor at the University of Liverpool and a Cross-bench Peer of the House of Lords, for his outstanding contributions to the profession, who has dedicated their career to working above and beyond the call of duty in the fields of veterinary medicine or science. As the only veterinarian in Parliament, Lord Trees is a great ambassador for the veterinary profession, ensuring the veterinary voice is heard from the highest levels of government, all the way through to the client, on a global basis. 

2018: Professor Peter Clegg for uniting the best characteristics of a clinical career, an academic research career and a mentor. For his truly remarkable academic achievements combined with his ability to nurture the careers of those around him and contribute to the human and veterinary medical world.

2017: Dr Barry Johnson for his years of service to clinical practice, veterinary education and public service - including 28 years on RCVS Council and his position as High Sheriff of Lancashire from 2014 to 2015.

2016: Professor Randolph Richards for his contribution to fish health and welfare, aquaculture, and the development of the salmon farming industry in Scotland.

2015: Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, the first veterinary surgeon to sit in the House of Lords and former President of both the RCVS and Royal Society of Medicine, for his contribution to veterinary politics and academia.

2014: Mr Desmond Thompson, a former President of the RCVS and the British Veterinary Association, for his contribution to the veterinary community in Northern Ireland and beyond.

The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award

2022 & 2023: Not awarded

2021: Kirsty Cavill RVN, a trained animal physiotherapist who has used her skills and knowledge to help older dogs with canine arthritis and train and advise others on therapeutic techniques. Her nominator Lynsey Tindall RVN, praised her passionate for nursing and as "an educational leader in her field who strongly feels that volunteering is a great way to give back to her profession, patients and colleagues."

2020: Not awarded

2019: Jane Devaney RVN, Head Nurse at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital at the University of Liverpool, for her dedication to the veterinary nursing profession and tireless work to make make veterinary nursing a specialism equal to any other branch of equine veterinary practice, cementing the incredible value of veterinary nurses as part of the veterinary team.

2018: The Golden Jubilee was not awarded this year.

2017: Kathy Kissick RVN for her contribution to veterinary education as former Head of Veterinary Nursing and Myerscough College and her championing of the profession as Chair of VN Council. 

2016: Louise O’Dwyer RVN for her leadership role in the profession as a clinical director for a veterinary group, her advocacy on behalf on the profession and her research work into antimicrobial resistance. 

2015: Dot Creighton RVN for her pioneering awareness raising on behalf of the profession as a President of the British Veterinary Nursing Association including founding what would become VN Awareness Month. 

2014: Hayley Walters RVN for her clinical, education and international outreach work as an Anaesthesia and Welfare Veterinary Nurse at the University of Edinburgh Hospital for Small Animals and the Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

RCVS International Award

2024: Dr Nancy de Briyne, Executive Director of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) since 2021, having worked at the organisation since 2000. FVE is the representative body for veterinary organisations from 38 different European countries, including the United Kingdom, and acts as a coordinating body, allowing veterinarians from across the continent to share best practice and knowledge. Dr de Briyne was nominated for her impact in several areas, but particularly her international advocacy for responsible drug use.

2024: Professor Susan Mbuga, was nominated for her work as the founding member of the Kenya Small and Companion Animal Veterinary Association (KESCAVA), and before that the Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA). Under her leadership of KWVA, the organisation developed an outreach program that educated women, especially in rural areas, on good animal husbandry, while her leadership of KESCAVA has seen it become a member of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

2023: Dr Denis Novak MRCVS, was nominated for his work on improving standards in veterinary education in Serbia, where he works in practice in the capital Belgrade, the Balkans region and other areas of Eastern Europe through his work with the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA), where he is now President. He also founded the Eastern European Regional Veterinary Conference (EERVC), which has helped to bring affordable continuing professional development (CPD) and networking opportunities to veterinary professionals from across the region.

2022: Miranda Luck RVN, was recognised for her international animal welfare consultancy work, focusing on improving conditions for animals in shelters in countries across the world, including contributing to legislation and the development of shelter standards in the United Arab Emirates and South Korea. As an international volunteer she also enjoys being involved in a variety of animal welfare activities such as feline trap-neuter-return projects, street dog population management, and disaster relief operations. 

2022: Professor Holger Volk MRCVS, was recognised for the impact of his veterinary neurology research on society, animal welfare and clinical practice. Most recently this has been seen in the effort against Covid-19 as Professor Volk's research group was the first to publish peer-reviewed evidence that medical scent detection dogs can discriminate samples from Covid-19 infected individuals, from non-infected individuals.

2021: Emeritus Professor Michael Day FRCVS, sadly passed away in May 2020 and was nominated posthumously by Dr Frances Barr FRCVS, a veterinary surgeon who worked with him as a colleague at the University of Bristol and when Professor Day was Chair of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s Education Committee. She praised Professor Day as a prolific researcher and writer, focusing on companion animal immune-mediated and infectious diseases. His contributions to the field were acknowledged by many other awards, including the BSAVA Amoroso Award (1999), the RCVS Trust's G Norman Hall medal (2003) and the Pet Plan Charitable Trust Scientific Award (2009).

2020: Not awarded. 

2019: Dr Abdul-Jalil Mohammadzai, Country Director - Mayhew Afghanistan, for his his exceptional achievements with regards to improving animal health and welfare in one of the most challenging parts of the world – Kabul, Afghanistan. 

2019: Dr Samuel Thevasagayam, Deputy Director for Global Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for his work improving the health of livestock, optimising livestock productivity and enabling economic growth of people who depend on livestock, particularly in the developing world.

2018: Dr Alemayehu Hailemariam for his work leading the Brooke equine charity's animal health programme in Ethiopia.

2018: Rachel Wright who qualified as a veterinary nurse in the UK and founded the Tree of Life for Animals (TOLFA) hospital in Rajasthan, India. 

2017: Mr Christophe Buhot, former President of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, for his contribution to the veterinary profession across the continent and for championing Vet Futures Europe and VETFUTURS France.

RCVS Impact Award

2024: Dr Eve Hanks MRCVS, was nominated for the impact of her entrepreneurship and innovation on the world of veterinary diagnostics. Dr Hanks created a platform technology that diagnoses pre-clinical disease, and predicts progression and response to treatment.

2024: Thom Jenkins MRCVS, was nominated for his role as CEO and co-founder of PetsApp, a veterinary engagement and communication platform that assists veterinary practices and their clients with a variety of tasks including appointment booking, reminders, payments and chat functions.

2024: Mark Morton MRCVS, was recognised for his work as the initiator and clinical lead for the Canine Cruciate Registry (CCR), a database which aims to improve outcomes for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament ruptures, one of the most common causes of lameness in dogs.

2023: Dr Mark Little MRCVS, was jointly president of the British Veterinary Association’s (BVA) Northern Ireland branch and the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA) for 2021/2022, a crucial time for the country’s veterinary sector as the impact of the post-EU Exit arrangements under the Northern Ireland Protocol were being worked out. During his time as president, Mark recognised the need for and spearheaded the response around the concerning issue of veterinary medicine supply to Northern Ireland at the end of the Brexit "grace period" in December 2022.

2023: Dr Collin Willson MRCVS, was nominated for his long and impactful career in veterinary public health and food safety, including providing expertise and policy input to the BVA and its divisions and, in particular, for his work with the Halal meat industry, ensuring that the right balance is struck between animal welfare concerns and respect for religious and cultural practices.

2022: Dr Liz Barton MRCVS, was recognised for her work in championing women leaders within the veterinary professions, working to enhance the wellbeing of the professions through the WellVet Initiative she co-founded, and using social media to develop sources of professional and personal support for working mothers within the veterinary professions. 

2022: Professor Clare Rusbridge FRCVS, was recognised for her research and clinical work on Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia (CMSM) which she discovered in King Charles Spaniels in 1997. Since then she has written some 59 scholarly articles on CMSM and in 2006 developed a CMSM treatment algorithm which has been translated into several languages and is regularly updated in order to allow dogs without easy access to veterinary neurologists to receive optimal care. 

2021: Alison Lambert MRCVS, the founder and owner of veterinary business consultancy Onswitch which looks to help veterinary businesses create customer-centred practice so that pets, horses and livestock receive the best care. Her nominator is Susie Samuel MRCVS said Alison had inspired the veterinary profession in the UK and around the world to improve the customer experience (Cx) of the client.

2021: Dr Gwenllian Rees MRCVS, nominated for her involvement in the Arwain Vet Cymru (AVC) project, a collaborative national antimicrobial stewardship program for all farm vets in Wales. Her nominator Robert Edward Smith MRCVS, praised Gwenllian for training a network of Veterinary Prescribing Champions (VPCs) across Wales to promote responsible medicine use and introduce antimicrobial stewardship policies into their practices, translating into real, practical, on-farm change.

2020: Dr Rosie Allister MRCVS, a leading campaigner and researcher for and about veterinary mental health, as well as a veterinary educator, the manager of the Vetlife Helpline and a member of the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative Taskforce for her contributions to research, awareness-raising and tackling stigma around mental health.

2020: Hannah Capon MRCVS, the co-founder and director of Canine Arthritis Management (CAM), a self-funded social enterprise that provides advice to both other veterinary professionals and animal owners on the treatment and management of arthritis in dogs, for her contributions to awareness-raising of canine arthritis amongst the profession and public.

2019: Professor Sarah Louise Freeman, Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham, for her work developing the ‘REACT now to prevent colic’ educational programme with The British Horse Society - which has had a significant impact on equine welfare, public awareness and the veterinary profession as a result of their research and educational campaigns. 

2019: Professor Paul Damien McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science at the University of Sydney in Australia, for showing how the training of veterinary surgeons can lead to remarkable international impact on animal health and welfare.  

2018: Jade Statt for co-founding the charity StreetVet and the impact it has had on homeless communities across England. 

RCVS Inspiration Award

2024: Alexandra Taylor RVN, was nominated for her internationally acclaimed work in feline nursing. She is the Cat Wellbeing and Behaviour Advisor for International Cat Care, where she plays a global role in educating cat owners, veterinary teams and all those who work with cats about how to optimise the care and welfare of cats.

2023: Dr Katie Ford MRCVS, is the co-founder and director of Vet Empowered, and was nominated for her dedication to supporting and inspiring veterinary professionals, for example, by bravely sharing her own experiences of imposterism, low confidence, and mental health in order to signpost and encourage others to seek out help, support, and self-compassion.

2023: Dr Laura Higham MRCVS, is the founder and director of Vet Sustain, and was nominated for her role in supporting veterinary professionals to become champions for sustainability and campaigners on issues relating to the environment and climate change.

2022: Dr Alex Davies MRCVS, was recognised for his role as President of Vet Mentor, a non-profit organisation dedicated to students who are aspiring to study veterinary medicine at university. During his involvement with Vet Mentor, Alex has come up with new educational programmes to inspire, inform and prepare future vets for their university application and their studies. 

2022: Brian Faulkner FRCVS, was recognised for his role in championing the importance of non-clinical skills for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, as well as his promotion of the wider veterinary team as a co-founder of the British Veterinary Receptionist Association and the Accredited Veterinary Receptionist Award. 

2021: Dr Daniella Dos Santos FRCVS, previously the youngest ever President of the BVA who was nominated for the leadership role she took during the coronavirus pandemic. Her nominator Cat Henstridge MRCVS, said that Daniella had been a true inspiration to the profession during the pandemic, leading from the front with a calm, considered and sympathetic attitude and clearly setting out a path for the rest of the profession to follow. 

2021: Professor Mandy Peffers FRCVS, a Wellcome Trust Clinical Intermediate Fellow in Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science at the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences at the University of Liverpool. Her nominator Eithne Comerford FRCVS, Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Liverpool, said Mandy was an inspiration for taking a ‘quantum career leap’ from being a practising veterinary surgeon balancing work and family commitments to entering academia as a Wellcome Trust researcher. 

2020: Dr Freda Scott-Park MRCVS, former president of both the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) as well as the current coordinator of the Highlands & Islands Veterinary Services Scheme, for her leading role in The Links Group, an organisation which seeks to identify and raise awareness of the links between human-to-animal abuse and other forms of abusive behaviour.

2019: Dr Laura Mary Muir, for the positive influence she has had on the veterinary community due to successfully combining study demands with the rigours of elite sport - combining her undergraduate education with a world-class athletics career.

2019: Louise Northway, for constantly championing the valued skills of veterinary nurses and their contribution to the veterinary community via her well-known social media platform ‘Lou the Vet Nurse’ and, more recently, through her role on the British Veterinary Nursing Association’s governing Council. 

2018: Professor Derek Knottenbelt for mentoring and inspiring generations of veterinary students, residents and RCVS Specialists in his role as Professor of Equine Medicine at the University of Liverpool.

2018: Dr Ebony Escalona for her work with the Brooke equine charity and founding the Vets: Stay, Go or Diversify group.

Honorary Associates

2024: Dr Iain Berrill, a fish biologist and Head of Technical at Scottish Salmon, was nominated for working closely with fish vets to improve the health and welfare of fish in the Scottish aquaculture industry.

2024: James Ferrie, was nominated for his work as the farrier for the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine for some 50 years, helping to train generations of equine vets, providing lectures and practical workshops to students, contributing to books and scientific papers, and working with vets to maximise treatment outcomes and welfare.

2024: Professor Diana Williams, was until recently Professor of Infection Biology and Microbiomes at the University of Liverpool’s Institution of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Studies where she has benefitted animal health and welfare through her teaching and her research, particularly in the field of livestock health, welfare and productivity.

2022: Norma Chapman, was recognised for her lifelong advocacy for, and collaboration with, the veterinary professions as an eminent zoologist and naturalist specialising in deer, having collaborated on research with anatomists, epizoologists, pathologists, parasitologists and toxicologists. 

2022: Joyce Wason, was recognised for her role as Director of Admissions and Student Support Manager at the University of Glasgow until her retirement in May 2022 where she was known for being a source of help and advice for applicants, students, and graduates, and a champion of student resilience training, suicide awareness and mental health first aid. 

2022: Jane Wilson, was recognised for her 25 years and thousands of hours of volunteering with the Vetlife Helpline, a non-judgmental and confidential emotional and mental health support service for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. She has been praised for her empathy and ability to confidently talk to callers about their concerns as well as mentoring and training new volunteers and her involvement in the financial support branch of Vetlife's work. 

2021: Stuart Carter, Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Pathology at the University of Liverpool’s Institution of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, who has worked at Liverpool’s Faculty of Veterinary Science since 1985. His nominator Amy Gillespie MRCVS, a PhD student at Liverpool and European-recognised Specialist in Bovine Health Management, praised Stuart for advancing medicine greatly with achievements in wide and varied fields such as the first isolation and characterisations of dromedary camel immunoglobulins to deciphering the cause of fatal foal immunodeficiency. 

2021: Anthony Martin, a philanthropist with a particular interest in supporting national and international charities working with the veterinary profession to improve animal welfare through his Anthony V Martin Foundation. His nominator Toni Cobbett RVN has worked with charities that have benefitted from Anthony Martin’s funding and said Anthony takes a personal interest in every charity he partners with and always visits them, in the UK or abroad. 

2020: Professor Maureen Bain, Professor of Comparative Anatomy and Histology at the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, and an Associate of Glasgow Vet School, for her contribution to food safety, specifically her research on improving the quality and safety of eggs for human consumption.

2020: Mike Flynn, the Chief Superintendent of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), for his collaborative work with the veterinary profession in areas such as the illegal puppy trade and the Links Group and his dedication to improving animal welfare and ending animal abuse.

2020: Professor Roberto La Ragione, the Deputy Head of the Surrey Vet School where he is also Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Head of the Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases for his contribution to veterinary education and research, specifically his key role in the development of the pioneering partnership approach to education and training at Surrey Vet School.

2019: No Honorary Associates were awarded this year.

2018: No Honorary Associates were awarded this year.

2017: Heather Armstrong for her contribution to the health and welfare of equids as Director of the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.

2017: Professor Duncan Maskell for his contribution to pathogen research and animal-focused science as the first non-vet Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge and current Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Cambridge and Marks & Spencer Professor of Farm Animal Health, Food Science and Food Safety.

2016: Professor David Lane for his contribution to the profession through his support of the launch of the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice and the status of Advanced Practitioner.

2015: Dr Michael J Francis for his exceptional impact on the wellbeing of livestock and pets globally through the vaccines he has developed against infectious diseases.

2015: Miss Catherine A Phillips for her dedication to enhancing veterinary nurse training in both the small animal and equine fields.

2015: Dr Phillip Sketchley for his tireless contribution to the pharmaceutical industry and for his work alongside the veterinary profession and at the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH).

RCVS Compassion Award 

2024: Timothy Sandys MRCVS, was nominated for starting the Gloucester branch of Street Vet, a charity in which vets and veterinary nurses offer free essential veterinary services to the pets of people experiencing homelessness and continues to be the branch’s team leader.

2022: Glen Cousquer MRCVS, was recognised for his role as a founding member of the Campus Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee at the University of Edinburgh where he works as an MSc Programme Coordinator in Conservation Medicine. In his role as Chair of the Committee he has led and supported a team that provides a regular programme of events to promote staff and student mental health and wellbeing and has also helped to promote a culture of compassion across the wider university. 

2022: Katie Moore VN MRCVS, was recognised for her role as a Trustee of the Vetlife charity, which provides mental health and emotional support to the veterinary professions, and particularly as Chair of the charity's Vetlife Health Support Programme and Vetlife Helpline, for which she provides strategic leadership and governance. Among Katie's key achievements has been the commissioning and development of the Vetlife Health Support Service which offers bespoke professional mental health support to vets, veterinary nurses and students. 

2021: Dr David Martin MRCVS, a veterinary surgeon and partner at the Brownlow Veterinary Group in Shropshire who has been described as a consistent advocate for pet, client and team welfare within the non-accidental injury (NAI) field for many years, helping practitioners to identify the signs of NAI. His nominator Dr Jacqueline Seymour MRCVS, a VetsNow district veterinary surgeon who sits with Dr Martin on the IVC UK Welfare group, says he contributed his knowledge and personal time during the pandemic to provide direct support to veterinary teams in his own time on recognising NAI, as well as leading parliamentary discussion, online webinar training and production of additional resources to aid teams in these situations.

2021: Olivia Wassell RVN, has worked at the Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Hammersmith, London, since late 2019 and has been praised by her colleagues for her professionalism, positive attitude and dedication to animal health and welfare as a relatively new member of staff working under difficult conditions during the pandemic. Her nominator Dominique Mitchell RVN said Olivia faced the challenges of the pandemic with a completely open mind and flexibility and that she had been a great support to numerous team members familiar and unfamiliar.

RCVS Student Community Award 

2023: Sophie Oliver, a final-year student at the University of Nottingham vet school, was nominated for her part in organising the inaugural British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Student Congress in 2022, the first that covered students at all UK vet schools rather than being localised to a particular school. The Congress, which had over 450 attendees, also reached an international audience.

2023: Legend Thurman, is a student at the Royal Veterinary College in London and was nominated for her work in representing fellow American students studying veterinary medicine in the UK via her presidency of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, encouraging career development opportunities for students, increasing scholarship opportunities for veterinary medicine courses, and mental health awareness.

2022: Paul Gogerty MRCVS, was recognised for his role in developing a bespoke set of courses teaching nature connection and field skills for fellow veterinary students at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh. These courses aimed to encourage practices in nature connection within the greater student body and vet school community and, in doing so, champion the importance of time spent in the natural world for overall physical and mental health and wellbeing. 

2022: Fergus Mitchell, was recognised for being a passionate advocate for supporting mental health and wellbeing amongst fellow veterinary students at the University of Nottingham as Welfare Officer and, latterly, President of the university Vet Society. During the pandemic Fergus led projects and initiatives including mental health days, support booklets and online events and also founded the National Vet Student Wellbeing Week in 2021, joining forces with fellow student welfare officers at other UK vet schools. 

2021: Jack Church, a fourth-year veterinary student at Surrey Vet School who, in addition to his studies, had spent much of last year volunteering at an adult ICU Covid-19 award, completing 12-hour shifts undertaking tasks such as helping the doctors and nurses put on their personal protective equipment (PPE), rolling ventilated patients, disinfecting PPE and transporting supplies. His nominator, fellow Surrey University veterinary student Yasmin Abou-Amer, said Jack was been a fantastic role model to other vet students though his service to the wider community, including the most vulnerable. 

2021: Lavinia Economu, who was a final-year student at the Royal Veterinary College when she was nominated and is one of the driving forces behind Animal Aspirations, a student-led organisation that seeks to inspire young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and different socio-economic backgrounds into the veterinary professions. Her nominator Daniella Dos Santos FRCVS, said that Lavinia had recognised not only the lack of diversity within the profession, but also the challenge of a lack of role models and accessible support for marginalised and disadvantaged communities and so founded Animal Aspirations, which in two years has gone from strength to strength.