Posthumous Queen’s Medal to be awarded to vet sustainability champion as 2025 Awards announced

The RCVS has today [Friday 25 April 2025] announced the recipients of our 2025 Honours & Awards, with its highest honour for an individual veterinary surgeon being conferred posthumously upon Professor Simon Doherty, who passed away in December 2024. The awards will be made at RCVS Day on 4 July 2025.

Other recipients this year include: a veterinary nurse who helped found the UK’s first veterinary clinical skills centre; an equine vet who leads a charity treating and rehoming abused and neglected horses; a charity founder who has led efforts to reduce animal and human deaths through rabies vaccinations; and a longstanding volunteer at a veterinary mental health charity.

Speaking of this year’s awards, Linda Belton, RCVS President, said: “We’re very grateful to Simon’s family who agreed to accept his posthumous award. Despite the very sad circumstances, I hope they take immense pride in all he achieved in areas such as One Health, sustainable agriculture and aquaculture, veterinary public health and international trade.

“As always with our awards, we have a range of people who demonstrate the great breadth of contributions that the veterinary professions, and those working in and around the veterinary sector, make to animal health and welfare, public health and wider society – both here in the UK and abroad. I hope their stories will serve to inspire others in the professions, as well as those who might be considering veterinary careers, on just how consequential our work can be.  

“I look forward to meeting the recipients and their families and friends and celebrating their achievements at our Royal College Day in July.”

Queen’s Medal

This award is the College’s most prestigious honour for veterinary surgeons and was launched in 2013 with the permission of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The award recognises veterinary surgeons who have achieved a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.

Professor Doherty (pictured) received two separate nominations from former RCVS President and current Fellowship Chair Dr Niall Connell FRCVS and from current British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Liz Mullineaux. The nominations were submitted before Professor Doherty died and recognised his contributions to a wide variety of fields, through his work in academia, the civil service and the voluntary sector. It also recognised his contributions to national and regional veterinary politics, for example, as a Past-President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), a founding director of VetSustain, and a member of the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association’s council.

In his nomination form Niall said: “Simon Doherty is a veterinary surgeon in the fullest sense, working for animals right across all fields, and for society, making a massive contribution to One Health which is so critical. His interests span sustainable animal agriculture and aquaculture – including animal welfare, environmental impact and antimicrobial resistance - One Health approaches to global health challenges and novel vaccine design.

“Simon makes tremendous contributions in so many areas in our veterinary world and beyond with teaching, delivery of many scientific papers and presentations at conferences and seminars. His work engages with the education of young people, undergraduates, our professions and the public. He also shares widely with our professions and the public on a variety of social media platforms, providing information and encouragement of worthy projects.”

In her nomination for Simon Doherty, Liz Mullineaux said: “Simon was President of BVA from 2018 to 2019 and, during his time on the officer team, sustainability and One Health came to feature prominently on the BVA agenda. His leadership saw the publication of BVA’s UK sustainable animal agriculture position which recognises the veterinary profession as a key stakeholder in the One Health agenda, and position on sustainable finfish aquaculture which calls on the aquaculture industry to take a One Health approach in order to achieve sustainability goals.”

VN Golden Jubilee Award

The VN Golden Jubilee Award was introduced in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first veterinary nurse training course and is the highest individual award that can be made to a veterinary nurse. The Award is aimed at veterinary nurses who have had a sustained and distinguished career, who can demonstrate a leadership role within the profession and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.

This year’s award will be made to Perdita Welsh RVN (pictured), Director of Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) for her dedication to professional development for veterinary nurses. An RVC graduate herself, Perdita helped set up the UK’s first veterinary clinical skills training centre at the College, as well as developing a number of graduate and postgraduate veterinary nursing qualifications.

Her nominator was Niamh Clancy RVN, a Teaching Fellow at the RVC’s School of Veterinary Nursing. In her nomination for Perdita she said: “Perdi stands as an exemplary ambassador for the veterinary nursing profession, epitomising qualities that make her a beacon of inspiration and leadership. Her unwavering commitment to advancing education in veterinary nursing, particularly through the creation of the Level 6 Graduate Diploma and advanced certification programmes, showcases her dedication to raising the standards and profile of the profession.

“By facilitating opportunities for nurses of diverse educational backgrounds to upskill, Perdi has demonstrated inclusivity and a commitment to the professional development of all.

“Perdi Welsh's impact extends beyond academia; her initiatives have influenced the broader veterinary nursing community by creating opportunities for nurses in practice, making her a transformative force within the field.”

Compassion Award

The RCVS Compassion Award was first bestowed in 2021, to reflect the focus of the RCVS on compassion as part of our overall strategy.

In keeping with the strategy, compassion awards are for veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated compassion towards fellow professionals and/or members of the animal-owning public. This may be as part of a one-off initiative or sustained over a longer period of time, but the individual needs to have made a significant impact and shown genuine compassion above and beyond what might have been expected of them as part of their day-to-day work.

This year the Compassion Award will be awarded to Dr Murray Corke MRCVS (pictured), in recognition of his 27 years as a Vetlife Helpline volunteer, from its launch in 1997 to his retirement at the end of 2024. The Helpline is a free and confidential source of emotional and mental health support for all the veterinary community, and Murray has done over 600 shifts on the Helpline, supporting more than 1,500 members of the community going through a difficult time.

His nominator was Dr Rosie Allister MRCVS, Consultant Manager at the Vetlife Helpline. In her nomination for Murray she said: “Several times each month, for 27 years, Murray has quietly signed onto his shift at Vetlife Helpline and has answered the phone to veterinary professionals in distress. Listening without judgement. Calmly, compassionately being there with people in our professions who are going through hard times.

“As well as his compassion for people calling helpline, Murray has been a steadfast supporter of other volunteers. Ever present and ready to support others who have taken tough calls, those new to the role, or who themselves just need someone to talk with. It is hard to describe the enormity of a contribution of 27 years voluntary support to our professions.”

Honorary Associateship

RCVS Honorary Associateships are conferred upon laypeople who have made a special contribution to the veterinary sphere and in previous years has included researchers, academics, charity workers, business leaders and journalists.

This year the RCVS will award three Honorary Associateships to Rita Dingwall, Joanne Gibson and Stuart Pope.

Rita has worked within the veterinary sector for over 30 years as both a practice manager and, latterly, an independent veterinary business consultant. She is also the current Chair of the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices and has previously served as President of the Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) and as a member of the RCVS Practice Standards Group which coordinates the voluntary scheme.

Her nominator was Pam Mosedale FRCVS, a former Lead Assessor for the Practice Standards Scheme as well as former Quality Improvement Clinical Lead at RCVS Knowledge. She said: “Rita’s vast experience of practice management has had a profound impact on veterinary practice management and enabled her to train others and share with them her wide knowledge to develop and motivate the members of the practice into a cohesive team.

“She is the epitome of a ‘people person’ and through her strong empathy skills can assess and help practices deal with any area of conflict, either within the team itself or the interface with the practices’ client base. She has that rare ability to combine an amazing business acumen with compassion and empathy and her sage guidance and support has proved invaluable to many in the profession.”

Jo Gibson runs Veterinary Northern Ireland (VetNI) which acts as the secretariat for the two associations based in the country – the Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practising in Northern Ireland (AVSPNI) and the North of Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA).

Her nominator was Thomas Philip Walsh MRCVS, who runs a mixed veterinary practice in Armagh. He said: “VetNI was set up in 2005 to provide 'back office' functions for the organisations in NI to improve communication to the profession, within the profession, and to stakeholders and the public functioning as a 'single point of contact' for the veterinary profession.

“Jo's dedication, hard work, professionalism and relentless enthusiasm has expanded the role of the VetNI, working tirelessly on behalf of the veterinary profession and organising and facilitating high quality CPD for the Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practising in Northern Ireland in particular.”

Stuart Pope is the Operations Manager for the University of Bristol’s vet school where he is responsible for issues such as health and safety, managing the university’s farm facilities, and ensuring the vet school is sustainable, as well as contributing to the university’s Animal Behaviour and Welfare Group.

His nominator was Professor Tim Parkin FRCVS, Head of Bristol Vet School and current RCVS Junior Vice-President. He said: “It is clear other than Stuart’s contributions to the work of the Animal Behaviour and Welfare group at Bristol Veterinary School, his greatest impact has been to ensure the safe and continued graduation of literally thousands of veterinary science and veterinary nursing students.

“This contribution is most marked by his work as School Operations Manager since 2015. Stuart successfully managed the operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of Bristol Veterinary School. He was the one member of Bristol Veterinary School staff who was ever-present on campus ensuring we could all continue to provide a safe teaching and working environment through the ever-shifting requirements of that time.”

Impact Award

The Impact Award is bestowed upon veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses at any stage of their career who have recently, or are currently, undertaking a project, initiative or similar that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.

This year there are two Impact Award winners – Professor John Innes FRCVS and Dr Dan O’Neill FRCVS.

Professor Innes was nominated for his role, over the past 20 years, in developing, validating and promoting the use of client-reported outcomes measures in canine orthopaedics and chronic musculoskeletal pain. His method – Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs - is now widely used internationally by researchers and practitioners.

His nominator was Duncan Lascelles, Professor in Small Animal Surgery and Pain Management at North Carolina State University. He said: “John is a gifted clinician and clinical scientist. His clinical research, particularly around the development and understanding of client reported outcome measures has been highly innovative and performed to an extremely high quality.

“His work has led and inspired the important field of owner-based assessment of disease progression and monitoring efficacy. He has had very significant impact in the veterinary scientific community.

“Critically, what really makes John's work stand apart is his additional focus on dissemination of this research and integration of tools into daily practice in a practical manner.”

Dr Dan O’Neill was nominated for his critical role in the development of VetCompass, a search engine that indexes millions of clinical records collected from primary practices and referral centres, allowing researchers use these records to create an evidence-base that can be then used by veterinary professionals in clinical practice.

His nominator was Dr Camilla Pegram MRCVS, Lecturer in Veterinary Epidemiology at the RVC who had also previously worked as an epidemiologist for VetCompass. She said: “Dan has developed VetCompass to operate under non-profit and open-access principles, and embed mandatory welfare pathways into all studies.

“VetCompass holds a quarter of a billion clinical notes from a third of all UK practices, covering all companion animal species, as well as cattle and horses. VetCompass has supported over 140 research papers that support broad welfare initiatives on topics such as breed-related health, extreme conformations, welfare scoring, specific disorders, oncology, disease surveillance, prescribing practices, and more.”

Inspiration Award

The Inspiration Award is given to a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout their career. It is open to those who have inspired and motivated a range of individuals who have worked anywhere within the professions. The award recognises those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what may normally be expected from a professional colleague and who have consistently inspired.

This year there are two recipients for the RCVS Inspiration Award – Kerry Flynn RVN and Dr Nicola Jarvis MRCVS.

Kerry was nominated for her role as Chair of London-based Protected Paws Animal Rescue, which treats and rehomes stray and sick animals in Greater London and beyond.

Her nominator was Dane Walker MRCVS, Director and co-founder of the DNA Veterinary Group which operates veterinary practices across London and Kent. He said: “Kerry is hugely inspirational within the veterinary profession. Her tireless work with Protected Paws Animal Rescue has gained recognition in local and national newspapers, alongside countless viral social media posts that amplify her mission. Yet Kerry remains driven to achieve even more, dedicating herself selflessly to her lifesaving work, with no sign of slowing down.

“Kerry has built a committed team to carry on her vision, ensuring animals will always have advocates fighting for them. She is fearless in speaking up for any animal in need and rallying support while simultaneously training and mentoring those around her. Her influence has inspired many, with student veterinary nurses eagerly seeking opportunities to learn from her wealth of experience and hands-on approach.”

Nicola Jarvis is Head of Veterinary Care at the Redwings Horse Sanctuary which cares for more than 1,500 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules rescued from abuse and neglect every day at its sites in England and Scotland. She has worked for the charity since 1996.

Her nominator was Dawn Trayhorn MRCVS, a senior veterinary surgeon at Redwings. She said: “Nicky's inspirational behaviour is the driving force behind the hospital. She never loses sight that Redwings is funded by donations, challenging her team daily to find efficient ways to provide a high quality of care, while ensuring the hospital remains a hub for development – influence which has undoubtedly enabled the charity to save and invest further in its work.

“She is incredibly productive, using her CPD to further her knowledge in ways that benefit the hospital's operations and finds solutions to sanctuary-wide care issues, such as effective weight management, to improve the lives of the horses.

“Nicky was instrumental in the creation of Redwings' equine vet nurse team. Some nurses were originally grooms at the sanctuary, but were inspired to further their careers due to Nicky's mentorship. Some staff even joined Redwings simply after hearing her speak at one of the hospital's public open days! Many of the team have served under Nicky for years, and those who have left have her on speed dial, knowing they can call whenever they need advice.”

International Award

The International Award is conferred in recognition of veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses or laypeople who have worked internationally, from either within or outside the UK, and have made an outstanding contribution in areas such as veterinary standards, veterinary education, improving animal health and welfare, and promoting mental health and wellbeing.

This year the RCVS will confer two International Awards to Dr Paweł Beczkowski FRCVS and Dr Luke Gamble FRCVS.

Paweł was nominated for his involvement in international bodies, such as International Veterinary Students Association (IVSA), the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), and for carrying out research which has had internationally-recognised benefits for animal health and welfare and veterinary professionalism. He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor at City University of Hong Kong’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

His nominator was Dr Michelle Zoja MRCVS who works in diagnostic imaging at a referral practice in Brighton and was a former colleague of Paweł’s in clinical practice. She said: “His international research led to deciphering the host and viral factors influencing the progression of naturally acquired FIV infection.

“Paweł's international work on the forum of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association has had a tangible effect on increasing awareness of antimicrobial resistance and global veterinary drug accessibility issues. His volunteering for Animals Asia helps to increase animal care and welfare standards in China. He has worked in veterinary clinics and research institutions in Poland, Slovenia, UK, USA, South Korea, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.

“Those experiences, cultural awareness and sensitivity shaped him as an international leader who is well aware of the importance of the interconnected world and who drives the profession internationally.”

Luke Gamble is the founder of Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) and its sister charity Mission Rabies, two organisations dedicated to improving animal and human health in the developing world through ‘trap-neuter-vaccinate-return’ (TNVR) programmes for stray and feral animal populations in Cambodia, India, Malawi, Morocco and Thailand. The charities have also been responsible for training thousands of local veterinary surgeons in TNVR techniques.

His nominator was Dr Gigi Kay FRCVS who has an extensive career working for animal health and welfare charities in North Africa and is currently working as a consultant for Worldwide Veterinary Services. She said: “The NGO Luke started has trained over 20,000 veterinary professionals from the developing world. In 2023 alone WVS trained 3,924 vets and vet students through its six international training centres, its outreach programs and its online academy.

“They provide free or low-cost training in sterilisation techniques and focus on improving animal care and welfare in resource limited settings. Their TNVR programme, animal tracing app and trapping and handling techniques are exceptional. Mission Rabies vaccinates over 200,000 dogs annually and has vaccinated two million dogs to date. The impact they have had on animal welfare over the last decade is literally immeasurable.”

AGM and Awards Day

All of these awards will be presented to the recipients at this year’s RCVS Annual General Meeting and Awards Day, which takes place on Friday, 4 July at One Great George Street, Westminster.

Details of the programme, and how to register, will be announced in due course.

More information about each of the awards and previous recipients can be found on our dedicated RCVS Honours & Awards page.