We are passionate about advancing and encouraging interest in the art of veterinary science which will ultimately benefit the veterinary community
Who we are
The SPVS Educational Trust was founded by a group of SPVS members 1982 with the aim of advancing learning and encouraging interest in the art of veterinary science.
For the last 40 years our support has primarily focused on student and recent graduate education through the SPVS final year veterinary seminar and as a founding supporter of the VDS recent graduate reunions.
In 2022 we marked 40 years of the Trust and widened the benefit of the Trust to include projects, educational schemes and research which speaks to our core remit of advancing learning and encouraging interest in the art of veterinary science.
What matters to us
We are passionate about everything and everyone in the veterinary industry. People, pets and animals matter in equal measure. We hope that our grants can have the potential to benefit all whether you have two, three, four or even eight legs!
For our profession to thrive the people in it must also thrive. We can’t give the animals we treat and care for the best care if we aren’t operating at our best.
So your project might be about clinical aspects of practice, or it might be about the people in it or aspiring to be in it. It might be about how we make our profession more inclusive and as a result hopefully more diverse or perhaps how we lead not just responsibly but compassionately as well. It might be about how we enhance both patient and owner/farmer outcomes. Whatever it is we would love to hear from you as the chances are if it matters to you, it matters to us.
Grants we have made
A recent SPVS Educational Trust grant supported Vet Sustain in creating a comprehensive 10-module course designed to help veterinary teams adopt greener, more sustainable ways of working. Laura Higham, Founder and Director of Vet Sustain, noted that the funding enabled vital research and development and brought together leading experts to shape the programme. Covering key areas such as waste management, anaesthetic gas emissions, responsible medicine use, and practice-wide behaviour change, the course offers a practical pathway toward more sustainable clinical practice. Laura described the Trust’s support as “absolutely invaluable… providing the critical funding we needed to bring our vision for ‘A Sustainable Approach to Clinical Veterinary Practice’ to life.”
Another recent award enabled RCVS Knowledge to deliver an in-person Farm Vet Champions session at the 2023 BCVA Congress. Focused on antimicrobial stewardship, the session helped raise awareness of the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and encouraged practical action among farm veterinary professionals. Fiona Lovatt, RCVS Knowledge Clinical Lead for Farm Vet Champions, emphasised the value of collaborative efforts, explaining that strong relationships between vets and farmers are essential to promoting responsible prescribing and protecting both animal and public health.
Students at the Vets in the Community project, run by the University of Nottingham’s vet school, have also benefited from the Trust’s support. The student-led initiative provides free veterinary care to pets belonging to people who are homeless, vulnerably housed, or escaping domestic abuse. One student shared how impactful the grant has been, enabling the project to cover medicines, equipment, and clinic costs. They added that the funding not only supports animals and owners who might otherwise have no access to care, but also offers students invaluable opportunities to develop clinical and communication skills while contributing to a service that “genuinely changes lives in our community.”
The trustees of the SPVS Educational Trust would like to fund more initiatives along the lines of these projects.
Potential applicants for future awards are invited to contact the chair of the trust, Ewan McNeill, by email on edtrust@spvs.org.uk to discuss the next steps.
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