BEVA Trust is showcasing its work in the UK and around the globe at BEVA Congress this year with its own stand in the exhibition hall, for the first time.
Since 2015, 600+ eager BEVA Trust veterinary volunteers have helped more than 2000 horses in the UK at 49 clinics. This is in addition to BEVA members who have volunteered their services for overseas work with the BEVA Trust.
The BEVA Trust was reshaped a decade ago to provide opportunities, support and funding to enable members of the veterinary team to volunteer for projects that seek to enhance equine welfare both locally and globally, in partnership with other organisations.
“BEVA Trust volunteers, through their dedication, compassion and expertise continue to provide veterinary care and education in communities where their help is desperately needed,” said Julian Samuelson, BEVA Trust Chair. “They sacrifice their time and energy, and their continued willingness to volunteer is truly inspiring. The world of equine care is a little bit brighter because of them.”
A fundamental part of the Trust’s work centres on their education and welfare clinics in the UK, which are run in partnership with the British Horse Society (BHS) With practical support from several other equine welfare charities. Established nine years ago, these clinics provide education, dental care, farriery, faecal egg counts, microchipping and passporting for horses identified to be in need, as well as castration if required. So far, they have helped to treat 2197 horses and ponies at 49 clinics around the country and have undertaken 1007 castrations.
UK BEVA Trust volunteer Sophie Mosseri said: “I absolutely loved the day, everybody was so lovely and the organisation was amazing and extremely well thought through. I particularly want to thank the vets who have supervised me and allowed me to feel more comfortable doing the castrations on my own, and I look forward to doing other clinics and being able to help other vets as much as I can going forward. Thank you again for looking after us so well throughout the day. It was a fantastic experience for me indeed.”
Meanwhile, during the past nine years 81 globetrotting volunteers have travelled further afield, working with international charities on a total of 40 projects in Cambodia, China, Egypt, Estonia, the Gambia, Honduras, Lesotho, Morocco, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and the Ukraine. They have worked with local organisations to assist with routine equine veterinary care and education clinics, directly and indirectly helping to make a real difference to the lives of countless needy horses, ponies, donkeys and mules.
Dr Markus Wilke worked with the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust during 2023, via The BEVA Trust. He said: “This short stint in the Gambia has been a mind-widening experience, and while we return to our veterinary jobs in the developed modern world, we will not forget how challenging the situation remains for veterinary care in developing countries.”
BEVA Trust is led by a committee of volunteers who are responsible for overseeing, managing and developing the activities and projects the Trust undertakes. You can find out more about the BEVA Trust’s work here.
To volunteer for the BEVA Trust please visit stand D13 in the exhibition hall at BEVA Congress or contact Leaya Slater leaya@beva.org.uk