A look back on 2024 – Julian Hoad
23 December 2024
As we look back on a busy year for 2024, the year started off with the lead up to our biggest event of the CPD calendar, BSAVA Congress! Held in the vibrant city of Manchester, this year’s Congress not only surpassed expectations, but also showcased the association’s resilience and growth post-COVID.
Bringing together thousands of veterinary professionals, it was a testament to the enduring importance of in-person collaboration, which has been deeply missed in the years since the pandemic disrupted such gatherings. There was a palpable buzz of energy as veterinary professionals networked, learned, and celebrated their shared dedication to improving animal health.
This year, we also held two very popular regional events: Vets Cymru in Wales and BSAVA Alba in Scotland. Both events have flourished in recent years, championing initiatives tailored to their local communities. From innovative approaches to rural veterinary care, to pioneering work in animal welfare, these regional successes were a significant point of pride for us.
We also had a very successful year for our PGCerts, equipping vets with the specialised skills required to meet evolving challenges and needs of our patients and clients. Additionally, the 12 BSAVA Regions have produced a tremendous programme of day and evening meetings, both face to face and online, to suit the needs of our BSAVA community!
Back in September, we were deeply saddened at the passing of BSAVA Past President, Des Thompson OBE. In 2023, we had the honour of celebrating the 40th anniversary of Des Thompson’s BSAVA Presidency with our Northern Ireland Region and Des Thompson himself, along with his family, AVSPNI, NIVA, BVA Northern Ireland, VetNI and Young Vet Network in Northern Ireland. We are keen to continue building upon the legacy Des leaves us with, with collaborations and partnerships for the benefit of the veterinary profession in Northern Ireland.
We have also seen a significant increase in volunteers across various BSAVA initiatives. Volunteers are the heart of the organisation, contributing their time and expertise to support everything from educational programmes to policy development. Please do get in touch if you feel you may wish to become involved with BSAVA, it’s great fun and very rewarding!
When it comes to our publications, we’ve published a new edition of the BSAVA Guide to Procedures in Small Animal Practice, a new edition of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Thoracic Imaging, as well as updates to our ‘PROTECT ME’ resource and the Guide to the Use of Veterinary Medicines. We’ve got plenty more to come in 2025!
This year also saw us celebrating the 50th anniversary of BSAVA PetSavers. In May, a team of supporters including myself walked the Malvern Hills end-to-end on what turned out to be a rather warm day! We raised just over £3,000 towards funding clinical research. In September, we took part in a presentation and celebration of all that has been achieved alongside the PetSavers team.
After several iterations, we successfully re-branded in the Autumn, introducing a new design of our logo and a new look for our brand which better represents the BSAVA today and positions it for tomorrow. ‘The Power of Association’, our new slogan, is a nod to the current strength of the association and also reflects all that we aspire to be as we journey on the path of our transformation.
As we come to the end of 2024, work is very much underway for the next chapter, Congress and Expo, set to take place in March 2025 at Manchester Central. We’re looking forward to creating an even more engaging and inspiring event that continues to set the standard for veterinary excellence.
As I took over the Presidency in June, I realised that I have a huge responsibility to continue the hard work that Carl and his predecessors had started. Fortunately, I am surrounded by the amazing staff at Woodrow House and have an enthusiastic team of volunteers to help. I’m absolutely thrilled to take the reins heading into what promises to be a spectacular 2025 for BSAVA!