Nomination period for 2020 Awards now open

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 RCVS Honours & Awards, celebrating the achievements of veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and laypeople who are doing extraordinary work for the benefit of animal health and welfare, the veterinary professions and public health.

The College is seeking nominations this year for all six of its awards, all of which will be presented to the successful nominees at Royal College Day 2020, which will take place at 1 Great George Street in July 2020. These awards are:

• The Queen’s Medal: the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon for a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.
• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award: this award is for 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.
• RCVS International Award: this award is for vets, vet nurses or laypeople who work internationally, from either within or without the UK, in making an outstanding contribution to, for example, raising veterinary standards, veterinary education and improving animal health and welfare.
• RCVS Impact Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses 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.
• RCVS Inspiration Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout. It is open to those who have inspired and motivated individuals anywhere within the profession and recognises those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what may normally be expected from a professional colleague.
• Honorary Associateship: this honour is conferred to a small number of laypeople each year, in recognition of their special contribution to the veterinary sphere. It recognises the full range of individuals who contribute to the veterinary and animal health sector including scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity-workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field.

Niall Connell, RCVS President for 2019-20, said: “2019 was particularly fruitful in terms of the number of nominations that we received for some of these awards, including the Queen’s Medal and the Impact and Inspiration Awards. In fact, those of us who had to compile the shortlist really struggled because of the sheer quality of the nominations we received and the people who were nominated.

“We hope that this will be repeated this year, and I would ask the profession to give some extra thought to making a nomination for Honorary Associateship, an award which is conferred on laypeople who are going above-and-beyond for animal welfare and the veterinary professions.

“In my veterinary career I have met many of these people: the biochemistry lecturers at vet school who gave me a passion for the science behind clinical veterinary medicine; the receptionists who were experts at talking to clients with empathy and kindness, often during distressing situations; and the volunteers who give up their precious free time to help with the smooth running of our PDSA hospital.

“I would urge everyone to have a think about who might be suitable for any of these awards, to find out more about making a nomination on the RCVS website.”

To make a nomination, visit our Honours & Awards webpage and click on the link for the specific award. As with last year, applications can be made either through an online application form or by downloading a PDF application form and emailing or posting it to us.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 10 January 2020. All awards will be conferred at Royal College Day 2020.

For an informal talk about the awards and how to make a nomination you can contact Susie Tomlin, Executive Secretary, on [email protected] or 020 7202 0761.