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RCVS staff and Council members raise over £3,200 for homelessness charity

28 April 2020

RCVS Council members and staff have raised over £3,200 for the housing charity Shelter by taking part in the national #TwoPointSixChallenge over the weekend to help save the UK’s charities.

Montage of Council and staff members during the 2.6 challenge The challenge began at 7am on Sunday 26 April 2020 and lasted until midday on Monday 27 April. It involved some 47 different people running, walking, cycling or mobility scootering 2.6 miles in a virtual relay to raise money for Shelter, which provides help and advice for people on housing issues, including the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

Those who took part in the relay race included our President Niall Connell and his wife Colette, VN Council Chair Racheal Marshall, RCVS Treasurer Kit Sturgess, Senior Vice-President Amanda Boag, and RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett, as well as RCVS Council members Linda Belton, Mark Castle, Danny Chambers, Melissa Donald, Jo Dyer, Gary England, Richard Hammond, Claire McLaughlan, Susan Paterson, Cheryl Scudamore, Neil Smith, James Wood, and Judith Worthington. More than 20 staff from the RCVS and RCVS Knowledge also took part in the relay.

Niall Connell commented: “This is an amazing achievement and I am very glad I could do my part in scootering the distance that others variously ran, walked and cycled in order to raise money for this very worthy and important charity.

“As a housing charity Shelter has been hearing from more and more people who, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, are worried about losing their jobs and their homes, getting into debt and keeping their families safe and so we are very glad to help them meet this increased demand for help.

“I am particularly grateful to the many people who have made a donation so far as a result of the relay, particularly during these straitened times. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.”

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, added: “I am very proud of our staff who took the time out of their weekends – including late at night and during the early hours of the morning – to take part in this endeavour. It demonstrates that, while we may be scattered far and wide, there is still a thriving community spirit at the RCVS. I’d like to thank Dr Greer Wild, our Policy Officer, for organising the event and successfully encouraging so many people to take part, and our Communications Team for helping to spread the word and raise funds for such a worthy cause.”

Donations can still be made via the event’s JustGiving page.

All the updates from the virtual relay are still available to see on our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages (@theRCVS) along with a montage of pictures submitted by RCVS staff and Council members during their journeys.

Below is a list of all participants of the challenge.

Time slot Name Job title
Sunday 26 April 2020
7:00 Neil Smith Council Member
7:30 Melissa Donald Council Member
8:00 Lizzie Lockett Chief Executive
8:30 Sophie Rogers Innovation Executive
9:00 Kit Sturgess Treasurer
9:30 Rachael Marshall VN Council Chair
10:00 James Wood Council Member
10:30 Judith Worthington Council Member
11:00 Kirsty Williams Education Quality Improvement Manager
11:30 Gary England Council Member
12:00 Luke Bishop Senior Communications Officer
12:30 Britta Crawford Education Quality Improvement Manager
13:00 Jo Dyer Council Member
13:30 Anthony Roberts Director of Leadership and Innovation
14:00 Jacob Cook Senior Graphic and Web Designer
14:30 Amanda Boag Vice-President
15:00 Claire McLaughlan Council Member
15:30 Richard Hammond Council Member
16:00 Chris Gush Executive Director, RCVS Knowledge
16:30 Cheryl Scudamore Council Member
17:00 Sue Paterson Council Member
17:30 Nick Oldham Standards Advice Manager
18:00 Emily Medcalf Communications and Content Officer, RCVS Knowledge
18:30 Lily Lipman Practice Standards Scheme Manager
19:00 Andrew Grainger Senior Data Analyst
19:30 Rachel Pascoe Mind Matters Initiative Officer
20:00 Melissa Donald Council Member
20:30 Beckie Smith Education Assistant
21:00 Niall Connell President
21:30 Katherine Bowles Standards and Advice Officer
22:00 Danny Chambers Council Member
22:30 Ben Myring Policy and Public Affairs Manager
23:00 Linda Belton family in pairs Council Member
23:30 Linda Belton family in pairs Council Member
24:00 Ian Holloway Communications Director
Monday 27 April 2020
00:30 Richard Burley Chief Technology Officer
01:00 Mark Castle Council Member
05:00 Greer Wild Policy and Public Affairs Officer
05:30 Victoria Hedges Examinations Manager
06:00 Kimberley Richardson Senior Standards and Advice Officer
06:30 Duncan Ash Senior Education Officer
07:00 Deb Rowlanes Events Manager
07:30 Joanne Stetzel Marketing Communications Manager
08:00 Anne Lawson Practice Standards Scheme Assessor
08:30 Chloe Baxter Events Officer
09:00 Ceri Chick Leadership Initiatives Officer
09:30 Adam Newman RCVS Supporter
10:00 Cheryl Scudamore Council Member
10:30 Emma Hawkins Facilities Coordinator
11:00 Matthew Wallace HR and Training Manager
11:30 Riccardo Fala Digital Designer
12:00 Stephanie Bruce-Smith Standards and Advice Officer

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