The BVS are delighted to be working with the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) and British Veterinary Association (BVA) in Supporting Mental Health in the Veterinary Industry.

We have an on-going campaign to work with the Veterinary Universities across the UK to ensure the students have NHS Mental Health Awareness Courses and access to the support and that is available.

As part of the campaign, we have booked a skydive on the 11th October 2017, jumping from 15,000ft and 100% of all donations will be paid directly towards the Mental Health Courses.

The lucky participants are;

Eleanor Robertson (AVS President)

Natalie Shoemark (BVS Consultant)

Lucy Rawles (BVS Consultant)

We are hoping to raise at least £2,000 and will would be very happy and grateful for any donations received.

Eleanor Robertson, President of the AVS has made these comments;

"The AVS is committed to promoting high standards of mental health and wellbeing for all vet students. We have previously strongly advocated the peer support scheme and also created a student welfare grant initiative. Now we are supporting our student members by launching Student Mental Health First Aid Courses.

Our aim is to promote student engagement in mental health. We hope to better equip and encourage confidence in students to support peers and to lessen stigmatisation of mental health concerns.

This venture comes following the success of a course run at the University of Edinburgh, described by participants to be a, ‘very useful course with information that can be applied in many situations i.e. at university, in personal life, at work, volunteering.’ Another participant suggested that ‘the more people informed and aware – the bigger the support. Also, open discussion of these subjects can only minimise stigma/taboo’

We are very excited to be working with BVS and the BVA who are making it possible for us to deliver these courses free of cost for students!

Hopefully we will survive the jump eeeekkk!