A group of 30 staff and volunteers from Vetlife, BVA, VDS and Summit climbed the o2 arena in London in support of our Vetlife Day campaign. The team has so far raised over £6,500 on their JustGiving page, and the Veterinary Defence Society has committed to match fund a further £2,000 bringing the grand total to over £8,500.
Reflecting on the climb, Vetlife Communications Officer Eve Ritchie said “It was brilliant to get so many supporters together for a day of challenge and fundraising. It was quite hair raising ascending the roof given how windy it was. A few of our climbers were afraid of heights, making their achievement even more inspiring! We’re really grateful to everyone who took part and donated.”
BVA Membership Marketing Manager, Katharine Blakemore said: “I’m terrified of heights and didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it on the day. Focussing on the amount we were raising and promoting Vetlife really helped as a distraction! I’m not a vet myself but working at BVA I really see the value of Vetlife’s support for the profession. It was a great opportunity to get sponsorship to help fund their services.”
Life changing for the veterinary community
Throughout recent difficult years Vetlife has continued to provide independent and confidential support to those seeking assistance. During 2021 Vetlife Helpline responded to a total of 3,390 contacts, equivalent to an average of 65 per week, whilst the Vetlife Health Support service funded 187 referrals for mental health support– up by 27% from 2019. For those in severe difficulties, Vetlife Financial Support provided almost £100,000 in financial aid.
Vetlife Day
With support from Virbac, the Vetlife Day campaign was launched in 2022, marking the 30th anniversary of the Vetlife Helpline. The aim of Vetlife Day is to encourage the veterinary community to choose one day each year to get together, have fun, and raise money to support the veterinary community.
Donor Relations Manager Emma Helbert said: “We hope we have inspired others to hold a Vetlife Day too. A big thank you to our fantastic supporters who joined us on the day; VDS for their match funding donation and all those who have sponsored the team. We are blown away by their generosity.”
Get involved
If you’d like to hold your own Vetlife Day, you’ll find lots of tips and inspiration on our fundraising page. From there you can download social media graphics, posters, and a fundraising pack which has all you need to know about how to get involved. As there is no set date for Vetlife Day, fundraisers can choose a date and time that works for them to have fun and raise money for the cause. If you have any questions, you can get in touch at [email protected].
Vetlife Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on: 0303 040 2551 or via anonymous email at https://helpline.vetlife.org.uk