Tim’s remarks were made at Royal College Day 2025 – the Annual General Meeting and awards ceremony of the RCVS – which took place on Friday 4 July at One Great George Street in Westminster.
Speaking of his “requests” for the professions for the year ahead, Tim said: “Find a route to mentorship – pass on ‘your good’ to those who aspire to follow. We can all play our part in doing that – whether that be through chatting to school kids about the myriad of options available in our professions or more formally through work with veterinary schools or via VetGDP. Please reflect on how each of us can inspire and influence those who will do better than us in the future.
“There are clearly some very big on-going challenges we face – from the CMA investigation and workforce issues through to pushing for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act.
“If we think, not more than 10 years ago: EU-Exit had not yet happened, Covid was not a word (for most of us at least) and hybrid working was difficult to make work – trying to get more than one person onto a Skype call seemed to be beyond most. Our working lives have changed enormously over that period, but it is clear that further change is on the near horizon.
“So, as these changes crystalise – my second request is to be respectful in all forms of dialogue. Our professions should be a no-tolerance zone for abusive or aggressive words or behaviour.
“There will be many discussions to be had over the next few years – in particular related to legislative reform and much of our direction of travel will be taking us away from the modus operandi of the last 50 years – but we all have to recognise the need for change and that none of us will get everything we want. Please do not shy away from engaging – but please do so in a manner that is respectful of those working on your behalf.”
Tim, who is also head of school at the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School and a professor of epidemiology, joined RCVS Council as an appointee of the Veterinary Schools Council in 2021. Since becoming a member of Council, he has chaired both the Education Committee and the Registration Committee, as well as serving on the Fellowship Board and the CMA Working Group, amongst other appointments.
Tim is a Bristol alumnus, completing undergraduate degrees in both zoology and veterinary science before completing his PhD on the epidemiology of fractures in racehorses at the University of Liverpool in 2002. He moved to the Animal Health Trust in 2005 and then to the University of Glasgow as a Defra Veterinary Training and Research Initiative Senior Research Fellow in 2007.
Between 2015 and 2018, he was head of the division of equine clinical science and clinical director of the Equine Hospital at the University of Glasgow, and was promoted to professor of veterinary epidemiology in 2017. Since November 2020, he has been head of Bristol Vet School and continues to work with horse-racing governing bodies to provide data-driven, evidence-based solutions to welfare issues.
A full transcript of Tim’s speech can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/features
AGM
Royal College Day 2025 began with the AGM, where the Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2024 (available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications) were formally approved and where the results of the 2025 RCVS Council and Veterinary Nurses Council elections were announced.
After the announcement of the results – new elected members Dr Sam Bescoby MRCVS, Paddy Gordon MRCVS and Dr Danielle Greenberg MRCVS were welcomed to their four-year terms on RCVS Council, as were newly-appointed lay member Jo Clift and VN Council-appointee Kirsty Young RVN. Farewells were also said to retiring elected RCVS Council members Will Wilkinson MRCVS, Dr Louise Allum MRCVS and Dr Danny Chambers MRCVS, and retiring lay member Judith Worthington. Sue Howarth RVN also retired as a veterinary nurse member of RCVS Council, but remains an elected member of VN Council.
For VN Council, new elected members Bethan Pinhey RVN and Hannah Welsman RVN were welcomed for their three-year terms on the Council, while farewells were said to retiring elected members Jessica Beckett RVN and Holly Witchell RVN.
RCVS President Linda Belton MRCVS also bid farewell to Janice Shardlow, the outgoing Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, and welcomed new committee member Naomi Nicholson.
A short meeting of RCVS Council was also convened to confirm the Presidential Team for 2025-26, with Professor Tim Parkin as President, Linda Belton as Senior Vice-President, Tim Hutchinson MRCVS as Junior Vice-President and the newly re-elected Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS as RCVS Treasurer.
CEO address
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett then delivered her annual address, an overview of the presidential year from an operational point of view and a look to the year ahead, the first under the College’s new five-year strategy. She also presented images of the new RCVS headquarters, at Hardwick Street in London, and encouraged members to visit their College.
In her address (which can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/features) Lizzie said: “Taking its inspiration from our motto of 1844 – vis unita fortior – we are stronger together – the new plan recognises our unique role as a royal college that regulates, and the ability that gives us to work in a holistic way. To make sure that veterinary professionals are fit to practise and the veterinary professions are fit for purpose.
“This special role gives us the opportunity to hold the space – figuratively and now physically – for conversations not just about setting and maintaining veterinary standards, but also around the role of veterinary professionals in one health, societal expectations of professionals, career development and satisfaction, and working culture.
“And while there are organisations to support veterinary professionals, and there are those to support consumer interests, we are the only one with the ability to bring all sides together, in the interests of animal health and welfare, and public health.”
Honours and awards
Following a lunch break, Royal College Day moved on to its awards ceremony, where the recipients of RCVS and RCVS Knowledge awards had the opportunity to formally receive their accolades.
Among those being honoured was the late Professor Simon Doherty, who posthumously received the RCVS Queen’s Medal, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an individual veterinary surgeon who has achieved a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout. Simon died in December 2024 after a short battle with cancer and his widow Anne, along with his sons Callum and Lewis, came on stage to accept the award on his behalf.
In accepting the award, Anne spoke about her husband’s love of being a veterinary surgeon, and his dedication to the professions and to animal health and welfare on a global basis. She also praised the way the professions had rallied around Simon during his final days, with many visits, letters, emails and phone calls from friends, colleagues and acquaintances across the professions, saying it had been a great source of pride and comfort for Simon at the end of his life.
A full list of all of the RCVS and RCVS Knowledge award recipients can be found in the Royal College Day Programme available to download here.
