Worldwide vet wins animal welfare award

PRESS RELEASE 

13 April 2010

Worldwide vet wins animal welfare award

The J A Wight memorial award, sponsored by The Blue Cross pet charity, has this year been awarded to Luke Gamble MRCVS, veterinary surgeon and founder and chief executive of the international animal charity Worldwide Veterinary Service.  The award is in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the welfare of companion animals.

The J A Wight award was presented at the BSAVA Congress last Thursday (8 April).  It is in memory of Alf Wight, the much loved author of the enduringly popular James Herriot novels. The Wight family are long-standing supporters of The Blue Cross.

Blue Cross chief executive, Kim Hamilton, said: “Luke has notched up some incredible achievements with the Worldwide Veterinary Service which, in common with The Blue Cross, places an emphasis on helping both animals and people and focuses on education to ensure continuing animal welfare. We are very pleased to be able to recognise his hard work with this award.”

Luke Gamble graduated from Bristol University in 1999 and completed a clinical scholarship in large animal medicine and surgery at Cambridge University in 2001-2002. In 2003, he set up the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) to provide free veterinary resources to non-profit organisations and animal charities around the world. Last year, WVS assisted over 220 charities, sending out 53 veterinary teams and nearly £400,000 worth of veterinary supplies to its associated organisations. As well as running WVS on a voluntary basis, Luke is also the founder and director of a five-vet mixed practice on the edge of the New Forest and an emergency service covering Bournemouth and Poole.

On receiving the award, Luke said: “It is a great honour to win this award and thank you very much to the Blue Cross for presenting it to me. Working with Worldwide Veterinary Service is a complete privilege and it’s thanks to a fantastic team that the charity is doing so well. Going on trips to visit welfare organisations in other countries completely inspires and energises me as a vet and I am very much looking forward to driving forward the big ambition of WVS to spearhead the development of an International Training Centre in India. With the collaboration of leading animal welfare organisations within the UK, we can hopefully benefit thousands of animals, vets, paravets and welfare workers around the world.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Photos of the awards ceremony are available on request, please contact the press office.

The Blue Cross animal charity provides practical support, information and advice for pet and horse owners. Through its network of small animal and equine adoption centres it rehomes thousands of animals each year. Its hospitals provide veterinary care for the pets of people who cannot afford private vets' fees. 

For more information, please visit www.bluecross.org.uk.

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