Publication Date: 13-10-2022 09:00
Bellway donation helps Nottingham student vets outreach programme
A donation from Bellway Homes has enabled Nottingham University’s Vets in the Community project to boost its stock of core medications, which include core vaccines for dogs, cats, puppies and kittens.
The project has been running since 2012 and sees student vets go out into the local community and provide free routine care for pets of the homeless and vulnerably housed in Nottingham.
Jessica Hall, Bellway Homes’ sales manager, said: “Vets in the Community is a fantastic project. It gives the students great practical experience in a real-world situation and, more importantly, ensures pets of those who are really struggling can receive the kind of care and treatment that will make their lives so much better.”
Completely managed and run by students, with supervision from clinical members of staff, Vets in the Community runs weekly clinics on a Wednesday afternoon that alternate between King Edward Park and Hyson Green in Nottingham.
Amy Bagster, a fourth-year veterinary student and current fundraising officer for the charity said: “The clinics are really popular, and it’s not unusual to have up to 20 patients attending and while we tend to provide free routine treatment for cats and dogs we do get the odd, interesting case.”
“The most recent was a dog called Pepper who we diagnosed with an aural haematoma – that’s a blood-filled swelling under the skin. Initially we needed to drain it and are now checking on her regularly as it’s likely it may need surgery in the future.”
Since its launch, Vets in Community has delivered close to 3,000 consultations, with around six veterinary students volunteering at every clinic on top of the committee members.
Bellway Homes’ donation comes from its Longholme Park development in Retford. The 60-home development comprises a selection of four- and five-bedroom homes from the housebuilder’s stylish Artisan range, and is being built on land to the north of the town’s Longholme Road. Prices currently range from £319,995 to £459,995
“Our aim with any new development isn’t just to build homes, but to create communities,” added Jess. “And as everyone knows, pets are at the heart of every community – and it’s no different in Retford. Most of the houses here are four- and five- bedroom family homes, plus there’s a lot of green space, meaning it really is a perfectly pet friendly development.”
“I hope that our donation to Vets in the Community can really help the pets of those who find themselves living in difficult circumstances, as the role they play in their owner’s lives is of huge importance.”
For further information on Bellway’s Longholme Park visit www.bellway.co.uk, call 01777 410125 or visit the sales office, which is open from 10am to 5pm Thursday to Monday.
