The Trevor Blackburn Award

In this section you can find out more about the British Veterinary Association (BVA) Trevor Blackburn Award

The award is made to members of the BVA in recognition of contributions to animal health and welfare in a developing country.

This award was instigated by the BVA’s Overseas Group in 2006 in memory of Mr J Trevor Blackburn, President of the BVA 1984-85, the Commonwealth Veterinary Association 1988-91 and the World Veterinary Association 1991-95.

In so doing, the Group was mindful of the countless numbers of British veterinary surgeons who have served overseas, especially in the Tropics, over at last two centuries.
Many of those in the earlier days were in the colonial service or, later, worked with government departments or aid organisations in newly independent countries. All contributed to the control of livestock disease and the raising of standards of animal and human health.

The situation today is rather different. British veterinary surgeons do live and work overseas but many are “volunteers” and often sacrifice much in order to contribute to animal health and environmental needs in other, less fortunate, parts of the world.  Often their altruism does not receive the acclaim it deserves.

The Trevor Blackburn Award, named after a colleague who believed passionately that the profession still has so much to offer, provides an opportunity to recognise some of these people.

Recent award winners

Criteria

The award will be made

  • in recognition of contributions in the field of animal health and welfare in a developing country
  • to a Fellow or Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) who is a member of the British Veterinary Association

Nominate a colleague

Nominations may be submitted in confidence to the BVA Overseas Group.  Members of the BVA are entitled to make submissions.

The BVA Overseas Group will decide on the recipient.

The presentation of the award takes place during the annual BVA Congress

The award will take the form of a certificate and a piece of artwork.

Nomination forms

The Overseas Group invites nominations for the 2010 Award.

Please submit nominations for the 2010 Award (preferably by e-mail) to Mrs Helena Cotton, BVA, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ or to HelenaC@bva.co.uk.  

They should be marked 'confidential' and reach the BVA no later than 28 May 2010.