Becoming Junior Vice President: Could you do it?

BVA Day each September is a special day of celebration not least because this is the day the newly elected Junior Vice President (JVP) steps into their role. For me, BVA Day 2024 was a day of mixed emotions; trepidation on whether I would make the grade and emulate the example of those who have gone before me, and excitement about what lay ahead.

The run from late September to Christmas is a whirlwind of ‘new’, adjusting to the BVA working week, meetings, committee work, learning on the job. BVA is a team and the team do a great job supporting each new JVP and the new BVA President in those first months.

Representing BVA members through the media is a key part of the role. Early in October BVA’s communications team organise a day-long media training workshop. Like all skills, speaking coherently whilst remembering three key ‘talking points’ is something that requires practice, not least when being asked challenging questions, so following media training the JVP is often given ‘soft’ interviews: interviews that generally have a seasonal clinical focus (e.g. Easter food hazards for pets). Hearing your voice on playback for the first time is odd, more so when you are left wondering, did I really say: ‘vets aren’t the fun police’!

The work of BVA is split between the JVP, President and Senior Vice President (SVP) and generally aligned to the interests and veterinary experience of each. Included among my portfolio is Northern Ireland, trade and biosecurity, and Great Workplaces by BVA, our workplace accreditation scheme.

Northern Ireland is a significant area of focus as the issue of the ongoing supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland post-Brexit is something that had not yet been fully resolved. The Policy and Public Affairs team at BVA did an awesome job of supporting me as we pressed the UK government for clarity and action on the issue on behalf of BVA members in Northern Ireland. Engaging with and capturing the attention of politicians and civil servants is an art form that requires patience, pragmatism, persistence and a thorough knowledge of the issue. It is gratifying when all the hard work pays off and politicians take up the issue on our behalf and hold ministers to account. Having interacted with many politicians over a range of topics I have been pleasantly surprised by how diligent, committed and decent the majority are.

If political engagement is interesting and media work fun, though sometimes an odd experience, the joy in being a BVA Officer comes from interaction with colleagues. I’m constantly in awe of the work vets do from every facet of our profession, whether it’s interacting with BVA volunteers, meeting vets from BVA divisions, vet students through the Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) or people coming up to me at an event for a chat. My favourite thing is seeing the enthusiasm and passion vets have for their role and figuring out how BVA can support or champion their work and experience of work in a profession I am very proud to serve.

It is difficult to repay the many kindnesses shown to me by colleagues over the years particularly the mentors I had in practice, but one thing I feel I can do in this role is give something back by representing and supporting the profession through my work as a BVA Officer. Anyone who is interested in a varied, fast-paced role and likes a challenge then I would encourage you to apply for the JVP role at BVA.