British Veterinary Association presents the BVA Animal Health and Welfare Overseas Award for 2025

Now in its second year, the BVA Awards celebrate the professionalism, dedication and achievements of vets and vet teams across the UK and was followed by a reception, sponsored by Lloyd & Whyte.

BVA Animal Health and Welfare Overseas Award (J.Trevor Blackburn Award)

Dr Polly Compston BSc (Hons), BVM&S, MSc, PhD, MRCVS

This year the BVA Animal Health and WelfareOverseas Award (J.Trevor Blackburn Award) is awarded to Dr Polly Compston for her outstanding contribution to animal health and welfare on a global scale. The Award, which will take the form of a certificate, serves to perpetuate Trevor’s memory and recognise the contributions by members of our profession to animal health and welfare overseas.  

After graduating from Edinburgh Vet School, Polly worked in mixed and small animal practice before completing a residency in clinical research at Rossdales Equine Hospital alongside an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health. She went on to work in research for an NGO, developing an evidence base for animal welfare interventions across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, and later completed a PhD on the economic and social drivers of foot-and-mouth disease control in Kenya. She currently has two roles, one as Veterinary Head of Outbreak Central Services at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), leading licencing, tracing and surveillance teams in the UK’s response to notifiable disease outbreaks, and also as a Technical Lead at EuFMD supporting international efforts for improved transboundary livestock disease control.

Dr Compston said: “It’s incredibly humbling to be recognised for work that I have enjoyed so much, and that represents years of collective effort across different countries and organisations. I feel so grateful to be part of a global veterinary community; my career has only been possible because of the wonderful colleagues I’ve been lucky enough to work with and learn from. This award recognises them as much as it does me, and I’m deeply honoured to receive it as we continue working together towards strong, fair and resilient systems that can deliver excellent animal health and welfare.“

BVA President Dr Rob Williams said: “Dr Compston has driven meaningful change in global One Heath and her dedication in this field is inspiring. Her collaborative approach with people from many different ethnicities and backgrounds strengthens animal healthcare systems wherever she works, with her work with global charities to improve the health and welfare of horses and donkeys, her research on FMD vaccination in Kenya, and her work to help control this disease in endemic regions being of particular note. Congratulations!”

The awards presented on the day were:

• BVA Young Vet of the Year 2025, supported by Zoetis
• BVA Wellbeing Awards 2025, supported by ManyPets
• BVA Outstanding Service Award (Chiron Award) 
• BVA Advancement of Veterinary Science Award (Dalrymple-Champneys Cup and Medal)
• BVA Animal Health and Welfare Overseas Award (J.Trevor Blackburn Award)

British Veterinary Association President Dr Rob Williams said: “It’s been a difficult time for the veterinary profession, and vets have been feeling the pressure from all sides. Whether working in a small animal practice, as a farm or mixed vet, in a non-clinical role or as a government vet, vets are highly skilled professions who play an invaluable role in society. The BVA Awards is a chance to shine a light on those exceptional vets who really go the extra mile to care for their patients, support the wellbeing of colleagues or make a lasting contribution to the veterinary community. A big congratulations to all of our winners for 2025, you should be incredibly proud of all your achievements.”