Volunteer

I started volunteering for Humanimal Trust in 2018, and have been a volunteer with the charity ever since. I’ve had a brilliant time since joining the team here at Humanimal Trust, not only attending events and meeting some really interesting people over the years, but also having the chance to learn something new alongside a fantastic team of dedicated people who work really hard to make it all happen. 

I have to say that my learning curve was steep – my day job and that of Humanimal Trust were worlds apart, but the support of my charity colleagues has helped me immensely and I have been given the chance to lead and support our team of volunteers in helping raise awareness of Humanimal Trust and the understanding of One Medicine, to both public and professional audiences alike. Needless to say, I am continuing to learn – there is something new to me every day and I couldn’t be happier! 

I am often asked what working as a volunteer means to me, and why I donate my time and energy to help Humanimal Trust meet its aims and goals. One Medicine makes perfect sense to me, finding improved and more effective ways to treat similar diseases that occur in all species can ensure a better future for all, and significantly reduce the need for animals being used for research. That is something that I feel is really worth working for, and all my time, energy and the effort that I have made, and continue to make, has been well worth it.

One Medicine is the way to go, it’s our future! 

My background has been in politics and I have worked for MPs (including being married to one!) for over 45 years until I retired last year.

I first became aware of the Humanimal Trust through watching Supervet and learning about Noel’s work with animals. I became a volunteer, I think in 2018, and was an Ambassador Speaker, going round to clubs etc to raise awareness about the work of the Trust. This came to an end when Covid hit us.

The reason I support the Trust is because its aim to share knowledge and research between human and veterinary medicine makes perfect sense. I seem to recall that in the presentation I gave as a speaker it was pointed out that this concept is not new and many centuries ago it was the norm.

The Trust only funds research using patients with naturally occurring disease. I hope that this approach will encourage the reduction, and eventually completely stop, animal experimentation. It is therefore vitally important that this message gets out, particularly to those who will be tomorrow’s doctors and vets.

Apart from speaking to clubs etc, I took part in the Thames Bridge Challenge in 2019 raising funds for the Trust. This was a 25km walk between Putney and Tower Bridge, going over all 16 bridges. A wonderful way to see London! I raised £500.

I am currently serving on the Trust’s Parliamentary Affairs Working Group which is arranging a function in the House of Commons to try to get our message across to parliamentarians and others interested in animal welfare.

I am fully committed to supporting this wonderful charity which, over the years I have been involved in, has grown although there is still much work to do to get our message across.