Farm animal and equine veterinary surgeon John Blackwell has been elected as president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA).
Taking the theme of “delivering change and shaping the future” for his presidency, Mr Blackwell (pictured) said he looked forward to representing BVA members’ views in relation to the challenges that lie ahead, particularly mentioning his aim of promoting the value of veterinary healthcare and expertise to society ensuring that “all animals have a life worth living”.
Born and brought up in Wrexham, North Wales, the new president graduated from the University of Liverpool Veterinary School in 1985 and is currently a director of Brownlow Veterinary Centre, a three-centre mixed practice in Ellesmere, Shropshire.
A former president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), he is also a director on the Animal Medicines Training and Regulatory Authority (AMTRA) Board and an external lecturer on the emergency slaughter of cattle at Nottingham Veterinary School. Â
The Association’s new junior vice-president is charity vet, Sean Wensley, while outgoing president, Robin Hargreaves moves over to become the new senior vice president.