Supported by the University of Liverpool Veterinary Alumni Association (ULVAA) and donors of the School of Veterinary Science Fund, each year veterinary students are invited to apply for funding for academic and non-academic activities that enhance their student experience.
Your generosity allows students to explore their passions, gain valuable experience and network with leaders in the field.
Here is an introduction to the student societies and projects being supported in 2024-25, with a message from the students.
Liverpool Vet School Yoga Society
Thank you very much to ULVAA for generously supporting the Liverpool Vet School Yoga Society. Since receiving the funding, we have been able to offer subsidised weekly yoga sessions open to students and staff at Neston Town Hall, with a qualified yoga teacher, in line with our mission to promote mental and physical well-being within the veterinary community. These classes have been a much-needed outlet, especially in such a fast-paced academic environment. So far, we have held nine yoga sessions at Neston Town Hall, with excellent attendance and feedback from participants.
The funding has also enabled us to plan an exciting afternoon retreat at the same venue on February 1st, which will include two yoga sessions and refreshments, further enhancing our commitment to fostering a strong, supportive community and promoting well-being. The support from the alumni association has been instrumental in giving us the confidence to plan these events and ensure their success.
We’re looking forward to continuing this initiative and exploring further ways to sustain and expand our offerings. Thank you again for your support, which has made a significant difference to the health and community spirit of our clinical years.
Lizzie Miller, Liverpool Vet School Yoga Society Committee
Liverpool Vet Christmas Choir
Thanks to the support from ULVAA, we had another successful year with the Liverpool Vet Christmas Choir. We received wonderful feedback from those who came, and great praise for all those involved. We moved venues this year to allow more people to attend, and Neston Church were very welcoming.
The support from ULVAA allowed us to organise our charity mince pie and mulled wine sale, as well as purchase new music and folders for the Choir itself. Paddy and I would like to thoroughly thank ULVAA for their continued support and would like to extend an invitation to come along next year!
Kate Saunders, Liverpool Vet Christmas Choir Lead
Liverpool Farm Animal Veterinary Society
Liverpool Farm Animal Veterinary Society (LFAVS) are grateful to have received funding from ULVAA this year. We have used our grant to help run our yearly Species Day which we make free for LFAVS members.
Species Day gives students in any year a chance to gain practical experience and insight, with practical sessions in the morning and guest speakers in the afternoon. This year, our streams included parasitology where students learnt how to perform faecal egg counts and cow triage which included stitching tail amputation models and udder trauma models. There were also streams on calf husbandry and sheep lameness and foot lesions. Overall, it was a day with lots on offer and our members thoroughly enjoyed it!
To be able to run this day, we put on a bus for the pre-clinical students to get from Liverpool to Leahurst and back, as well as providing lunch for all participants. We would not be able to afford to run our Species Day without such support from the UVLAA, and it allows us to keep membership fees as low as possible for students, to increase inclusivity and accessibility to the society. Thank you again to ULVAA for your support.
Holly Fakhri, Co-President of the Liverpool Farm Animal Veterinary Society
Liverpool University Vets Ethnicity and Diversity Society
The members of LUVED would like to share a massive thanks and appreciation to UVLAA for providing funding for our socials, which have enabled us to provide a welcoming and wholesome environment to those who may feel isolated in the vet school.
The first social we hosted aimed to introduce and create an inclusive community among the ethnically diverse members of the Vet School. The social was comprised of several mini games, including a quiz, bingo, and a group art competition. These games were a great ice breaker to introduce the committee and the members of the society to each other. Also, the competition element of the group art resulted in some delightful stories to go along with some excellent art.
The next social we are planning is a potluck social with the theme ‘foods you grew up with’ and we aim to get to know the LUVED members better as well as get a richer experience of different cultures from around the world and hopefully reinforce the safe, enjoyable and fun atmosphere we aim to provide.
Dan Vu, Treasurer of LUVED
Also supported this year by the University of Liverpool Veterinary Alumni Association and the School of Veterinary Science Fund were the following student-led initiatives:
- Liverpool University Veterinary Society (LUVS) received funding to support their Welcome Week activities for first-year students, including tote bags, t-shirts, and stress pigs for new members.
- LUVS Summer Ball Representatives received funding to hire a professional photographer for the event.
- Liverpool University Vets FC used their funding to purchase new kits.
- Liverpool Vet School Hockey Club received funding for essential equipment, including new balls and training cones to support their growing membership.
- Liverpool Vet School Netball Club received a subsidy to help cover court hire costs, enabling the team to train twice a week.
- Liverpool Vet School Rugby Club used their funding to cover travel expenses for away games and referee fees.
- Liverpool Vet School Squash Society booked training courts for regular sessions and hosted staff vs. student competitions with their funding.
- Liverpool University Vet School Zoological Society hosted their annual LUVZS Day in March.
- International Veterinary Students’ Association (University of Liverpool) will be hosting a student exchange with peers from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Istanbul University, Türkiye.
To find out how you can support the next generation of veterinary students, please visit the School of Veterinary Science Fund.