Dear Reader

As any chocoholic – or other ’holies’ – will know, this is the season of Lent, which is traditionally held as one of abstinence.

Writing in his blog for the The Telegraph, Neil Sinclair found himself musing over the subject of Lent and the perennial question of what he should give up for the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter.

“So, in the spirit of Lent, this year,” he writes, “I decided to give up something that would really involve self-denial: something that I love, and that wouldn’t affect others if I gave it up.

“I couldn’t think of a single thing,” he declared…

… “Then I realised that the thing that is most precious to me, the thing that I really value, is time. Rather than give something up for Lent, I decided to give 40 hours of my time to help those in my local community.”

There is something in Neil’s proposition that should touch us all and indeed already does with many veterinary nurses. One only has to read a copy of VNJ or visit the BVNA website to see the generosity of so many members of the profession.

Month in, month out, the RCOs devote an inordinate amount of TLC and time to providing CPD for their friends and colleagues. The News stories often have instances of VNs winning awards for going the extra mile for their patients and their owners; or throwing themselves completely into working with the local charities and rescue centres for the benefit of homeless pets and people.

Then, of course, there is National VN Awareness Month; and there are those nurses who give of their time to serve on the different bodies that drive our professional life – the RCVS VN Council and the BVNA Council.

In this edition of VNJ we can see the candidates who have put themselves forward to serve on the former, and we are exhorted by the BVNA Team to consider stepping forward to serve on the latter.

And “Yes”, there is still time to vote for the RCVS Council candidates (by 25 April) or to offer yourself to serve on the BVNA Council (by 30 April). No excuses there.

Last word on the subject goes to the RCOs in Scotland: “I spread the BVNA ‘love’ around” … “I was keen to become involved with the BVNA and give something back to the profession” … “to support the BVNA as it does fantastic work for all RVNs. It feels good to be a part of that team.”

So go on. Give some of your time and be part of the action. Make Lent last all year.

Author

David Watson, BVetMed MA MRCVS 

Editor

To cite this editorial use either

DOI: 10.1111 /vnj.12126 or Veterinary Nursing Journal VOL 29 pp 110

• VOL 29 • April 2014 • Veterinary Nursing Journal