National Volunteers Week takes place from the 1st to the 7th of June every year. It’s a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution our volunteers make and to say thank you. The week is supported and celebrated by small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities, who normally run hundreds of activities across the UK. These activities showcase and celebrate volunteers and their contributions.

This week is a time to say thanks. During an exceptionally difficult year, people from all around the world have taken the time to volunteer and make a huge difference, just as they do every year. This is a time for us to come together and thank all volunteers for their contributions.

The BVNA was founded in 1965 and since then we have employed a dedicated team of staff, but the BVNA would not function as it does today without its volunteers. We would like to take this time to say thank you to our Council Members, Regional Representatives, Congress Stewards, and to all those who contribute. We say thank you for all the support over the years.

BVNA Council Members are volunteers. These Veterinary Nurses come together to form the Council that represents our members voices. In their own time they represent the BVNA in a variety of ways, all pulling together through a passion and drive to make our profession better and all in their own time. The past 4 years have seen an election take place for new council members, demonstrating the zeal that lies within our profession.

The BVNA also has a team of Regional Representatives and they come from around the UK. They work hard to provide meetings and create a local network of nurses, offering support, CPD and meetings.

BVNA Congress has grown as an event each year; It is the only Congress designed completely for Veterinary Nurses. Without volunteers, this event would not run anywhere near as smoothly as it does. Our stewards work incredibly hard to help make the event a success. You will see them on the doors scanning you into lecture halls, helping on the registration desk and signposting you around the event. They have early starts and late finishes and keep that enthusiasm and passion all the way through.

BVNA’s advisory committee are also all volunteers. They provide support and advice to the council, all on a voluntary basis.

The BVNA have volunteers who are not veterinary nurses and volunteers who are veterinary nurses, and our volunteers come from all different aspects of the profession. They are diverse, dedicated and hard-working, they help form the BVNA and they help represent the voice of veterinary nursing.

So, we celebrate and say thank you to all BVNA’s volunteers from past and present. Keep being involved, and part of our community.

For more information on volunteering for the BVNA, please contact us at bvna@bvna.co.uk.