Update on the Langford Trust and furthering equine welfare in 2021
The Langford Trust is acutely aware that its generous supporters have committed, over the years, both significant goodwill and donations to the establishment of the equine hospital that has now closed at Bristol Vet School. Originally, the Langford Trust committed to fundraising for the equine hospital facilities as it was deemed an important and worthy step; establishing first-class veterinary services that would improve equine welfare and advance both the practice and teaching of veterinary science in the UK. The loss of the facilities and the investments is genuinely huge and the Trust sincerely hopes all donors understand this is an outcome that none of the Trustees envisaged would occur when they agreed to entrust their time and donor funds to the cause that the University managed.
The Trust is seeking assurance from the vet school regarding the future use and repurposing of key equipment, that was fundraised for by the Trust. It is keen to ensure facilities such as the standing equine MRI scanner remain in service and can still benefit both equine teaching and equine patients for which it was intended.
An educational partnership with CVS Group has been established for equine clinical rotation teaching. As part of the Vet School’s accredited teaching programme veterinary students gain clinical training experience from observing a diverse equine caseload and working with leading equine practitioners. CVS clinical practices will now provide structured clinical rotation replacements to final-year undergraduate veterinary students. Please refer to the University of Bristol press release for further information on this development.
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2020/september/vet-equine.html
Furthering equine welfare remains one of the key ambitions of the Langford Trust. It is intended, that where feasible, the Trustees will continue to support equine research studies that are in accordance with the Langford Trust’s objectives but any future projects may be based at alternative locations to Langford. The Langford Trust is currently funding the training of a veterinary MSc clinical scholar over three years who is fulfilling vital research in equine ophthalmology and in early 2021 the Trust will fund a four-year PhD research study in equine Laminitis.
The Trustees wish to reassure all supporters of the Langford Trust that the charity is autonomous and all funds held by the Trust are managed in good faith by the Trustees. The Langford Trust will continue its important work to relieve suffering and further animal welfare by promoting the advancement, practice and teaching of veterinary science. Our current focus is supporting PhD’s and clinical research projects that align with these objectives. For further information about the Langford Trust research studies please refer to our appeals and news pages www.langfordtrust.org/appeals.
