UK & Ireland farm community join forces for farming families in Africa

Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association
Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association

The great and good of the UK and Irish veterinary and farming world join forces this May with the aim of raising £50,000 for the international development charity ‘Send A Cow’.

Activities include a Lands End to John O’Groats cycle ride, a cycling and walking relay across Britain from The Wash to Aberystwyth, and the Chief Vets climbing 850 metre-high Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland.

The initiative is the brainchild of Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA), and is part the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the organisation.

The money is being raised in memory of former member and lecturer Andrew Madel from the Royal Veterinary College, who has inspired generations of farm animal vets and championed the work of Send a Cow until he passed away in 2013.

'Helping families'

Andrew Cobner says: “Send A Cow is a charity that many in the farming industry have supported over the years, helping families in Africa produce food sustainably. We now have a virtual ‘Andrew Madel herd’ that we can keep adding animals to thanks to the generous supporters of our fundraising activities.”

The key event Andrew is involved with – the cycle relay from Land’s End to John O’Groats – starts on 7 May.

He says that while over 30 vets, farmers and friends are participating at various stages on the 950-mile ride, he was persuaded to commit to the whole distance even though he hadn’t cycled for nearly 40 years and then never further than five miles.

“The training is going well and it does show the power of mind over matter!” he says. “I’m sure that on the ride itself, I will be buoyed up by all the friends and colleagues that will join in at different stages – including the UK Chief Vet Nigel Gibbens who is joining me for the first four days.”

Fundraising has snowballed

Since Andrew announced the idea, offers of other fundraising ideas have snowballed.

“The Chief Vet for Wales Christianne Glossop said she would ‘walk across Wales’ to support the effort; with the participation of some enthusiastic cycling vets from the Midlands, this has turned into the cycling and walking relay across England and Wales from east to west,” says Andrew.

“Christianne is also joining the Chief Vets for the UK, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – Nigel, Sheila Voas, Robert Huey and Martin Blake respectively – to climb Slieve Donard on 18 May.

“Furthermore, 18 May is the same day our cycle relay arrives in Inverness, and meets up with renowned Devon vet, wildlife photographer and kayaker Rupert Kirkwood at the completion of his kayak along the 23 miles of Loch Ness to raise more funds.”

The money raised will support Send a Cow’s work with smallholder farmers in some of the poorest parts of Africa. Founded by West Country dairy farmers in the late 1980s, the charity provides training, tools, seeds and livestock so that families can grow their own food and lift themselves out of poverty for good.