Vets saddle up to fundraise for Ockley charity

The adventurous team are known as the ‘Vets with Horsepower’ and they will be travelling by motorbike through 10 countries to deliver CPD events to hundreds of vets throughout Europe.

The team will undertake an endurance motorbike ride from the UK to St Petersburg and back again via Scandinavia to raise funds for two chosen charities.

With their special interest in helping working equines, they have chosen to support the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust (www.gambiahorseanddonkey.org.uk) - a small charity based in Ockley who are making a big difference to the lives of working equines and their owners in The Gambia.

They will also be supporting The Smile Train, a charity providing operations to repair cleft palates for those in need.

Headed by the infamous Professor Derek Knottenbelt , the team will be holding 9 separate CPD events along their journey.

This will be the fourth time that Vets with Horsepower have held this event, and to date they have already raised a phenomenal £280,000 for their chosen charities.

Professor Knottenbelt explains “Supporting the Vets with Horsepower results in tangible long term benefits to real people through improved working animal welfare.

The support that the VWHP team is providing to the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust will bring benefits that change human and animal lives for the better.

We do not judge and we do not criticise - we simply want to help the most disadvantaged people and animals in the world!

Our strapline is ‘getting together for good’ - together we are a powerful force for good! We want to relieve human burden through improved working animal welfare’.

The Vets with Horsepower team will be departing on their gruelling motorcycle challenge at 1pm on Wednesday July 2 from Royal Holloway, University of London.

We would like to extend an open invitation to all to attend this send-off , to show your support for this dedicated and enthusiastic team of veterinary voyagers.

It will be a fantastic opportunity for you to meet some of the most revered veterinary surgeons in the country and is sure to be a jubilant occasion.

The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust are thrilled that Vets with Horsepower 2014 have chosen to support their work.

Heather Armstrong, the charity’s Director said: “To have such esteemed veterinary surgeons raising funds for us is humbling. We are immensely grateful for their support and wish them every success on their challenging trip. ”

If you would like to offer your support for the Vets with Horsepower, please do join us from 11am on Wednesday July 2 at Royal Holloway or visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/vetswithhorsepower . To follow their progress throughout their challenge, please visit www.facebook.com/VwHPCPD?fref=ts

Report contributed by The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.