Territorial Division of the British Veterinary Association

President:
​ Joana Crisostomo

Joana graduated in 2008 from Porto University in Portugal. She worked in small animal practice and veterinary sales before she moved permanently to the UK in 2012. She now works as a government vet for the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in Devon. As a student she took active part in her local and national veterinary students associations in Portugal, and is very happy to be able to contribute again to the development of the veterinary profession through WCVA.

Treasurer:
​ Andrew Warner

​Andrew moved to Devon in 1980 and has felt at home ever since. During this time he has served the developing community of rural Devon, and its changing demands has been a source of great fun. Now that Andrews own family has grown, he feels that helping to look after the Veterinary family feels rewarding.
Now retired, Andrew enjoys being outside, whether cycling or running/hashing, or walking or trekking. 
He has always found the BVA divisions to be a good place to meet and mix with colleagues from other practices and disciplines and to find out about their experiences.

South West BVA Rep:
​Richard Walters

Richard graduated from Bristol in 2010 and has worked in mixed practice ever since. He enjoys the wide range of work that mixed practice has to offer. He became South West Representative for BVA in March 2018, a role which involves linking WCVA with BVA council.

Committee Member: 
​Tom Hill BVSc MRCVS

​After Qualifying from Liverpool University in 1999, Tom’s first job was in Devon then followed by a period near Bristol and around the West Country, before returning to Devon in late 2005. He has always worked in mixed practice, apart from brief periods in equine and small animal only practice in 2005. He is a partner in a mixed practice based in Newton Abbot and has been on the committee for WCVA since 2009, serving as President for three years.

Committee Member:
​ Julian Kupfer

​Julian has spent the majority of his working life in mixed practice in Somerset and in the last few years has worked for major pharmaceutical companies. As a past WCVA President he has always been proud of the association and the support it continues to give to the profession in the southwest.
His spare time is split between voluntary work and still trying to finish building the family home.

Committee member:
Zoe Rickard

Zoe graduated from Liverpool in 2008 and worked in mixed practice in Cheshire and Suffolk before moving back to her home town of Ivybridge with her husband Chris. Zoe worked here as a mixed practitioner, until 2015 when she transitioned into small animal practice. Zoe thoroughly enjoys the challenges of small animal practice and is currently undertaking a certificate in small animal medicine with a particular interest in cardiology.
She spends her free time running around with her two children and has two ponies, a few sheep and a not particularly useful sheepdog to keep her busy! Zoe is looking forward to being part of the WCVA committee.

Vice President:
​Thomas Rees MA VetMB MRCVS

Thomas moved to Gabriel, Grills in Ivybridge in May 2011, having previously been working in North Yorkshire since graduating in 2009. In his spare time he founded and developed a website for recent graduate vets, VetGrad.co.uk. He has recently started organising free evening CPD meetings for recent graduate vets (up to 8 years qualified) in Devon, as when he was in Yorkshire he was impressed by their extremely active recent graduate network Thomas hopes to work with the WCVA committee to increase awareness of the wide range of courses available to us both from WCVA and the Devon Graduate Support Group. When he's not vetting or working on VetGrad.co.uk he enjoy sailing and exploring our beautiful county.

Secretary:
​Brenda Soldan​

Brenda has worked in mixed, equine and small animal practice, overseas and for a university. She now works at Coombefield Veterinary Hospital with an interest in diagnostic imaging. She juggles  her job with family commitments, voluntary work, horse riding and dog walking. ​

 Committee Member:
​Nicola Harris

​​Nicola graduated from the University of Bristol in 2012 and has been working in small animal practice in South Somerset and Dorset ever since. She was the SW Regional BVA rep from March 2015 - 2018 and has remained on the WCVA committee following this.

Committee Member:
​Nigel Clarke

​Nigel qualified from Liverpool Vet School. He started in general mixed practice in Helston , Cornwall followed by an overseas opportunity in Tasmania. On return to the UK, he continued in mixed practice in Leicestershire before joining "The Ministry". Throughout his government career he also did weekend small animal locums to maintain contact with that branch of veterinary work. In March 2017, he returned to full time mixed practice work by joining the team of Ikin & Oxenham Veterinary Centre in Sidmouth.

Nigel says "I have been fortunate to serve two years as President and three years as Senior Vice President for WCVA and now continue to support the Association as a committee member".

Committee Member:
​Cherish Bird

​Cherish graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2013. She worked in mixed animal practice in Shropshire for one year and has since worked in small animal practice in the Midlands and Devon. Cherish joined the WCVA committee in 2017. She is helping to organise Southwest Young Vets Network events with assistance from WCVA and the British Veterinary Association and she has launched a Southwest Young Vets Network Facebook page. When she is not at work Chersih enjoys hiking with her dogs.

Administrator:
​ Vicky Driver

​I began working for WCVA in March 2011. I handle all of the administration work for the Association from arranging speakers, processing meeting bookings and keeping the website up to date. I have worked in the Veterinary Profession for 13 years in reception, nursing and administration roles both in a mixed and companion animal practices.
I greatly enjoy my role within WCVA and the challenges it often brings!

Staying in sync

Meetings and social events keep the committee informed and focused on the roles we each play within WCVA. Positive feedback has been fantastic.
​
Click here for the latest on our Facebook page.

Click here for the latest on our Twitter page.

Council Meetings

Please see below the dates of the next BVA and WCVA Council meetings. If you would like to attend a WCVA council meeting please contact our administrator.
Dates of BVA and WCVA council meetings this year:

BVA Council Meetings:
​Wednesday 17th April 2019
​
WCVA Council Meetings:
25th February 2019 7.30pm The Ley Arms