Katie Moore (Vetlife Trustee) and Geoff Little (Vetlife President) gratefully accept the donation from Tim Hutchinson, XLVets Director.

Money will further enhance specialist service

A charity that provides emotional, financial and mental health support to the veterinary community has received a funding boost towards its helpline.

XLVets has donated £10,000 to the Vetlife Helpline which provides confidential emotional support by telephone or email.   

Run by volunteer vets and nurses, the helpline provides a confidential, non-judgemental listening service, giving people time and space to talk.

Welcoming the donation, Dr Rosie Allister, Vetlife Helpline manager, said: “This generous gift from XLVets will enable us to improve the specialist email Helpline platform, by which we offer complete anonymity to those who contact us for independent support.

“With 864 email contacts made to Helpline last year, e-mail is now the most common way that people access Vetlife, and by which our trained volunteers respond.”

XLVets’ decision to donate to Vetlife was made during their annual general meeting in Bristol last month.

Vetlife president Geoff Little took time out from the Vetlife AGM to gratefully receive the donation from Tim Hutchinson, partner at Larkmead Vets and XLVets director.

Speaking about the decision to direct the donation to Vetlife, Jane Simpson, people development manager for XLVets said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to give something back to Vetlife. The information, support and resources they provide to XLVets practices form a key part of our "Thriving in Practice" initiative.

“The fact that this money will enable Vetlife to further enhance its independent Helpline service is just amazing. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Vetlife, who provide such valuable support across our industry”.

If you need support please contact Vetlife Helpline on 0303 040 2551 or email Vetlife via www.vetlife.org.uk