Tour de Vets challenge takes on new dimension

Inspired by recent veterinary press coverage of the forthcoming "Tour de Vets" cycling event, Mr Norman W Leslie, a retired vet from Cleveland, will be putting his best foot forward later this month to raise funds for the RCVS Trust and Send a Cow.

At the same time as a team of vets including Mr Stephen Ware, Senior Vice-President of the RCVS, cycle from London to Edinburgh, Mr Leslie, accompanied by his daughter Alison, a linguist, will walk the Furness Way, a 75 mile route from Arnside to Ravenglass to raise money for the RCVS Trust and Send a Cow under the umbrella of the "Tour de Vets" event.

Mr Leslie is an active member of the Veterinary Public Health Association, and also a member of the Yorkshire Veterinary Society and the Pig Vet Society.

He said of the challenge he is undertaking "We will be walking through beautiful Cumbria where the veterinary profession remains integral to the quality of life of man and beast. What a perfect opportunity to support the work of the RCVS Trust and Send a Cow which do so much to help animals and the people who care for them through their educational and humanitarian work".

Gerri McHugh who heads up the RCVS Trust added "We are delighted that Mr Leslie is supporting our work through the "Tour de Vets" challenge event. The money he raises will be used to develop the range of services we provide for veterinary professionals such as our Library and Information services and our educational grants programmes"

The veterinary profession and the public are urged to support this initiative. The RCVS Trust will collect all monies and transfer 50% to Send a Cow. To sponsor Mr Leslie please send a cheque, made payable to the RCVS Trust, to Mr Norman Leslie, c/o RCVS Trust, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF.

For further information, please contact:

Fundraising and sponsorship:
Gerri McHugh, RCVS Trust Manager
Tel (020) 7202 0714

PR/media and general organisational issues:
Andrea Samuelson, RCVS Head of External Affairs
Tel (020) 7202 0725

Norman Leslie
Tel 01642 316510

NOTES FOR EDITORS

RCVS Trust provides a range of library and information services and a grant making programme to encourage education and training in veterinary medicine at all professional levels, and to promote veterinary research.

Send a Cow helps poor subsistence farmers in five African countries with livestock and related problems.