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Professor The Lord Trees has officially opened BSAVA’s headquarters following a 21st century revamp to extend teaching facilities and increase sustainability.
The newly refurbished and extended Woodrow House, in Gloucestershire includes a new practical wetlab equipped to share learning with a remote audience, hi-tech lecture rooms and a second teaching room where equipment such as microscopes or X-ray screens can be used.
Meeting rooms include video conferencing technology and giant presentation screens, and there are modern working environments, energy-saving innovations and pleasant break-out areas, designed to make the building look and feel more inspiring, welcoming and comfortable.
Outside there are electric car charge points, bicycle racks and landscaping, and for wildlife five bird boxes were built into the walls, with a small pond and log pile created.
The two-year transformation was unveiled at an open day on January 11, with an opening address by Professor The Lord Trees, followed by an insight into leadership presented by Sarah Page-Jones, Director of RVC Teaching Hospital Service and researching a PhD in organisational leadership. There was also a moving and colourful tribute to Brian Singleton, a BSAVA founders after whom the new lecture theatre was named, given by his daughter Maxine Wood.
Professor The Lord Trees said: “The BSAVA has always been a very dynamic and innovative organisation and this development is the latest example. Following their mission to pursue excellence in small animal practice through education and science, the wonderful facilities of this new building will provide a great resource for veterinary education and CPD which of course not only benefits vets and vet nurses but more importantly will ultimately benefit the health and welfare of our pet population.
“The building offers the very latest facilities to deliver high quality teaching and learning and has the capacity to be expanded as necessity dictates. I’m delighted to see the BSAVA investing in the future of the profession and this building, and the online technology it houses including the new digital library, will enable the organisation to continue to deliver its mission well into the future.”
BSAVA President Phil Lhermette said: “Over the past 60 years BSAVA has put science and education at the heart of our organisation, and our successful growth includes delivering high quality CPD in an exciting new environment, which will be perfect for everyone to learn in the most conducive way.
“It has been 20 years since we moved into Woodrow House, so it was time for a one-off, ethical transition to create a modern, fit-for-purpose facility for all our members to enjoy.”
BSAVA Head of Education Lucie Goodwin said: “These state-of-the-art, scientific-based education facilities will support highly valued, practical CPD for all veterinary professionals, and disseminate learning to a remote audience through video technologies in the classroom - a model that is poised to accelerate because of the proliferation of portable devices and the explosion of mobile phone capabilities.”
Gloucester-based firm Lancer Scott was hired to complete the 40-week renovation, which increased the existing building size by a third. There is also potential for wider use of the facilities by affiliate groups of BSAVA, other veterinary associations, veterinary nursing groups, animal welfare groups and Congress exhibitors.
Photo at top Professor The Lord Trees (right) and BSAVA President Phil Lhermette at the revamped BSAVA headquarters at Woodrow House, in Gloucestershire