During the recent British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Congress, the association presented its annual awards on Friday 9^th October, recognising inspiring individuals within the veterinary profession who have supported others with compassion and empathy.

Nominations were invited from registered veterinary nurses (RVNs), student veterinary nurses (SVNs), any other members of the veterinary team, or from family and friends of the nominee.

The Jean Turner Award – RVN of the Year

This award celebrated a veterinary nurse that has gone out of their way to show compassion and empathy towards patients, clients or colleagues. Jean Turner was a dedicated and passionate veterinary nurse, and a BVNA Council Member for many years.

The finalists for the Jean Turner Award were as follows:

• Katie Vokes (winner) – Head RVN at Beaumont Veterinary Centres, Oxfordshire
• Evie Tummon – RVN at Glebe Veterinary Surgery, Cornwall
• Katie Sumner-Walker – RVN at Manchester Cat Clinic, Greater Manchester

Nominated by a colleague, Katie was described as “one of those leaders people naturally turn to — steady, supportive, and always focused on helping others feel capable and valued. She pushes herself beyond her comfort zone time and time again, simply because she cares. She’s inspiring — not in a loud way, but in the steady, dependable way that changes teams for the better.”

The Jennifer Townson Award – SVN of the Year

This award recognised an SVN who has supported clients and patients by showing compassion and empathy during their training. Jennifer Townson was one of the first Registered Animal Nursing Auxiliaries (RANA), and was the very first Chairperson of BVNA when it was formed.

The finalists for the Jennifer Townson Award were as follows:

• Hannah Chapman (winner) – SVN at Rase Veterinary Centre (Market Rasen), Lincolnshire
• Louise Hampton – SVN at Rathgael Veterinary Clinic, County Down
• Jessica Hardy – SVN at Acorn Vets, East Sussex

Nominated by a colleague, Hannah was described as having “an extraordinary ability to connect with both animals and people during vulnerable moments. Whether comforting a frightened patient, supporting an anxious owner, or helping colleagues during demanding days, Hannah brings kindness, reassurance, and calm to every situation. She understands veterinary nursing is not only about clinical skills – it is about compassion, trust, and being there when it matters most.”

The Des Thompson Award – Veterinary Team Member of the Year

This award celebrated any member of the veterinary team who is not an RVN/SVN, who has demonstrated compassion and empathy in the practice setting. Des Thompson was a proud honorary member of BVNA and a huge supporter of the veterinary nursing community.

The finalists for the Des Thompson Award were as follows:

• Gemma Farrell (winner) – Practice manager at Warren House Veterinary Centre, West Midlands
• Laura Szabo Jeal – Veterinary care assistant at Pet Care Veterinary Surgery, Kent
• Gaby Holder – Receptionist at Uplands Way Veterinary Clinics, Norfolk

Nominated by four of her colleagues, Gemma was described as having “joined our practice without a clinical background, yet she has become one of the most influential people in our organisation. She has an incredible ability to understand people, recognise their strengths and support them through challenges. Her emotional intelligence is exceptional, allowing her to build trust across every level of the team while maintaining the confidence to make difficult decisions when they are needed.”

VNJ Writer of the Year Award

The final award category highlighted those articles published in the Veterinary Nursing Journal (VNJ), BVNA’s peer-reviewed membership publication, which have encouraged discussions, or positive change, or improved clinical standards in practice. Eligible articles were to have been published in the VNJ between August 2025 and July 2026.

The finalists for the VNJ Writer of the Year Award were as follows:

• Amy Morton (winner) – ‘The importance of quality-of-life assessments for senior patients’, published in August 2025
• Vicky Weller – ‘Supporting owners during their animal’s end of life care and euthanasia’, published in August 2025

Amy’s nominator wrote, “This article is a humane and comprehensive description of what our senior pets mean to us, how we can assess their quality of life, and how we can support their humans during the difficult end-of-life and euthanasia stages. [Amy] reminds us that the grieving process often starts well before a pet's actual passing, identifying areas when veterinary nurses can support clients through this difficult time. It also reminds us that quality of life does not just refer to the pet, but to the human family and the human-pet bond.”

BVNA President Steph Worsley commented: “It was an enormous privilege to present this year’s BVNA Awards. The ceremony gave us a special opportunity to showcase the inspiring people making up the veterinary professions, and who all demonstrate compassion and empathy in their work.

“I would like to congratulate all of the deserving nominees, finalists and winners across all of our award categories. All should feel exceptionally proud of their contributions to the profession, which has gained the recognition of those around them. As always, it was incredibly difficult for our judging panel to shortlist our finalists from so many worthy nominations.

“I would also like to thank all those who took the time to submit a nomination. Being nominated for an award provides an enormous sense of recognition and a boost to so many dedicated individuals working within our profession. BVNA is proud to do our part to raise awareness of the incredible work carried out by veterinary teams, every single day.”