1 May 2025
Nick Butcher, founder and charperson of The Quadstar Foundation, says keeping the grant programme going had become his “main commercial motivation”.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Image © peampath / Adobe Stock.
Prospective veterinary students whose career aspirations could be derailed by financial constraints are being urged to apply for grants from a charity set up by a former clinician.
The Quadstar Foundation, which also works with young people in a variety of sectors, has been providing financial support to aspiring vets for the past four years.
Now, two new grants – each worth £3,500 a year – are being offered to students on a veterinary degree programme at the University of Bristol’s vet school, including its gateway course.
Most of the charity’s funding is provided by its founder and chairperson, Nick Butcher, and the two companies he runs: veterinary property and acquisitions firm Vetprop, and global pet and vet supply company Animus Surgical.
The latter has pledged to donate 15% of its profits to the foundation, and Mr Butcher, who graduated from The University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies more than 40 years ago, said keeping the grant programme going had become his “main commercial motivation”.
He said: “It’s an enormous privilege to support inspiring young vets who have had such a hard slog to get past the ever-increasing barriers they face. Barriers that, back in our day, didn’t exist.”
Each of the foundation’s current veterinary grant beneficiaries are pursuing their studies as second degrees, which are usually ineligible for government-backed student support.
One of them, Alicia Guarnieri, said: “Finances are a huge barrier to students taking a second degree – particularly after tuition fees increased. There are many of us in the same boat, and sadly many who turn down their place solely due to cost.
“Nick and the Quadstar Foundation are truly changing people’s lives by offering this support.”
Raluca Magadan said its help had been a “huge relief”, as the demands of rotations and EMS left her unable to earn the money she needed to pay for the final year of her accelerated graduate course.
She said: “At times, it meant I had less than £100 to survive an entire month on, which became a big physical and mental challenge.”
Meanwhile, Amber Cordice, who initially set up an online fund-raiser to help pursue her studies, said the charity’s funding and mentorship offer had “really helped open door into the vet community”, adding: “I really could not be doing it without their help.”
The importance of the foundation’s input was also emphasised as the Bristol vet school’s head, Tim Parkin, revealed veterinary student applications to the university’s financial assistance fund had “increased significantly” in recent years.
He said: “Additional help such as that provided by the Quadstar Foundation ensures that, thankfully, some of those students can fulfil their dreams.”
Mr Butcher added: “Since launching the charity, I’ve discovered how arbitrary and prohibitive UK student finance decisions can be.
“Past grantees have usually come from disadvantaged backgrounds and often been the first in their family to attend university. Our grants are not intended to be cash top ups; they are meant for students in genuine need.”
More details about how to apply are available via the foundation’s website – www.quadstar.org – or by emailing [email protected]
