17 Sept 2024
Two senior industry figures have been preparing for their own fundraising challenge as new figures revealed Vetlife had received nearly 2,500 calls for support in the first half of this year.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Kay Watson-Bray (left) and Michelle Gratton are preparing for their trek across Dartmoor.
A veterinary charity appears to be on course for another record year of calls for its services after receiving almost 2,500 contacts in the first half of 2024.
A senior Vetlife official has been preparing to step out for her own gruelling fund-raising challenge for the cause, amid warnings that its helpline is now receiving more requests for assistance than ever.
The service received more than 4,000 calls for support for the first time in 2023 – an average of more than 11 cases a day.
But newly released figures have revealed that 2,487 further contacts were recorded during the first six months of this year – the equivalent of 13 or 14 each day.
A group spokesperson said: “Themes seen in calls to Vetlife Helpline reflect the complexity of challenges faced by people in the veterinary sector, with most calls featuring more than one theme.
“The five most common call themes in the first six months of 2024 were mental health needs, stress, relationships, job demands and concerns about support at work.”
The current scale of need for Vetlife’s support was revealed as final preparations were made for a new fund-raising challenge involving one of its senior officials.
An online donation page was set up for Michelle Gratton, the charity’s donor relations manager, and British Veterinary Receptionists Association chief executive Kay Watson-Bray, as they prepared to hike 50km (31 miles) across Dartmoor on 14 September. The duo aimed to raise £2,500 for the cause, of which around a third had been raised through the online campaign at the time of going to press.
Ms Gratton said the helpline was now “busier than ever”, adding: “I’m taking on this challenge to help ensure that Vetlife can continue providing vital assistance through its three key services: helpline, health support and financial support.”
Ms Watson-Bray said she had been inspired to go further after taking part in Vetlife’s Active October initiative last autumn.
She added: “This challenge is a way for me to contribute further and support the incredible work Vetlife does. I also want to raise awareness that Vetlife is there to support all the veterinary team.”
Although the exact proportion of contacts relating to specific categories in the latest figures has not been disclosed, many of the prevailing themes were among the most common concerns raised among the 4,042 contacts the charity recorded in 2023.
According to its annual impact report, 42% of those contacts referenced mental health concerns, while 30% referred to stress. Job concerns were also discussed in 22% of contacts, while concerns about support at work were raised in 20% of all cases.
More than half of all contacts (56%) were also initiated via email, with the rest by telephone.
The Vetlife Helpline is available to all members of the veterinary community 24 hours a day for confidential support. Anyone who feels they need assistance should phone 0303 0402551 or email via the charity’s website.
Donations towards the challenge can still be made via the JustGiving fund-raising platform.
