Register

Login

Vet Times logo
+
  • View all news
  • Vets news
  • Vet Nursing news
  • Business news
  • + More
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Crossword
  • View all clinical
  • Small animal
  • Livestock
  • Equine
  • Exotics
  • All Jobs
  • Your ideal job
  • Post a job
  • Career Advice
  • Students
About
Contact Us
For Advertisers
NewsClinicalJobs
Vet Times logo

Vets

All Vets newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Business

All Business newsHuman resourcesBig 6SustainabilityFinanceDigitalPractice profilesPractice developments

+ More

VideosPodcastsDigital EditionCrossword

The latest veterinary news, delivered straight to your inbox.

Choose which topics you want to hear about and how often.

Vet Times logo 2

About

The team

Advertise with us

Recruitment

Contact us

Vet Times logo 2

Vets

All Vets news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Business

All Business news

Human resources

Big 6

Sustainability

Finance

Digital

Practice profiles

Practice developments

Clinical

All Clinical content

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotics

Jobs

All Jobs content

All Jobs

Your ideal job

Post a job

Career Advice

Students

More

All More content

Videos

Podcasts

Digital Edition

Crossword


Terms and conditions

Complaints policy

Cookie policy

Privacy policy

fb-iconinsta-iconlinkedin-icontwitter-iconyoutube-icon

© Veterinary Business Development Ltd 2025

IPSO_regulated

2 Jan 2024

Senior BVA official awarded OBE in New Year Honours

Collin Willson said he was “honoured” to be recognised as colleagues paid tribute to his “pivotal” work in the meat industry.

author_img

Allister Webb

Job Title



Senior BVA official awarded OBE in New Year Honours

A prominent Welsh vet has been recognised in the New Year Honours for his “pivotal” work in the meat industry.

Collin Willson, who is currently senior vice-president of the BVA’s Welsh branch, received an OBE for services to animal welfare and veterinary public health in his role with the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Collin Willson.
Collin Willson has been awarded an OBE for services to animal welfare and veterinary public health.

Dr Willson said: “I am honoured that my colleagues have nominated me for this honour.

“It reflects the work of the FSA animal welfare team as well as myself, and this work has been supported by the BVA and Veterinary Public Health Association, of which I am a past-president.

“It reflects the drive of the veterinary profession to improve animal welfare in every part of the food chain.”

‘Pivotal’ work

BVA senior vice-president Malcolm Morley also paid tribute to Dr Willson’s work in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

He wrote: “Collin has a long string of achievements, but his work on welfare at slaughter has been pivotal.”

The list published on Friday night (30 December) also included an OBE for Defra’s head of exotic disease policy Gordon Hickman for services to animal health and voluntary service to sport.

The UK’s CVO, Christine Middlemiss, described the award as “hugely well deserved recognition of amazing work” on issues including the avian influenza outbreak.

Elsewhere, a CBE went to outgoing chair of the RSPCA Rene Olivieri, while Michelle Southern, founder and director of the charity Street Paws, was given an OBE.

‘Positive change’

MBEs have also been awarded to Jacqueline Neilson, chief executive of the South Yorkshire-based Rain Rescue charity, and Unilever executive vice-president Julia Fentem for services to animal welfare and human health respectively.

The publication of the list also follows the recent election of the VMG president Miles Russell to the House of Lords as a cross-bench hereditary peer.

Mr Russell, who holds the title Baron de Clifford, pledged to use the platform to “increase understanding” of the sector and “promote positive change”.