Supporting Our Local Communities

Each veterinary group, crematorium or central team can apply for a Local Community Grant each year to support a local cause they care about.   

During 2022, we have been delighted to provide grants totalling £104,000 to 147 charities and non-profit organisations nominated by 104 different teams across eleven countries.  

The grants have made an important difference to our community partners, and have also been well received by our clinic leaders, who value the contribution to staff well-being from being supported to undertake this kind of community engagement. 

Charities supported include: 

• SARDA Wales – Grant application made by Ceri Gruffudd Jones of Cibyn Veterinary Clinic, Caernarfon. 
   
  SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association) train both Air-scenting and Scent-specific dogs to trail missing persons in rural mountain areas. If the missing person is ill, injured or vulnerable, the speed and efficiency of dog search teams can make the difference between life and death.  
  Ceri says, "Two staff members are part of the Search and Rescue Dog team and others volunteer regularly to help training in this animal-based, life-saving charity." 
   

• Kattakuten – Grant application made by Ingrid Eriksson of Evidensia Djurkliniken Ojebyn, Sweden. 
   
  Kattakuten works to reduce the number of homeless cats in the north of Sweden. These cats live in very difficult conditions, especially in winter when they freeze their ears and tails, have a shortage of food and no warm place to sleep.  
  Ingrid says "They make a difference for homeless cats in the very north of Sweden when the temperature often goes as low as - 36 C." 
   

• The Canmore Trust – Grant application made by Susan Donaldson of Avondale Vets, Strathaven, Scotland.  
   
  The mission of The Canmore Trust is to create safe spaces for lives impacted by suicide. Their vision is to help to create a world where people feel mentally, physically and societally safe enough to avoid this drastic path.  
  Susan says "This charity supports those affected by suicide and has been set up by the family of a vet I previously worked with who took his own life while we were colleagues. It affected me profoundly, and I would like to support anything that can be done to reduce these tragic situations." 
   

• Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society – Grant application made by Cindy Arnold of Valley Veterinary Services, Canada.  
   
  This charitable society helps feeds more than 900 children in Chilliwack schools every day, offering nutrition programs to families and other community activities.  
  Cindy has told us, “We strongly believe in giving back to our community and supporting the pets and families within it. Bowls of Hope  feeds children that may be in households unable to feed them healthy, regular meals”.  
   

• Association Gamelle Pleines – Grant application made by Sophia Ambroa of Estima Crematorium, Etampes, France. 
   
  Animals are often the last social link for the most disadvantaged people, and the Association Gamelle Pleines think it is very important to help owners to keep, feed and care for their pets. They support the homeless, isolated people and those on low incomes. Their belief is that by helping the most disadvantaged take care of what they hold most dear, Gamelles Pleines avoids heart-breaking separations for people who can no longer afford their pets.  
  Sophia says "This association, through animals, helps people in very precarious situations. It illustrates the values of respect and benevolence to which the group adheres, it is a support in life as well as in death." 

In the year ahead and in line with the People Pillar of our Positive Pawprint strategy - itself an important part of IVC Evidensia’s purpose-driven strategy, focused on heathy animals, happy owners -  we will continue to offer Local Community Grants to enable our teams to play an active role supporting good causes in their local area, especially those non-profit organisations providing direct support for humans or animals impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.