The National Sheep Association (NSA) has announced sheep vet Fiona Lovatt as the recipient of its 2023 George Hedley Memorial Award.
The award recognises outstanding contribution to the UK sheep industry.
The NSA said Lovatt is well known for her passion for enthusing farm vets to “actively engage with sheep farmers” through good practice principles that embrace preventative measures and responsible medicine use.
She is the founder of the Flock Health Club and runs sheep veterinary consultancy business Flock Health Ltd.
NSA South East region chair Yann Le Du said: “The Flock Health club concept has revolutionised sheep farmer and vet engagement.
“For this reason, amongst many others, Fiona is held in high esteem in the sheep industry and is fully justified in being awarded with this prestigious title.”
The formal presentation of the NSA George Hedley Memorial Award will be at next summer’s NSA Sheep Event dinner taking place on the evening of Monday, July 29, ahead of the event on Tuesday, July 30, at the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire.
Each person who receives the award is given a sculptured statuette of a South Country Cheviot sheep mounted on a plinth carrying their name and the words ‘For outstanding service to the sheep industry’.
Recipients are also made honorary life members of the NSA.
Fiona Lovatt
Lovatt is the clinical lead for medicines for the charity Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Knowledge and established and leads the antimicrobial stewardship project Farm Vet Champions.
She is also a clinical associate professor at the University of Nottingham and a past president of the Sheep Veterinary Society.
She was also previously the chair of the Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group and a Trustee of the Veterinary Christian Fellowship.
Lovatt has represented the UK sheep industry as a member of the RUMA Target Task Force since 2016.
Commenting on the award, Lovatt said: “I was completely overwhelmed to hear that I had been nominated for this award – it will be a huge honour to receive it”.
George Hedley Memorial Award
The NSA presents the George Hedley Memorial Award annually since 1960.
It is an award given to honour the memory of George Hedley, a farmer from the Scottish borders who was involved with the NSA (previously the National Sheep Breeders Association) for many years.
While he was HSBA chair, Hedley was killed in a car accident while travelling to a council meeting in London in January of 1960.
