Veterinary Cardiovascular Society (Click here for pdf of minutes)
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 2024
4pm-5pm 8th November 2024
Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwickshire
Present (88): Adrian Boswood, Alastair Hill, Amie Nugent, Angela Bodey, Anne French, Babs Ingram, Brian Love, Caroline Cuttler, Carlos Agudelo, Chris Fellows, Chris Linney , Claire Denny, Claudia Rosa Valverde, Dan Andrews, Dave Fisher, David Hurley , David Sewell, Emily Dutton, Emma Cottrell, Emma Murphy, Fabio Sarcinella, Fiona Sykes, Gavin McAulay, Geoff Culshaw, Geoff Holt, Hanna Selfelt, Hannah Stephenson, Henry Fan, Ian Johnson, Illaria Spalla, Jane Marshall, Jane Pigott, Jo Arthur, Jo Dukes McEwan, Jo Harris, Jodi Burgess, John Keen, John Sauvage, Joséphine Dandrieux, Julie Hamilton, Julie Todd, Karen Blissitt, Katie Howell, Katya Potter, Laura Korenchy , Laurence Doddy, Lesley Young, Liz Bode, Lukasz Jaworski, Maria Iole Giannitrapani, Mario Vastano, Matthew Keane, Mattia Basili, Melanie Norris, Michelle Weaner, Mike Martin, Monika Czerwinska, Neil Walmsley, Nekesa Morey, Omri Belaschen, Paul Wotton, Phil Tricklebank, Rachel Blake, Rachel Farrington, Riccardo Minelli, Ruth Willis, Saiorse Kennedy, Sara Hickling, Sara-Ann Dickson, Sarah Dallinger, Selena Brownlie, Sharon Dobson, Sheena Lewis, Sheena Milne, Sid Sudunagunta, Sophie Goodrich, Stuart Drewrey, Sue Roberts, Tim Bradbury, Tobias Wagner, Tom Mullany, Tom Robertson, Vicky Ironside, Virginia Luis Fuentes, Warwick Payne, Xavier Navarro-Cubas, Xiang Jun Lam, Yi Lin Lam, and
Apologies for absence: Peter Darke
No matters arising from AGM 2023
VOTE: Are the minutes a correct reflection of the AGM 2023
Proposed Geoff Culshaw, seconded Vicky Ironside
Everyone in the room voted yes.
Currently the constitution only allows veterinary surgeons to vote on VCS matters, Geoff Culshaw proposed a vote to change this to include any member. The Constitution requires some updating, the new committee will review and put proposals forward for any amendments by email prior to, and for voting in at the AGM in 2025.
VOTE: All members are to be entitled to vote on VCS matters regardless of profession
Proposed Dave Sewell, Seconded Hannah Stephenson
Everyone in the room voted yes, motion carried, constitution to be updated
Meeting held on 7th November, chaired by Mike Martin, with discussion on how to create an online audit, and defining procedural success for PDA, BVP and pacemaker implantation. It is hoped many centres will contribute to this audit. Further details to follow. Equine clinical audit is being managed by John Keene. Mike Martin hoping to present results at the next Autumn meeting.
Geoff Culshaw provided pre-reading material regarding a proposal from BSAVA to move satellite meeting into the new standard BSAVA programme for Thursday-Sunday main meeting. Initially the plan was to implement this as a pilot in Spring 2025, but BSAVA is deferring until 2026 at this time. Advantages and disadvantages given by Geoff in pre-reading for meeting, but to recap main points: joining BSAVA mainstream will allow all lunches and AV recordings to be paid for by BSAVA with access to the exhibition for all delegates. Concerns included one less day of CPD hours by removing the Wednesday VCS meeting, sponsorship of satellites may reduce as the sponsors may concentrate on the support of their main exhibition space and that there may also be constant, disruptive movement of delegates in and out of the hall to attend the talks that they find more interesting. If BSAVA presentation format required, it may not suit the VCS programme and more BSAVA might potentially reduce large animal content.
Member comments:
Further exploration planned for Q4 2024 via Teams Meeting between satellites and BSAVA and so further information may come to light at this stage.
VOTE: Do VCS members wish to take part in the trial integration of the Spring Meeting into BSAVA Congress in 2026
Proposed Geoff Culshaw, seconded Chris Linney
Vast majority NO, YES (3)
Decision made to review again next AGM when further information has been made available by BSAVA.
We now have a provisional live date 18th November. This will be confirmed by email to all members if this goes live. Members will receive an update from the VCS Secretaries, and for those who have an active membership (defined as renewed since September 2023), they should also receive an automated email from the new website to log-in and check details.
A large amount of work has been done behind scenes by Ursula Lannigan and Vicky Ironside with Staxo (website developer) and setting up has been very labour intensive. Provisional live date is 18th November with vigilant support from developers in the first week. Migration of membership will occur, and all members will need to log in and confirm their details. In the future, the links for registrations will only be available in the members’ area, although it is intended that anyone will be able to see the programme without being a member.
All members who joined renewed from September 2023, will automatically be migrated, members with lapsed membership will not be automatically migrated. Membership will last 1 year from payment and will need to manually renewed individually on the anniversary of the payment as per website notification.
All members on a standing order will need to cancel this with their bank once the site goes live, as all payments will be made via the new website. Unlike Direct Debits, standing orders can only be amended by the owner of the bank account. Failure to stop the standing order will result in double payment. This system follows similar membership renewals and will allow better visibility of membership numbers and an up-to-date register.
Members will need to email treasurer@vet-cardio.co.uk if:
Please pay your membership if it is out of date, until this is updated, you will not be able to access the members section and will not be able to register for the meeting.
There will be a change to joint funded grants by Petsavers in 2025, implemented by BSAVA. From 2025 there will be fewer grants awarded to Joint initiatives between Petsavers-satellite. VCS has historically held one of these. From hence forth, applications from the individual Satellites will be assessed by Petsavers and Petsavers will choose who to partner with, changing every 1-2 years through the different satellite groups. This will result in fewer large grants unless these are fully funded by VCS. The new committee will attend upcoming meetings and report back to the members with any updates over this next quarter, and whether a fully funded, as yet unknown amount, would be provided yearly from VCS.
Request made for suggestions for our 50th anniversary and survey will be sent with the meeting feedback questionnaire. A vote was initiated for whether partners would be allowed, there were 8 against, 24 for the motion, the rest were abstentions.
Chris Linney, as secretary and events organiser, advised we already allow non-VCS guests to attend the gala dinner, so a vote is unnecessary as we do not intend to change the current offering. Members are encouraged to provide suggestions for our 50th anniversary meeting and celebrations.
Geoff Culshaw highlighted the work done by this committee to the AGM including:
Election of new members; Durshant Somaskantha, Joao Salvado, Isabella Harding, Fiona Sykes, Alicia VanCasteren, Yi Lin Lam, Lukasz Jaworski, Nina Siriwardena, Phoebe Crawford, Xiaoxiang Zheng, Marc Verrall, Laurence Doddy, Styfianos Skoufos, Tereza Nemanic, Simon Weir, Lysbeth Fowler, Martynas Pleskys, Nagella Naveen, Rachel James, Karina Sherozia, Claudia Rosa, Sarah Carey, Anne Overgaard, Rajat Mukherjee, Jimm Starks, Olga Kucinska, Nathaniel Hind, Daniel Jones, Tara Marsh, Teresa Park, Cathereine Stowell, Marta Salvati, Jelena Ristic, Hannah Packham, Sharon Mitchell, Joana dias, Caroline Taylor, Elizabeth Power, Miguel Perez, David Connolly, Hannah Selfelt, Callan Ferneyhough, Manasa Bharadwaj, Sarah Dallinger, Anna Samorodnitskaia, Riccardo Minelli, Gemma Tyner, Bharadwaj Palani, Aaron Hunt, Steve Gosling, Elliott Ward, Henry Fan, Ioana Tescoveanu-Kreb, Michelle Weaver, Katherine Measures, Kate Finnegan, Ina Cojoaca, Gregory Van den Noortgate, Ciara Docherty
First and seconded by Rachel Blake, and Vicky Ironside
All new members voted in by majority.
Newly awarded CertAVP(VC): Rui Miguel de Oliveira Gomes Maximo, Amanda Ford, Emma Riley, Marianne Stabaek Martin, Zuzanna Uljanowska, Philippa Gould, Daniel Jones, Matthew Keane, Eleri Parfitt, Jessica Sage
Newly awarded Advanced Practitioners in Veterinary Cardiology: Anna Beber, Kyriaki Tsikala, Emma Louise Riley, Hannah Clare Packham, Emma-Louise Karen Waller, Karl Roland Bovenizer, Mark James Taylor, Hiu Chung Cheryl Chan
New ECVIM Diplomats: María Mateos Panero, Elżbieta Mederska, Íñigo Sanz González
New ACVIM Diplomats: Joshua Sandeman Hannabus, Luke Dutton
New Veterinary Technician Specialists (Cardiology) : Emma Hudson
Reminder of grants available
Joint Petsavers/VCS Research Grants (see above):
This grant will be changing for 2025 with potentially no support from Petsavers, this may therefore not be available in 2025. Other grants are being considered, potentially of lower amount from the VCS only.
Historically Petsavers/VCS research grants have been 2 grants: £10,000 per grant. This is under review and the new committee will inform members of the outcomes of meetings by correspondence.
Joint Horse Trust/VCS Small Project Grant:
1 grant: £10000 per grant
Applications:
How to apply: https://horsetrust.org.uk/research/research-funding/
Deadline: Applications open all year round, considered on a quarterly basis
Alistair Gibson memorial fund/BreathEazy Ltd Bursary
1x Bursary: £1200 for a member to pursue further education
Application form available from VCS Secretary
Applications open soon. Deadline 28th February 2025
Successful applicants to be announced at VCS Spring meeting 2025
The successful applicant will be expected to provide a short presentation on their course/training activity and the benefits at the VCS Spring meeting the following year (2026)
ACVIM/ECVIM Travel Bursaries
2 x ECVIM travel bursaries: £800 each
2 x ACVIM travel bursaries: £1000 each
In person attendance amounts (reduced by 50% if on-line attendance only)
Applications open soon, deadline 28th February 2025
Successful applicants announced in March at VCS Spring meeting 2025
Expected to present findings in November at VCS Autumn meeting 2025
Applicants must be a VCS member
VOTE: Approval of accounts by members
Proposed by Vicky Ironside Paul Wooton
Approved with vast majority
Summary of main figures for last few years’ meetings:
2024 (Nov 23 & March 24 meeting) | 2023 (Nov 22 & March 23 meeting) | 2022 (Nov 21 & March 22 Meeting) | |
Total Registration for both conferences (excl sponsorship) | £91,707 | £62,568 | £63,586 |
Total Venue and Speaker Costs for both conferences | £98,305 | £56,764 | £51,196 |
Net assets for the year | £160,037 | £157,981 | £155,279 |
Surplus for the year | £2056 | £2702 | £3474 |
As of 8 Novemebr
Nat West Current Account – £18,000
Nat West Reserve Account (1.35%) – looking to be moved – £86,150.60
Monmouthshire Building Society (2.4%) – looking to be moved £72,094.58
Website – Currently tangible asset (recent accounts) at £11,144
Move all money from Monmouthshire Building Society to a long-term savings account with better interest rate & one that is easier for successive treasurers to manage. Move money from NW reserve into this new account (3-6m reserve account) leaving enough in both NW accounts to cover expenses in the next 10 months and the cost of a failed meeting.
At last November’s AGM it was agreed that the membership fees would increase to £35 for new members and £30 annually for renewal.
This is now in force but has not been efficiently applied yet; it required all standing order members to update the standing order, and very few members have done this, in any case, the next membership fee will be via the website.
Today (9/11/24) records are indicating 310 members whose membership is currently in date.
None
Chairperson:
Gavin McAulay
Treasurers:
Vicky Ironside
Claire Denny
Website/proceedings:
David Hurley
Secretaries
Julie Hamilton-Elliott
Sid Sudunguntha
Next meeting: VCS Spring Meeting, Manchester 19th March 2025
Next AGM: Autumn Meeting 7-8th November 2025