HallMark at the VPHA & AGV Conference 2025 – Ethics and Us!
HallMark at the VPHA & AGV Conference 2025
On 26–27 September 2025, HallMark colleagues joined the Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) and the Association of Government Veterinarians (AGV) at their annual conference, held at Eastwood Hall, Nottingham, and online.
This year’s theme was “Ethics and Us! – Tools to make sense of veterinary dilemmas”, with the programme led by VPHA Student Ambassadors from veterinary schools across the UK. The event also marked 65 years of the VPHA, making it a particularly special occasion.
HallMark Participation
HallMark was proud to have 26 staff attend in total. 7 attended the full package (conference + dinner), 11 attended the main conference in person on Saturday and 8 joined remotely online.
Friday 26th September
HallMark colleagues who stayed for the evening took part in student-led round-table discussions. These open, interactive sessions encouraged delegates to explore real-life veterinary dilemmas, share experiences, and reflect on what worked (or didn’t) in practice. Later that evening, the conference dinner provided excellent food, relaxed networking, and an opportunity to catch up with colleagues and friends across the profession.
Saturday 27th September
The main conference programme included keynote lectures and expert sessions such as:
“What is the right thing to do?” – Prof. David Morton
“Can you learn to do the right thing?” – Peter Fordyce, University of Cambridge
“Timelines for welfare of all animals” – Dr Sean Wensley
“Can welfare be measured?” – Prof. Sarah Wolfensohn
“Current debates concerning performance animals” – Prof. Madeleine Campbell
The day concluded with student feedback and a panel discussion, bringing together diverse perspectives from across the veterinary community.
Reflections
The conference was a rich and engaging experience, offering HallMark colleagues the chance to reflect on complex ethical questions, support the next generation of vets, and contribute to the national discussion around veterinary public health.
We are proud to have had such strong HallMark representation, showing our commitment to professional development, collaboration, and the future of veterinary public health.
