Page 4 - Eclipse - RVC Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2020

RVC SCIENCE FOR
THE PLANET CAMPAIGN
One World. One Health. One Team.
Whilst there has never been
a more pertinent time to be highlighting a One Health approach to scientific
work, the RVC’s Science for the Planet Campaign was created a year before
the COVID-19 crisis. The RVC has
been a true pioneer in the field of One Health, recognising the importance of ensuring the next generation of veterinary professionals and scientists understand the importance of their role in the
future of the planet; appreciating the interconnection between people, animals, plants and the shared environment.
The RVC has forged significant partnerships with leaders in human medicine and social sciences to address some of the most important global challenges affecting the poorest communities around the world. We have
also invested in facilities to support our One Health work, including the Centre for Endemic, Emerging and Exotic Diseases (CEEED) and the
original Teaching and Research Centre (TaRC), both located at the Hawkshead Campus.
However, a capital assessment of the campus highlighted the disjointed nature of the facilities on campus, as well as the non-sustainability of working within some of the older 1950s buildings. In order to better support a One Health approach, the RVC needed to invest in a large- scale capital project.
The project repurposes and renews existing facilities and encompasses
a three-story development designed
to inspire and promote collaboration between scientists, clinicians and external partners. It will help equip students with the knowledge and skills required to tackle global challenges and empower them to become the One Health leaders of the future.
The total cost of the project is £45million and we were delighted to be awarded £7m by the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership towards
a Cell and Vaccinology Hub, which will form part of the new facilities. In total, the RVC has raised £40m through a combination of this grant, savings and a loan before the fundraising campaign was launched.
The aim of the Science for the Planet Campaign is to raise the remaining £5m towards the costs of the capital development project at the Hawkshead Campus. The campaign was launched in autumn 2019, with an initial focus on major donors and charitable trusts. We have been delighted with the
level of support, particularly given the COVID-19 situation, which has caused a great deal of diversion of funds to more specifically COVID-19 related charities. The campaign was awarded £500,000
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