Our staff and students are the RVC’s ambassadors and champions. They work throughout our communities in both Hertfordshire and London.

Here are just a few of the ways we get out and about in the communities we work in:

Cleaning up the local area – Litter picking walks

Staff and students have recently come together to kick-start a monthly litter picking initiative as part of our environmental stewardship role and ongoing commitment to support the local community.

Community Relations joined forces with staff from the QMH to clear up the campus and surrounding areas to improve and enhance the local area.  Litter picks will continue on a regular basis.

RVC Pet First Aid Events

We organise and run Pet first aid events on each campus for cat and dog owners.

These events cover two main areas – basic first aid and poisons and toxins.

Keep an eye out under our news and events section for the next Pet First Aid course.

Equine Lecture Series  

The RVC Equine team organise a series of popular talks for all horse riders and owners.

These insightful forums provide iThese insightful forums provide information, discussion and advice on horse diseases and conditions such as laminitis, gastric ulcers, headshaking, poor performance and yard biosecurity. The events are supported by the British Horse Society who recently awarded the events with CPD accreditation status.nformation, discussion and advice on horse diseases and conditions such as laminitis, gastric ulcers, headshaking, poor performance and yard biosecurity. The events are supported by the British Horse Society who recently awarded the events with CPD accreditation status.

For further details visit our Equine Hospital pages.

Our Work with local schools and colleges

The Community relations team offer the chance for KS2 pupils from local primary schools to come for an education farm visit  and our student ambassadors can come to local primary schools to talk about a range of science or veterinary careers.  Our Widening Participation and Outreach teams host a whole range of events and initiatives for school and further information on what is available can be found here.  

The Hawkshead Hobble

The RVC’s Students Union Triathlon Club organise an annual run for local running clubs, community members and students known as the Hawkshead Hobble each year. The club raise money for local charities.

RVC Boltons Park Farm in the Community

The RVC’s working farm covers over 200 hectares of Hertfordshire countryside and has been an essential part of the RVC’s activities for over 50 years.

Our farm teams work closely with our students and the local community.  The farm team host meetings and advise local landowners and farmers clubs, sell produce to the local residents including free range eggs from our own hens, local honey, alpaca fleece and beautiful greetings cards (drawn by a member of staff!) We host annual Open Farm Sunday event where the local community are invited to come and learn about all of the activities on a working farm including the life of a dairy cow  

Did you know we produce between 18,000-19,000 litres of milk at the farm every week? Now that is a lot of milk our cows are busy producing!

Our new milk vending machine is now up and running supplying both semi-skimmed and whole pasteurised milk. Why not add a dash of flavoured syrup to turn your milk into a milkshake!? Reusable glass bottles (either 500ml or 1L) are available to purchase from the farm shop.

The milk that is not sold through the farm shop is sold to Arla foods and will find its way to your local supermarket or corner shop.

The farm has also participated in Care Farm projects to promote the importance of farming and accessibility to people of all backgrounds, from those experiencing social or educational exclusion, with learning difficulties, with mental or physical health issues or those recovering from drug addiction. The benefits include improving and boosting self-esteem, motivation and personal development.

Primary School Visits to the Farm

The Community Relations team offer educational farm visits for KS2 pupils from local Primary Schools. Pupils have been lucky enough to see newborn lambs, collect eggs from our hens and learn some wonderful facts about farming.