MORE than 1,000 colleagues across the UK and Europe have raised £43,391 for charity while boosting their wellbeing through VetPartners’ annual Month of Movement initiative.
Throughout May, colleagues from across VetPartners’ veterinary practices and animal healthcare businesses took part in a wide range of physical activities, including running, hiking, mountain climbing, swimming and walking, either individually or alongside colleagues.
Month of Movement encourages team members to improve their physical and mental wellbeing while supporting worthwhile causes. For every hour of activity logged during the month, VetPartners pledged to donate to charity.
This year, colleagues from the UK, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal collectively logged 10,848 hours of activity – the equivalent of 452 days – generating a total charitable donation of £43,391.
In the UK, VetPartners will donate £12,988 to Vetlife, the charity supporting members of the veterinary profession, and £12,988 to World Land Trust (WLT), the international conservation charity dedicated to protecting threatened habitats and species around the world. VetPartners’ ongoing partnership with WLT has already funded the purchase and protection of 1,064 acres of vital habitat through the charity’s Buy an Acre programme since 2022.
In Italy, colleagues raised €596 for Treedom; France raised €3465 for Handi’Chiens; Germany raised €2492 for VETHiLFE; Portugal raised €2425 for Associação Salvador; Spain’s fundraising efforts raised €5281 for Fundación También; Switzerland raised CHF 1316 for Fondation ASA and, in the Netherlands, colleagues raised €1285 for Dierenartsen Zonder Grenzen and €1285 for Katshuisch. In Ireland, the initiative provided donations of £1,450 to Guide Dogs NI and €1,813 to Irish Guide Dogs.
Colleagues recorded their activities using the Strava app, with VetPartners collating the total number of hours completed before making the charity donations.
The Month of Movement continues to be one of VetPartners’ most popular wellbeing initiatives, bringing colleagues together across multiple countries while supporting charities that make a meaningful difference to people, animals and the environment.
VetPartners Group Head of ESG Hannah James said: “Month of Movement is our biggest charity event of the year, bringing together colleagues from across all VetPartners countries to raise money for important causes while getting active.
“The initiative creates a shared experience across the entire VetPartners group, uniting teams in every country around a common goal of supporting wellbeing, strengthening connections and making a positive impact in our communities.
“It is an opportunity to support people’s wellbeing while giving back to charities that support animals, people and the environment. It’s always fantastic to see colleagues from across our international network taking part in activities such as walking, running and yoga, sharing their achievements and encouraging one another throughout the month. The enthusiasm and collaboration shown across all our countries really demonstrates the strength of the VetPartners community.”
