On 4th November, our Executive Director of Equine Welfare, Emma Carter and External Welfare Manager, Rachel Jenkinson, were presented with the 2020 BHS Welfare Award on behalf of Bransby Horses at the BHS Annual Awards Ceremony, by BHS President, Martin Clunes.
The BHS Welfare Award is awarded for excellent service in the cause of equine welfare and recognises our continued commitment to protecting the equines in our care. It is an honour for our dedicated teams to receive this acknowledgment, especially given the challenges they have faced over the past couple of years.
Jo Snell, Bransby Horses CEO, said, “We’re thrilled to win the BHS Welfare Award after what has been another challenging year for the charity. Despite the difficulties presented by the floods and repercussions of COVID-19, everyone has worked tirelessly to provide the best care to all our equines. To be recognised in this way by the British Horse Society is an honour.”
During major floods at the end of 2019, we had to move many of our horses to our newly acquired site at Barlings to ensure their safety. This meant arranging emergency facilities and preparing the new site in rapid time. We also partially closed our Bransby site to visitors, resulting in a loss of funding. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, we closed our doors once again. The pandemic also has an impact on our working practices. Our Welfare and Yard teams had to navigate working in smaller groups while still providing first-class care to our equines.
More About the BHS
The BHS is one of the largest and most influential equestrian charities. It aims to protect and promote the interests of all horses and those who care for them. Founded in 1947, it provides welfare advice and runs world-class qualifications. It also campaigns to help transform the lives of horses for the better.
BHS Chief Executive James Hick said: “2020 was like no other year, but we got through it thanks to all our volunteers, affiliated groups, and supporters who worked tirelessly with the BHS teams across safety, access, welfare, education, and participation, despite all the challenges.”
The 2020 annual awards ceremony were unable to take place due to government restrictions, so both 2020 and 2021 nominees and winners gathered yesterday at Newbury Racecourse.
