Dr Heather Bacon, a UCLan vet surgeon, has attended Holyrood Palace to accept an OBE, awarded by Princess Anne, after landing a place in the Queen’s 2020 New Year Honours list. Dr Bacon is an integral member of the University of Central Lancashire’s new School of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr Bacon was recognised in the New Year Honours list for outstanding services to veterinary education, animal welfare and charity work in the UK and abroad. After accepting the insignia from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in Edinburgh, the Veterinary Clinical Senior Lecturer said:
“It was a very proud day for me, and it was so surreal. It had all the formal pomp and ceremony you would expect, and there were rules I had to follow with military precision timing. I only found out shortly before the ceremony that I had to do a small curtsey on arriving in front of Princess Anne and then one as I was leaving, so if I’d have known beforehand, I would have practised! I was nervous, but I winged it with my little dip, and thankfully I was fine.
Princess Anne is very knowledgeable about the world of animals, veterinary care and training, so we spoke for around two to three minutes.I talked about my work with animal charities overseas, and I explained I was now part of the team setting up the first Veterinary School in Lancashire at UCLan’s Preston Campus. She was very interested to know a new vet school is opening.”
Dr Bacon joined UCLan in May 2021 to help develop the first veterinary school in Lancashire. Opening for the first intake of students to bioveterinary science undergraduate and foundation entry courses in September 2022, this is only the 11th veterinary school in England. Courses on offer will include the prestigious veterinary medicine and surgery five-year degree, although this will not commence until September 2023.
The new veterinary school will be based at UCLan’s Preston Campus, providing foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in veterinary medicine, bioveterinary science, veterinary clinical practice, veterinary physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and clinical animal behaviour and training.
Speaking on the matter, Dr Heather Bacon said:
“I’ve always liked being there from the start and being part of the team which develops the curriculum, facilities or research projects. It’s stressful setting up something so big, but it’s also exciting. With the support of colleagues across the university, I’m confident it will be a huge success.”
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