Graduating students donated personal protective equipment (PPE) in fundraising effort Schools and charities in Edinburgh and abroad have benefited from a recycling project at the School. A yard sale and targeted donation of clothing previously owned by our students raised monies and provided goods for charities and schools in need. Riding hats, wellies, waterproofs, boots and lab coats are all essential clothing for our undergraduate students. This personal protective equipment (PPE) not only keeps students warm and dry when working with animals outside as part of their training, but can also keep them safe too. Fundraising effort This year, our graduands were asked to donate any items of PPE they no longer needed, and these items were collected along with items left by graduating students from previous years. A small team of School staff collected over 100 black bags of clothing between May and August. The items collected included 54 riding hats, 77 pairs of wellies, 55 pairs of boots, 63 sets of waterproofs, over 230 lab coats and other items of clothing. The initiative, which was a great example of recycling, sustainability and community support was led by three members of staff from the School; Emma Boyd, Heather Scott and Sharon Potter. They were keen to ensure that unwanted items of PPE didn’t go to waste and were either recycled, donated or sold to help support schools and charities. Most of the lab coats were distributed to schools and charities around Edinburgh and overseas. The remaining items were sold at a PPE yard sale at the School, where our current students were quick to snap up a bargain. The yard sale was a huge success and raised £1,183 in aid of All for Paws, a charity set up and run by students and staff from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. All4Paws offers free treatment and advice for pets belonging to the vulnerably housed and homeless people in Edinburgh. Due to the success of the project, the organising team are keen to repeat this exercise on an annual basis. We couldn’t believe how much clothing and equipment we managed to collect. I’m so pleased that we were able to pass some items onto schools and charities and sell the rest of students to help raise money for such a deserving charity like All4Paws. They offer a vital service to our local community and they deserve every penny. Emma BoydExotic Animal Teaching Facility Supervisor and project co-ordinator Related links All4Paws website About the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a one-of-a-kind centre of excellence in clinical activity, teaching and research. Our purpose-built campus, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park, is home to more than eight hundred staff and almost fourteen hundred students, all of whom contribute to our exceptional community ethos. The School comprises: The Roslin Institute The Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems The Roslin Innovation Centre The Hospital for Small Animals Equine Veterinary Services Farm Animal Services Easter Bush Pathology The Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education We represent the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities in terms of economic growth, the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge. Publication date 10 Nov, 2022
