NWVS Sustainability Projects

At North West Veterinary Specialists our team have worked hard to implement several environmental projects, here are just a few of them:

Biodiversity and Conservation

Our Bee Friendly Garden in Runcorn

We are now officially a bee-friendly veterinary practice! We have achieved this status by establishing a planting area of over 1m2 that is filled with bee friendly plants, such as Thyme, Catmint (this is a good enrichment item for our feline patients too – you can rub the scent of them on their toys/bedding etc), Lavender, Scabious, Hebe and many more (these are all pet safe). 

Hedgehog Week

Several members of our team have made their gardens into hedgehog havens following Hedgehog Week. Sadly our once thriving hedgehog population is now classed as vulnerable to extinction on the red list. 

For tips on how to make your garden a hedgehog haven have a read of the below tips. 

• Create a log pile in your garden 
• Create a ‘hedgehog highway’ a 13cm x 13cm gap in the bottom of fences to allow hedgehogs to pass through. 

• Keep a corner of your garden wild
• Avoid using pesticides and slug pellets in your garden
• Provide a shallow dish of fresh water for all wildlife, and food such as meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits for hedgehogs, especially during long dry spells. DO NOT offer peanuts, oats, sunflower hearts, and dried mealworms as these have limited nutritional value and cause metabolic bone disease. 
• Make or buy a hedgehog home 
• Check areas thoroughly for hedgehogs and other wildlife before strimming or mowing.  
• Keep pea netting 22-30cms (9 – 12 inches) off the ground so that hedgehogs can pass safely under, and plants will grow to the netting.  
• Dispose of litter responsibly and do a litter pick
• Create a wildlife pond as hedgehogs like to go for a swim, however, make sure there are sloped edges/ submerged rocks so that they can climb out, as hedgehogs can become trapped in ponds or pools with sheer sides.  
• https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-pond 

• Take care on the roads,hedgehogs are nocturnal so are out at night. 
• Write to local organisations and councils to ask what they are doing to improve the environment for hedgehogs.  
• Become a hedgehog champion through hedgehog street: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/register/ 

Great British Spring Clean

Our team took part in the Great British Spring Clean for the #BigBagChallenge. Over 20 team members took part and collected 25 bags of rubbish, which is great for the environment and the local wildlife. 

Social | Wellbeing | Community

Ukraine donations

Earlier this year our team got together to collect donations and provisions to be sent to the Poland-Ukraine border via a local collection centre to help those affected by the conflict. Our team gave generously, collecting many bags and boxes of donations and made several trips to the collection centre.

Vegetarian week

During National Vegetarian Week, our team shared veggie recipes and created a scrumptious vegetarian buffet as a treat for the whole team to enjoy, with plenty of ideas for meal swaps. A great way to help reduce our carbon footprint and really tasty too!

Resource Efficiency

Lower flow anaesthesia talk

To aid in low flow anaesthesia awareness, one of our team members gave and recorded a CPD talk on the topic for the other members of the team.

Washable inco pads, reusable aprons and scrub hats

A number of disposable items have now been replaced with re-useable alternatives, including inco pads, aprons and scrub hats.

Installation of a water butt

Here you can see our green team lead, Lauren, using the water butt to water our plants in our garden. We also use the water collected for washing down the outside pet exercise areas.