May 1, 2015, by Lindsay Brooke

London to Paris on two wheels for Vets in the Community

Vet and postgraduate, Emma Drinkall, got an official send off from fellow students at The University of Nottingham’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science this morning before heading to London for the start of the London to Paris cycle ride.

Emma, from Loughborough, only started riding the 5 miles to University less than a year ago. But she was badly injured when she was knocked off her bike last October. This weekend, having recovered from her injuries, Emma will cycle the 200 mile route over 24 hours between this weekend.

Emma said: “I learned to ride a bike as a kid, but I hadn’t cycled more than about twice a year until I started my Masters last June.

“It was costing me a little under £3 a day on the bus, so I did the maths and realised if I bought a bike in Halfords for £260 I only had to ride it for 90 days to break even, and after that I was saving money. I recently invested in a better bike and sold my old one to celebrate getting onto the DTP programme and 4 years more cycling to campus!

“I name my bikes and as this one has white and green colour scheme he’s called Mojito.”

The event is organised by London to Paris 24hSPORTIVE.The cyclists leave Greenwhich for Newhaven and board the ferry at 22:15pm for France arriving at the Eiffel Tower by 16:00 France time.

Emma is raising funds for the Vets in the Community.  This project led by students at the Vet School provides free veterinary care to the pets of homeless and vulnerably housed people in the Nottingham area. The money Emma raises will go directly to providing vaccines, pet food and medication for these animals, which belong to people without other access to veterinary care.

After struggling to find a way to treat a lovely little but very ill Jack Russell belonging to vulnerably housed clients during her work in private practice, and discovering that rehoming the dog with her was the life sparing option, the work of Vets in the Community became something close to heart for Emma and her (now healthy and happy) dog Mouse.

You can sponsor Emma’s amazing effort at JustGiving and  follow the Vets in the Community project on Twitter and Facebook. There’s more on the student volunteering website.

You can also follow Emma (and Mouse) via Twitter: @wouldbeadv

 

Posted in AlumniSchool of Veterinary Medicine and ScienceScienceStudents