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Galloping to the Rescue!
Chase, Mark Bennet and Duncan Parsonage, community response manager.
Seven year old ‘Chase’ – an Irish sports horse - is the latest recruit to West Midlands Ambulance Service Community First Responder scheme.

Chase, an Irish sports horse and his owner Mark Bennett will soon be galloping to the rescue on Cannock Chase, responding to 999 emergency calls on behalf of WMAS, prior to the arrival of an ambulance.

Cannock Chase Country Park is one of largest country parks in the region covering 4.5 square miles (3,000 acres). With the country park being largely inaccessible by normal road vehicles, responding to incidents can occasionally prove tricky for the ambulance service.

The park attracts visitors all year round, with many enjoying activities such as horse riding, mountain biking and rambling.

With Mark’s additional knowledge of Cannock Chase Country Park and his ability to get around it quickly, he could potentially advise ambulance crews, who will often have to take to foot, of the best routes to take in order to quickly reach incidents.
Talking about the new initiative, Mark said: “As a trauma instructor for the fire service, I have always had an interest in first aid and have undertaken numerous pre-hospital care courses. I decided to join WMAS’ community response scheme a couple of years ago initially responding in Pelsall, Walsall prior to moving to Penkridge.

“I have already found myself having to put my first aid skills to the test in the country park on a couple of occasions. Being able to respond on horse back (or motorbike, if needs be) means that I can quickly access patients in difficult, hard to reach locations, prior to the arrival of the ambulance service.”


Mark, who is an experienced rider of 12 years, has kitted ‘Chase’ out to enable him to carry essential equipment to incidents including a responder bag and defibrillator.

Duncan Parsonage, WMAS Community Response Manager for South Staffordshire, said: “This is an excellent initiative that really could help to save lives. In many illnesses or injuries the first few minutes are critical and simple interventions can be performed in order to save lives or prevent disability. With Mark’s additional knowledge of Cannock Chase Country Park and his ability to get around it quickly, he could potentially advise ambulance crews, who will often have to take to foot, of the best routes to take in order to quickly reach incidents.”

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Vivienne Mackinnon elected BVA Scottish Branch President

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has elected Vivienne Mackinnon as its new BVA Scottish Branch president.

Dr Mackinnon has over 30 years of experience in veterinary care, encompassing both small animal and mixed practice. She has worked in practices in Scotland, England, New Zealand and Australia, before joining APHA to work in frontline disease control.

In her speech, Dr Mackinnon reflected on the changes in Scotland's veterinary industry and highlighted her commitment to veterinary education.

Dr Mackinnon said: "I look forward to working with colleagues across the veterinary professions to improve animal health and welfare in the country and support veterinary workplaces."