We are excited to celebrate Angus Yeomans as our February Member of the Month. Angus is an equine vet whose career has taken him from a James‑Herriot‑style mixed practice in the UK to racehorses in Malta and, most significantly, to Malawi, where he co‑founded a charity dedicated to veterinary education. His enthusiasm, humility and positivity are exactly why he was nominated.
When we asked Angus how he felt about being chosen, he admitted he was shocked.
“I honestly couldn’t believe it… it was really lovely for someone to have taken the time to nominate me.”
Angus began his career in mixed practice, which he remembers fondly as “a typical James Herriot type practice… brilliant clients… a fantastic, slightly eccentric boss.” From there he moved into an equine internship in Yorkshire before taking on an unusual but invaluable role working with racehorses in Malta. These experiences gave him a broad skill set, but it was volunteering abroad that truly shaped his career direction.
During a period of travelling, he and his girlfriend Rebecca volunteered at a clinic in Thailand. They planned to stay for two weeks and ended up staying for six. As Angus recalls:
“It was just so much more rewarding than a holiday… it opened my mind a little bit that you can travel and go elsewhere.”
This spark eventually led them to Malawi, where they volunteered at LSPCA and soon realised they wanted to return in a more structured, sustainable way. From that, they co‑founded Veterinary Education Malawi, a charity delivering surgical training courses for students, equine teaching programmes, paravet education, donkey clinics, and research projects. The income from international student training funds their equine teaching at Malawi’s only vet school, a school that, until their involvement, had no equine curriculum at all.
Angus now splits his year between his ambulatory equine practice in West Sussex and the programmes in Malawi, spending six to eight weeks there each winter and returning in the summer for shorter teaching trips. He’s grateful that his UK practice supports this rhythm:
“Maybe that’s how I stay so positive as well, because I realise I’ve got a good thing going on.”
His positivity was one of the reasons he was nominated. When asked how he maintains such an upbeat attitude in what can be a demanding profession, his answer was simple:
“I think we probably have the best job in the world… you’re looking after horses every day. It’s intellectually stimulating, sometimes physically demanding - it's like a whole‑body workout. There aren’t many jobs like it.”
He also credits the perspective he gains from living and working alongside friends in Malawi:
“Whilst things can be tough at home, things are alright.”
On top of everything he does abroad, Angus is also a valued member of the BEVA Trust committee. He helps assess global and UK volunteering opportunities to ensure they are impactful, ethical and worthwhile for both volunteers and partner organisations.
“You want to make sure you go somewhere that’s going to make lasting change… that’s what the Trust does. It makes sure the experience is excellent for the volunteers and the charities.”
For vets with a sense of wanderlust, Angus’s message is clear:
“I would say do it. You won’t regret it… you make much better connections and you understand the culture so much better. There’s no better way to do it than through the Trust.”
Despite everything he has accomplished, Angus remains humble and focused on the work ahead. He hopes to continue developing the teaching programmes in Malawi, expand training for paravets, and eventually explore One Health initiatives to support both animals and local communities.
When asked what he values most about being a member, he didn’t hesitate:
“Obviously the best thing… is being able to volunteer with the Trust. But the journals are fantastic too, I use them quite a lot.”
It’s hard not to be inspired by Angus’s energy, his compassion and his commitment to making a tangible difference both at home and abroad. His work exemplifies the spirit of our community, and we are delighted to recognise him.
Congratulations to Angus Yeomans, our February Member of the Month.
Listen to our full chat with Angus in our latest BEVApod Life episode.
Do you know someone who deserves a shout out? Someone who is absolutely crushing it at work? We want to hear about them. Nominate someone for our Member of the Month campaign today.
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