OBE for David

BALLYMONEY veterinary professional and charity activist David McKeown has said that he is “genuinely shocked and humbled” after being awarded an OBE in the King's Birthday Honours list ‘For services to the Veterinary Profession’.
These services include many years involvement with the charity Vetlife, who provide free, confidential support to people from the veterinary community who have emotional, health or financial problems.   
David, who now lives in Bushmills, said: “I am genuinely shocked with this honour! It means a lot. I am humbled by the esteem in which I seem to be held by those who proposed me for this fabulous award.
“It is a privilege, not shared by many, to have a career I enjoy immensely - although I am not finished by any means.”
Better known locally for his work with the Samaritans, David has been involved with Vetlife for almost 20 years, including as a volunteer on the Vetlife Helpline.
He described the charity as “like the Samaritans, but for the veterinary profession.”
David started Knockanboy Vet Clinic in Dervock in 1975 and worked there himself until 1999.
His began his second career as a manager with an insurance company based in Cheshire, representing vets across the UK and Ireland.
“It was this job that triggered my interest in the mental health of vets,” he said.
Describing some of the issues, David added: “We help people deal with the pressures of work, client expectations, the hours, the all consuming nature of the job, vets are very very passionate about their job, it's not 9-5, it's a way of life, this creates pressures that have to be managed.”
Vetlife offers a range of support measures including the 24/7 helpline.
He is also involved with Vet Support, a new smaller organisation offering peer support and coaching services to members of the veterinary profession.
David graduated from Glasgow in 1972 and has worked in Cape Town as well as North Antrim.
He joined the Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) Board in 1989 and served on the VDS Executive as Director of Member Services until retirement at the end of 2019.
David's efforts were recognised within his own profession in 2022 when he received the BVA (British Veterinary Association) Chiron Award, which is chosen and presented by BVA on a UK wide basis for:
“outstanding contributions to veterinary science, or for outstanding services to the veterinary profession, judged in either case as being of a calibre commanding international or inter-professional recognition.”
“I was very surprised to receive the Chiron Award,” he said,“I have been lucky to have enjoyed a varied career as a vet. Each role embarked upon has trained and equipped me for the next role.
“The colleagues with whom I have been fortunate to work alongside have made me who I am.”
David was the Director of the Samaritans in Coleraine & District for three years, but has now resumed his role as an ordinary volunteer again.
“I'm a huge believer that volunteering helps everyone's mental health. I've always done it. There is no scarcity of worthy causes,” he said.
David has a daughter Lynn and three sons Peter, Brian and Colin.
Ballymoney readers will remember how, for a number of years, he teamed up with Brian to complete the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile charity cycle.
“After the Chiron award, two of my sons took me to cycle the hills of Majorca to celebrate my 70th birthday. ”
“My meandering and connected careers would not have been possible without the support of Edith and my family who tolerated, accommodated and fashioned my inbuilt enthusiasm,” he concluded.
Well done David, a fully deserved award.