Neil Forbes

Neil Forbes is the specialist vet for the ICBP. An expert in his field, he has a passion for raptors and is always on hand to deal with our routine care and emergencies. We were delighted to hear that recently, he became the first recipient of the Helga Gerlach award for excellence in avian veterinary sciences.

Professor Helga Gerlach dedicated more than 50 years of her life to avian exotic and poultry medicine and established the Fund that supports this new award.

Mr Forbes, who runs Great Western Exotics in Swindon, was selected as the winner of the award from a group of European nominees. All nominees were required to meet strict entry requirements, which included at least 15 years of practising avian medicine, and undertaking extensive teaching, writing research and clinical work in the field. Neil was presented with his award at the 11th conference of the European Committee of the Association of Avian Veterinarians in Madrid on April 28.

He commented: 'To be the first recipient of this award is a great honour, especially knowing that I have been nominated and selected by my contemporaries across Europe. This is an area of veterinary medicine that I am extremely passionate about and want to encourage more vets to become involved in. The Helga Gerlach Fund celebrates and recognises the work being done by specialist avian vets across Europe and the world, and is an excellent recognition of the vast contribution that Professor Gerlach made to the advancement of avian medicine'.

We at the International Centre for Birds of Prey would like to add our congratulations to Neil on this prestigious achievement.