Peter Charles Jinman OBE

Throughout the course of his professional and private life, Peter Jinman sat on, or represented many groups too numerous to mention on behalf of the UK veterinary profession over almost 50 years. He also immersed himself in the work of his local Parish Council as well as sitting on numerous boards and advisory groups supporting the House of Commons and animal welfare within the food chain as well as many others.

Peter Jinman was born in Leamington Spa in February 1951 to Charles and Florence, a Design Engineer and a County Court Clerk (one of the first females in the UK to hold such a post). He was educated firstly at Feldon Preparatory School and then Warwick School where he developed a passion for wildlife, natural history and bird watching, and had early aspirations to be following in the footsteps of broadcaster, Desmond Morris. As time went by, Peter decided that a more practical foundation for his interest could be achieved by pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and during his school holidays between studying for ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, he spent time at local veterinary practices to gain some experience and knowledge.

Peter enrolled with the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1969 and graduated in 1974.

After University, Peter settled into practice life at Renfrew and Sons in Broadway in the heart of the Cotswolds in Worcestershire, taking every opportunity to further his knowledge, a trait that accompanied him throughout his life. It was during this time that Peter became the secretary of the BVA’s Cotswold division and soon built a strong and respected reputation in regional veterinary politics. Peter was also making a name for himself in and around the Cotswolds due to his mode of transport around the area, his pride and joy, a Triumph TR6 sports car, which in later years was to be replaced by his beloved Morgan 2+2. It was during one his farm visits that the TR6 was vandalised when another of the farm’s inhabitants, a horse, took a liking to the vinyl roof of the TR6 – Peter was most unhappy!

Keen to progress and spread his wings, after two and a half years Peter resigned from the practice with no job to go to, but fate had a helping hand in more ways than one. A job came up for his then girlfriend’s (Gill) father, Nigel Carter, in Herefordshire, which he took in 1976. A year later, he married the boss’ daughter and became a partner in the practice shortly afterwards and remained in the practice in Herefordshire until 2010.

Juggling a frantic political career and being heavily involved in the practice allowed him to represent the Hereford Clinical Group on the Midland Counties BVA Council. This proved to be the springboard on the road to the Presidency of the Association in 2002. Peter took over the Presidency at a very difficult time for the BVA with its reputation impugned and a general lack of transparency with its membership. With typical gusto, tact, diplomacy and under-stated leadership, he and his officer team restored the reputation and increased the association’s transparency through a new Governance model which was seen to be working for the benefit of the Divisions and Members.

Retiring from his practice in 2010, he took up the position of President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and in the same year was the founding partner of Veterinary Consultancy Services Ltd along with four other senior Vets, providing independent veterinary advice particularly in the areas of expert witness, dispute resolution, insurance enquiries and strategic development. Among his many other appointments and interests, he was Chairman of the DEFRA TB Advisory Group, a Non-Executive Director of Assured Food Standards (Red Tractor), a Councillor first elected in September 2017, and served as the ward member for Golden Valley South where he was an active member of the council as a Cabinet support member until May 2023, and as vice-chairperson of the health, care and wellbeing scrutiny committee – he was also a member and Chair of the Ewyas Harold Common Society becoming a Trustee when the society became a Trust. On top of all this, he somehow found time to run a smallholding with wife Gill and owned an award-winning pub and restaurant, The Temple Bar Inn in which he helped with the washing up after the Sunday Lunch service! He also had a media career and following work on the BBC Rural Affairs Advisory Committee, he made regular appearances on BBC Radio 4 and as a presenter on BBC 3’s Kill it, Cook it, Eat it.

Perhaps most of us knew Peter as a member of The Farmers Club, being a member for 20 years. As with everything that Peter entered into, he did so with 100% commitment, and with his burgeoning portfolio in London, it quickly became a home from home to him, and something he inevitably wanted to put something back into. He became a Committee member and was sub committee Chairman of the House Committee before election to become The Club’s President and Chairman in

2018. During his year, Peter managed to make it a bit different, with the emphasis on learning and broadening experiences, and with a large helping of fun to boot. During his year as Chairman we had high profile speakers including Rt Hon. Michael Gove with over 300 members packing out the Gladstone Library in the Liberal Club, US Agricultural Counsellor, Stan Phillips, NFU President Minette Batters, as well as a touch of celebrity in Henry Blofeld who addressed The Club at the St. George’s Day lunch. Peter also led a very imaginative trip around his home county of Herefordshire, as well as leading a party on a trip to Norway to see how agriculture worked in a country outside the mantra of the EU.

This was followed by a trip to the Isle of Man, again with a view of looking from somewhere that operated outside the EU and things that the UK could learn following the BREXIT decision. He even managed to arrange a very interesting trip to Godolphin Stables at Newmarket which also took in the Jockey Club, the National Equine Hospital and of course, a little flutter at the Newmarket races! The year was a complete success accompanied as it was with Peter’s natural flair, bonhomie and sharp wit. This was followed a couple of years later by Peter being appointed as a Trustee of The Club.

A man of great intellectual flair with a razor sharp mind and wit that endeared him to all he met, he touched very many areas of the agricultural/veterinary/ environmental sector and was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2004 with the award of an OBE for services to the veterinary profession, and soon after with the BVA’s Chiron Award, a recognition of his work from his peers. Describing himself as always looking for the next task and having sorted out one thing, moving on to the next, he was never good at sitting on his hands and always had time for others. He leaves his wife of 46 years Gill, and daughters, Charlotte and Phillippa and son Henry, along with his beloved grandchildren.