NEWC aims to promote a collaborative, evidence-based and transparent approach to improving equine welfare standards through:

1. Education – supporting and improving equine welfare standards
2. Coordination - responses and actions to equine welfare challenges
3. Investigation – reports of equine neglect or cruelty
4. Influence – advocate for lasting change

NEWC activity focuses mainly (but not exclusively) on addressing the three main objectives:

1. To provide support and guidance for those invested in improving equine welfare
2. To promote best practice in the management and training of equines
3. To present a unified voice to advise and inform government, statutory and other bodies, and the general public on equine welfare issues

Operational Regional Partnership Groups

The Regional Group Meetings aim to identify regional equine welfare concerns and engage multi-agency solutions through a collaborative approach, ensuring the most effective use of our combined skills, resources, and experience.

Annual meetings with Regional Group Chairs are held to support a consistent national approach and facilitate communication between the Regional Groups and the NEWC board.  Regional meetings are held bi-annually and include an update from the board compiled and circulated before the meetings by the NEWC Executive Secretary.

Attendance at these meetings includes local field/welfare officers, representatives from Trading Standards Animal health officers, local police, LA licensing officers and NEWC directors. 

Re-homing Network

The NEWC Rehoming Network works together to provide a supportive place for attendees to discuss rehoming work and plans and to exchange ideas. The main aims of the Network are to provide a means of forging better links between NEWC members; to create contacts for those involved with rehoming as a means of support and advice; to share knowledge, ideas and experiences with the goal of helping more horses, ponies, donkeys and mules; to create guidelines for best practise in the rehoming of equines.

Membership of the NEWC Rehoming Network is open to attendees from NEWC members involved with the rehoming of equines. The Group will usually meet every six months virtually on Zoom to enable more members to attend. Interim meetings can be held either virtually or in person as required. Members would normally send up to two representatives to a Group meeting depending but can send more if space is available. Attendance by non-NEWC members is by invitation and approval by the Group chair.

Research and Education Group

The NEWC Research and Education group works together to provide a networking opportunity to strengthen links between organisations both within NEWC and across the equine sector; to support NEWC members in the planning, implementation and dissemination of their research and educational work; to raise public awareness of key welfare issues and the actions taken by NEWC and beyond to address these.

The main aims of the NEWC Research and Education Group are as follows:

• The identification of key equine welfare issues within the UK
• The development of collaborative projects and initiatives to address these issues
• The development of working partnerships with research and educational institutions and other bodies from across the equine sector
• The publication of findings under the NEWC banner and dissemination of these to NEWC members and the wider equine community

Membership of the NEWC Research and Education Group is open to attendees from organisations that have welfare focussed educational objectives. The organisation should be active in equine welfare in the UK. Organisations would normally send up to two representatives to a Group meeting depending on space available. Attendance by non-NEWC members is by invitation and approval by the Group chair. 

Communications and Advocacy Group

The Communications and Advocacy Group provides a forum to generate a rapid response for the public/media on behalf of member organisations on pertinent issues relating specifically to equine welfare in the UK.

The Group aims to:

• Facilitate and represent NEWC communications on welfare matters and provide a structured and proactive approach to producing and disseminating NEWC-specific press releases
• Provide a united voice to parliaments and policymakers on relevant equine welfare issues
• Offer training and advice for NEWC members in their communications work

Areas of operation:

• Communicate with each other regularly (biannual meetings plus ad hoc meetings as required)
• Remain apprised of or feed into consultations and joint responses on matters of policy
• Produce collaborative responses to press articles or social media issues around equine welfare

Membership of the NEWC Communications & Advocacy Group is open to all members of NEWC on a voluntary basis provided the organisation is active in equine welfare in the UK. Representatives should have a role pertaining to communications or public affairs within their own organisation.

Members wishing to sign up must commit to a) attend the meetings twice a year and b) nominate a member of staff or volunteer (not necessarily the same person) who will be able to respond quickly if statements or releases are being circulated for approval (e.g. within 24 or 48h where an urgent media response is required or potentially 72h on matters of advocacy.)

Yard/Operations Managers’ Network Group

The NEWC Yard/Operations Manager Network group works together to provide a supportive place for attendees to exchange knowledge, ideas, experiences and good practices in the management of equine-keeping establishment yards and facilities.

The main aims of the group are to:

• Provide a networking opportunity for NEWC members to forge better links between members.
• Create contacts for those involved with yard/operations management as a means of support and advice
• Share knowledge, ideas and experiences with the ultimate goal of helping more equines.
• Promote best practices in the keeping of equines.

Membership of the NEWC Yard/Operations Manager Network Group is open to attendees from NEWC member organisations that are involved with equine yard/operations management. The Group will normally meet virtually every six months via Zoom. Interim meetings and/or site visits can be held if there is appetite or if required.

Equine Veterinary and Behaviourist Group

The NEWC Equine Veterinary and Behaviourist Group works together to strengthen links between veterinary and behaviour professionals, providing a supportive space to discuss equine health and behavioural challenges and to collaborate on solutions across the welfare sector.

The main aims of the group are to:

• Identify current and emerging health and welfare threats to equines in the UK welfare sector.

• Share expertise, learnings, and developments within the NEWC membership and more widely where appropriate.

• Disseminate relevant information to benefit equine welfare.

• Develop and share joint equine veterinary and behavioural guidance.

• Work alongside other NEWC groups to address equine welfare issues.

Membership of the NEWC Equine Veterinary and Behaviourist Group is open to attendees from NEWC member organisations who are RCVS-registered veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses, equine behaviourists (with appropriate knowledge and experience in evidence-based behaviour, training and ethology, and working primarily in ethical behavioural rehabilitation). Attendance is also open to ABTC or CCAB-registered behaviourists regularly engaged as external contractors by NEWC members. Membership is by invitation and approval by the chair only.

The Group will normally meet every six months, with ad-hoc meetings arranged as required. Separate interim meetings for veterinary and behaviour professionals may also be held to focus on specific projects or topics.