The Tissue Viability Society (TVS) will be 40 years old in 2020. The society has many subscription paying members some of whom have given their support financially and actually for a decade or more.

In preparation for our birthday we issued a survey to our members in order to identify what the next steps for the TVS should be.

Firstly our name, over 70% of our membership thought we should maintain our current name ‘why change’ one respondent said ‘its lasted 40 years’ said another. ‘Perhaps a refresh, some additional marketing’, one helpful respondent stated. Check, we’ve heard you so watch this space its coming soon.

Part of our mission has been to disseminate information, promote research and share best practice, an overwhelming 98% of you want us to continue to do that. But there is so much more that we do and can do. For example only a few of our members (38%) knew that we provide free advertising space on our website for local events run by members. What a shame given that you overwhelmingly like the website and find it easy to navigate, so please contact us to use it for your own events at mailto:tvs@tvs.org.uk.

As the TVS is now firmly in middle age, with the associated respect and authority that only age can bring, it aims to become the ‘Voice of Wound Care’. Did you know that the TVS trustees and membership are open to nurses, AHPs, dieticians, podiatrists, medics, researchers and industry? We also have trustees and members from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But we want to do more, we want to hear your voice alongside ours,we want to establish a choir of voices all singing from the same hymn sheet and all championing wound prevention,treatment management and research.

Did you know that ‘Legs Matter’ was the brain child of TVS and that the Wounds Research Network (WReN) is her older sister? Perhaps you didn’t but these are just two examples of our innovation and the support we give to projects which sit close to our hearts and ethos. 2020 will see the TVS phoenix rise from the ashes, still with the same logo, the same commitment to supporting new exciting initiatives and sharing best practice in all its forms.

But joining our voice with yours to become the nation’s ‘Voice of Wound Care’. Come and see us at the Wounds UK/Royal College of Podiatry and EPUAP conferences, become a member for only £30 per annum (£10 for students) with many benefits not least the ability to apply for educational grants for conference places and of course to receive our one and only Journal of Tissue Viability. You simply must attend one of our annual Tissue Viability Society Conferences –this year it is in London and in collaboration with EWMA, visit our website to find the excellent feedback we received from our conference in Southampton this year.

So be in touch, join our voice and lets work together to raise the profile of all things Tissue Viability. Here’s to the next 40 years.

The author has no conflicts of interest to declare with regard to this article.