Meet the Team

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  Stella

  Clinical Director

  Stella graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2009 and managed to squeeze in some travelling before joining us the following year. She only intended to spend a short time in Leicestershire, but has been with us ever since!

   

  She has a special interest in diagnostic imaging and patient welfare and is always planning her next adventure abroad.

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  Rachel

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Rachel graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013, after which she worked for one year in Norfolk and then eight years in a hospital in Northampton. Rachel joined Ash Tree Vets in 2022 where she has shown a particular interest in emergency medicine and holds a certificate relating to this.

   

  Outside of work, Rachel enjoys playing a variety of instruments – badly, she says 🙂 – going to the gym, walking Poppy the dog, and trying to keep up with her two children!

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  Lucy

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Lucy graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2015 and joined the Ash Tree team the following year. She has a huge soft spot for rabbits and particularly enjoys working on medicine cases and meeting new people!

   

  When asked what attracted her to the role of a veterinary surgeon and how she approaches building relationships with pet owners, she says, ‘As a child I was pretty geeky and loved science, especially biology, and as most children I loved animals but especially rabbits. So a career in veterinary medicine seemed to be the perfect fit. It’s great that no day is the same, I get to see all different animals, people, and see different clinical conditions which makes the job interesting. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day and know you are making a difference to people and animals. I have enjoyed being part of our cat friendly initiative and love my Friday “cat only clinic” at Desborough.

   

  Building good relationships with owners is essential to being a good vet. I think listening to the owner and their viewpoint is so important, as the owners are the voice for the animal. It’s normally easy to forge good relationships with clients as we both have a common goal; a healthy, happy pet.’

   

  Some of her favourite hobbies include horse riding, travelling and crafting – she always has a creative project on the go!

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  Helen

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Helen graduated in 2002 and worked at a small animal and referral hospital for 15 years before joining us in 2021. A real globetrotter, she worked in the DRC, Cameroon, Thailand and Costa Rica before settling in Market Harborough with her family and pets.

   

  Helen enjoys the variety of veterinary practice, from seeing puppies and kittens for their first vaccination visits (who doesn’t like cuddles?), to dealing with more complex medical conditions, right through to performing surgery.

   

  She says, ‘Being a vet is a bit like being a detective, you need to look out for clues and patterns towards illnesses and use your skill (and investigations) to come to the right conclusions. Not all cases will have the same treatment options available, and working with owners to find the best options for themselves and their pet in their own circumstances is something I am passionate about. There is no ‘one size meets all’ approach here.‘.

   

  With over 20 years experience she has seen many cases, from foreign body removals to dentals. Helen also enjoys and is experienced in working with rabbits, guinea pigs and other small pets.

   

  When she’s not working, she loves walking, cycling, singing (badly) and spending time on her allotment.

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  Nicole

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Nicole graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013 and has since worked in small animal practices in the UK and abroad, including a few stints of volunteer work in Thailand, and became part of the Ash Tree Vets team in 2019. She completed a post graduate certificate in 2022 choosing modules focussing on internal medicine, diagnostic imaging and using evidence-based medicine, and enjoys applying what she has learned in these courses to practice and particularly likes diagnostic ultrasound.

   

  Nicole is passionate about providing the best care for our patients, and especially how we can use research and collected data to guide what we do which has led to her involvement in clinical audit and research projects in practice.

   

  Nicole’s love of animals and the natural world inspired her to become a vet, and this has naturally led to an interest in being as environmentally friendly as possible. Nicole started Ash Tree’s Green Team who have implemented changes across the practice that have reduced our carbon footprint, achieved external accreditation with Investors in the Environment (IIE) and been recognised in their annual Green Awards.

   

  Nicole is also a keen rock-climber and has a three-legged cat called Peggy!

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  Ellie

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Ellie graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2021 and joined Ash Tree Vets shortly afterwards. She has a particular interest in animal behaviour and is passionate about reducing stress for her patients. Ellie has completed her Calm Clinic Academy CPD and is our Calm Clinic Ambassador. This has enabled Ellie to create positive changes within the practice, and implement a calm, stress-limiting approach to all patients.

   

  Outside of work Ellie enjoys martial arts, walking and playing the piano.

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  Rosie

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Rosie graduated from Nottingham University in 2018. She then went on to assist in neutering projects in Sri Lanka and Zanzibar, before working in mixed practice in Wales. Rosie decided to focus on small animals and move closer to home so joining Ash Tree Vets in 2020. Rosie has a keen interest in wildlife medicine, ultrasound and surgery.

   

  She enjoys running, cycling, knitting, and plays the clarinet, piano and trumpet with dreams of learning the trombone.

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  Rebecca

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Rebecca Hearne graduated from the University of Surrey and joined Ash Tree Vets in 2022. Prior to her vet degree she completed a Diploma of Higher Education in Veterinary Bioscience, and has also undertaken an internship at Chester Zoo. Rebecca recently had a Knowledge Summary posted and won an award for this too.

   

  In her spare time you will find Rebecca out for a walk or run with her Cocker Spaniel, Gordon.

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  Claire

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Claire graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013, and is a general practitioner with a surgical bias and a certificate holder in companion animal surgery.

   

  She is also the proud owner of a very handsome three-legged cat called Sid!

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  Nigel

  Veterinary Surgeon

  After graduating from Cambridge University in 1995, Nigel worked at a busy small animal practice for 12 years. He joined us in 2007 and has a particular passion for orthopaedics, cruciate surgery, ultrasound and cardiology.

   

  His interests outside of work include squash, attempting to play the guitar, water sports and anything to do with flying!

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  Pippa

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Pippa studied at Cambridge University and began her veterinary career at a mixed practice and a busy vet hospital in Northampton. She holds a post-graduate certificate in emergency and critical care and has a passion for anaesthesia.

   

  She spends most of her free time chasing her two sons, looking after their cat and tortoise, and going rock-climbing!

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  Liz

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Liz graduated in 1999 and worked in practices in Somerset and New Zealand before joining us in 2014. She loves the positive atmosphere at our practice and enjoys getting to work on tricky cases!

   

  When she’s not working or looking after her three children, she can be found walking, cycling, tending to her allotment and making novelty birthday cakes!

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  Chris

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Chris graduated from Cambridge University in 1991, and has 25 years wide ranging surgical experience – both soft tissue and orthopaedic. He also has an interest in veterinary cardiology/echocardiography.

   

  Chris has treated many trauma and medical cases over the years, ranging from skin grafts because of suspected adder bite, to diagnosing phenobarbitone responsive sialoadenitis.

   

  He says, ‘Whilst I have always worked as a general practice vet with responsibilities involving both medical investigations and surgery, I have found myself drawn more to surgery over the years. Any caring surgeon will feel the weight of responsibility when carrying out demanding surgeries, but it is more than made up for when your patient is cured by your actions, and you can think to yourself “I did that”.’

   

  Outside of work his pursuits include dancing (ceroc/modern jive) and gardening.

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  Elissa

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Elissa graduated from Cambridge University in 2013, and worked at a small animal hospital in Northampton before joining us in 2019. She enjoys all aspects of her job, but has a particular passion for soft tissue surgery.

   

  When she’s not wearing scrubs, she can often be found running, cycling or walking her cocker spaniel, Lucy.

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  Nick

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Nick grew up on the outskirts of Birmingham and graduated from Edinburgh University in 1995. A self-confessed all-rounder, he has been part of our team since 2000 and loves getting stuck into all aspects of his role.

   

  He lives with his wife, two children and pets, and  enjoys running, cycling and competing in distance running and adventure races!

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  Charlie

  Veterinary Surgeon

  Charlie graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 2008 after previously completing a BSc (Animal Sciences) at Edinburgh in 2003. She worked for 1 year in Kent then returned home to Leicestershire where she worked for 14 years as a mixed practitioner before joining Ash Tree Vets in 2023. Charlie enjoys all aspects of 1st opinion practice but is also very happy to treat and provide advice on chickens.

   

  Outside work – home life is busy with two young children, but she occasionally finds time to run, read and attempt to grow veggies in the garden!

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  Kathleen

  Registered Veterinary Nurse and Nurse Manager

  Kathleen qualified as a vet nurse in 2015, and worked at various local practices over the years including; a referral hospital, mixed practice, locum work in an emergency clinic, and she volunteered at a neutering clinic in Thailand before joining our team in 2018.

   

  She loves all aspects of her role, but has a particular passion for mentoring and supporting student nurses. She says, ‘I really enjoy looking after the team at Ash Tree, being able to implement new ideas and maintain great standards of care, but the best part, and the reason why I do this job – is the animals!’.

   

  In her free time, she loves looking after her Labrador, Lily, and hand-reared cat, Cabbage. They are both OAPs now who have been with Kathleen since her early student years. Lily enjoys helping out where she can by regularly being a students’ bandaging practice model, starring in marketing and demonstration videos, and has on occasion attended CPD days with our team. Lily loves all the attention and is partial to a carrot or two!
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  Amy

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  After raising her family and having a variety of careers, including; equine rehab, event management, breeding alpacas, and growing mushrooms in France – Amy finally had the opportunity to study at Harper Adams University where she received her Registered Veterinary Nurse qualification. Amy has wanted to work as a RVN since school and is thrilled to be working in the Ash Tree Vets team.

   

  In her spare time Amy walks her two rescue dogs, and enjoys crafting.

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  Lucie

  Registered Veterinary Nurse and Deputy Nurse Manager

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  Alexia

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  Alexia has a background in animal care, having worked as a boarding kennels supervisor before completing a veterinary care assistant course. Since starting her nursing qualification Alexia enjoys working as part of a friendly, fun, and supportive team at Ash Tree Vets and thrives on the opportunity to learn from her many experienced colleagues.

   

  Outside of work Lexi spends time with her Cockerpoo, Brandie, and loves reading and running – however Brandie refuses to partake in this!

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  Laura

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  Laura graduated from Harper Adams University in 2012, and completed lots of her nursing training with us. She couldn’t stay away and officially joined our team in 2015.

   

  She has a particular passion for inpatient care and training budding student nurses, and enjoys watching live music and looking after her two cats.

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  Mel

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  Mel did her training with us in 2009 and enjoyed it so much that she joined us permanently in 2010. She particularly enjoys the patient care aspect of nursing and usually has a stash of treats in her pocket.

   

  Outside of work she enjoys outdoor swimming, hiking and birdwatching, as well as spending time with her dog, cats and bunnies.

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  Peta

  Peta graduated from the University of Wales, Swansea, in 2003 with a degree in Zoology. She then went on to study Veterinary Nursing and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2006 at Ash Tree Vets. Peta particularly enjoyes running nurse clinics and puppy socialisation sessions, and also went on to complete a certificate in Animal Behaviour. Peta’s passion is rehabilitation and she has a keen interest in canine arthritis and helping the senior patients. She spent 4 years working at a rehabilitation centre as a qualified hydrotherapist before returning to Ash Tree in 2020.

   

  Outside of work she spends time with her family and pets which which keep her very busy!

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  Emma

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  Emma qualified in 2014 and has been with Ash Tree since 2017. She has earned a certificate in feline nursing and enjoys lab work and diagnostic imaging.

   

  At home she has many hobbies, including art, reading, and spending time with her husband, three cats and snake.

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  Tracey

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  Tracey graduated from Middlesex University and the Royal Veterinary College in 2007, and joined our team in 2012. She has a keen interest in anaesthesia, and loves bonding with our patients and clients and finding creative ways to improve our processes.

   

  An outdoor fanatic, she can often be found horse riding or looking after her dogs.

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  Katie

  Registered Veterinary Nurse

  After graduating from Harper Adams University, Katie returned to Ash Tree Vets where she had completed her student work placement in 2020. Katie enjoys many aspects of her work, especially surgical nursing, and enjoys being part of the Ash Tree team.

   

  Outside of work she enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking, and cooking.

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  Louise

  Practice Manager

  Louise joined us in 2016, and was originally part of our reception team before becoming our practice manager. Her previous experience in finance, customer service and business comes in handy every day!

   

  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her young family and going on adventures that often entail nature walks, ice cream runs and caravanning.

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  Hilary

  Accounts Officer

  Hilary is a qualified accounting technician and has years of retail banking experience under her belt, having cut her teeth working at a local accounting firm and as a school business manager.

   

  She deals with our purchase ledger work and team salaries, and enjoys a busy home life with her dogs, Conker and Snafu. Her many hobbies include baking, singing and crocheting.

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  Ellen

  Marketing Coordinator

  Ellen joined our team in 2015 and brought her wealth of knowledge and experience with her! Ellen heads up our marketing and social media coordination, and offers support to the rest of the team. She also makes an excellent cup of tea.

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  Lindsay

  Clinical Support Assistant and Pharmacy Manager

  Lindsay joined Ash Tree Vets in 2019 and quickly became an integral part of the clinical support team. In 2022 Lindsay added the role of Pharmacy Manager to her skillset and enjoys keeping up-to-date with medical supply information, and making sure we are stocked and compliant with medication supply protocols. She also enjoys her work within the clinical support team, keeping all clinical aspects of the surgery running smoothly.

   

  In her spare time, Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family, and walking her dogs Ivy, and Dottie – and has on occasion acted as foster parent to dogs in need.

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  Tasha

  Receptionist

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  Nicky

  Receptionist

  Nicky has been with us since 2015 and loves the variety that her role on reception entails. Client satisfaction is always her top priority, along with supporting her colleagues to bring about the best outcome for every pet.

   

  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, dog, three cats and two turtles.

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  Claire

  Receptionist

  Claire joined Ash Tree Vets in 2017 inspired by her passion for animals. She loves to travel and has previously worked in Spain, USA and Australia to name a few.

   

  She speaks fluent Spanish and her hobbies include traveling, food and rescuing dogs.

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  Aimee

  Receptionist