Gemma Newbold BVetMed MRCVS

Vet

 

Gemma qualified in 2004 from the Royal Veterinary College and initially worked in mixed practice in Grantham for 2 years before working in Equine practice in Yorkshire and then mixed practice in Derbyshire. In 2013 Gemma moved into 100% Small animal practice at Buttercross Vets in Bingham where she was Clinical Director from 2016 until August 2021.

 

Gemma has a keen interest in Cardiology, performing regular heart scans, Opthalmology and Soft tissue surgery. Gemma is passionate about creating a great client bond between the pet and the vet and has completed her Fear Free accreditation. Gemma is proficient in Laparoscopic surgery and hopes to bring this to Belvoir vets in the near future.

 

Gemma lives locally in the vale with her husband Nick, son Thomas and Border terrier Tilly, and they will often be seen on the local walks. Gemma also enjoy competing her horse woody and gardening.

Cees Bennett BVetMed MRCVS

Vet

 

Cees qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2004 and went straight into the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He spent 6 years in the RAVC and spent time in not just in England but Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya and Northern Ireland, mostly working with Military Working Dogs. He left in 2010 to setup his own practices in Peterborough and after successfully growing them over 6 years he sold them in 2017 to move into a business development and management role with a large corporate veterinary company, leaving in July 2021.

 

Cees is interested clinically in surgery, both soft tissue and orthopaedic, and has a real focus on looking after clients and building a shared plan to look after patients. Cees has previously driven work to understand the changing veterinary market and is keen to take the best of the technological advances available and bring them to Belvoir Vets. Cees is also a RCVS Practice Standards Scheme Assessor and has spent 6 years in this role ensuring practices meet the PSS standards and sharing best practice across the industry.

 

Cees lives in Rutland with his sons, Freddie and Harry, and his 2 cats Alfie and Roxy. He enjoys getting out on his mountain bike, working on his house and gardening.

Jo Donaldson VetMB MA MRCVS

Vet

 

Jo qualified from Cambridge in 1996 and has worked in Small Animal Practice since then. In her last job she met Gemma and worked alongside her for a number of years. Jo is particularly interested in Small Animal Medicine and also enjoys Emergency cases, she completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Emergency Medicine in 2020.

 

Jo finds it very rewarding building relationships with pets and their owners and following them over the years. She will be with us 2 days a week. Outside of work, Jo is married to another Vet James and has 3 children Jack, Ed and Izzy. She also has a very laid back Border Terrier Tess and 2 cats Nero and Lily. Jo enjoys relaxing in the garden, spending time with friends and going to music festivals.

Jade Statt FRCVS

Vet

 

Jade qualified from Glasgow Vet School in 2002 and has worked as a small animal vet ever since. Jade completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Medicine and has an interest in analgesia, management of osteoarthritis and the importance of the human animal bond.

 

In 2016 a chance encounter with a homeless gentleman and his dog altered Jade’s career path significantly. This meeting highlighted a need that she had never considered – how do those experiencing homelessness access veterinary care for their pets? This was a catalyst to the creation of the charity StreetVet. What began as 2 vets and a backpack ( Jade and her co-founder Sam Joseph) is now fuelled by hundreds of volunteer vets and nurses outreaching regularly offering free accessible vet care across the U.K. Jade is the co- founder, clinical director and brand ambassador for StreetVet and works with the Belvoir team one day a week.

 

Outside of work, Jade is married to James and has a stepson called Dominic. She enjoys going to the gym, spending time with friends and hanging out with her pets; Buddy a Belgian Mallinois cross, Innoko a Siberian Husky and her rescue kitten Grayson.

Karen Tholen

Practice Manager and RVN

 

Karen started working in veterinary practice in 1998 and gained her RVN status in 2005. Over the years she has worked in equine, large animal and small animal practices. She enjoy all aspects of nursing and absolutely loved working with cattle in the large animal practice. Since moving into full time small animal practice preventative health care and nutrition has been her passion.

 

Karen has 2 children at home, Rebecca and Robert, and a very excitable spaniel called Rosie. As a family when we there is time, they love visiting new places with Rosie and going for long walks. Karen feels very fortunate to live in the countryside and have the ability to walk across the road into fields for miles.

 

Karen is very much looking forward to the next chapter in her career as Practice Manager for Belvoir Vets. She is excited to have the opportunity to shape the practice as it grows and can’t wait to meet all our new clients and their pets.

Lucy Briggs

RVN

 

Lucy has always had a great interest in animals and wanted to be a veterinary nurse since she was a little girl. Lucy has worked both in NHS hospitals and local veterinary practices as a patient care assistant and more recently as a qualified veterinary nurse. Lucy’s bubbly personality will be regularly seen in her nurse consults which she enjoys, but Lucy also has a special interest in Emergency and Critical Care cases and feline medicine.

 

In-fact Lucy describes herself as slightly ‘cat mad’ and has assisted Lincoln Cat care in fostering 19 kittens so far, while fully adopting ‘Bonnie’ who was a tiny kitten found in a cardboard box, and ‘Mimi’ who was unwanted due to her medical issues. These girls live happily alongside ‘Gordon’ a big ginger boy with a huge personality!

 

Lucy also enjoys riding her 17’3” Suffolk Punch (an endangered breed) called ‘Short’, drawing and jigsaw puzzles in her spare time, although with all those animals there isn’t much of that!

Laura Vockins

Student Veterinary Nurse

 

Laura has worked within pet retail for 11 years across multiple sites and worked her way up to management level. While working in pet retail she developed her skills in basic reptile husbandry, dental care and pet food nutrition as well as becoming a Suitably Qualified Person, able to sell more restricted flea and worm treatments.

 

Laura lives locally with her husband Adam and 2 children Oscar and Evelyn. Laura loves reading all genre of books and having fun days out with her family.

 

Laura has always liked making sure clients get the information they need and giving advice and having enjoyed working as a Client Care Advisor at Belvoir Vets she has now embarked on the journey to becoming a Veterinary Nurse. Laura is excited to meet all the clients and their pets and will often be the first person you see!

Melissa Wood

RVN

 

Melissa has been working in the veterinary industry since 2014 and spent 8 years in a small animal/exotics hospital, taking on various roles before becoming a qualified veterinary nurse in 2019. Melissa has always loved animals and feels very proud to call herself a vet nurse! She particularly enjoys in-patient care and anaesthesia.

 

Outside of work, Melissa likes to spend her time walking, socialising with friends and family and going to the gym. Melissa is looking forward to getting to know and build relationships with all our clients and their furry friends!

Jenny Harper

Client Care Advisor

 

Jenny joined Belvoir Vets in October 2023 as a Client Care Advisor.

She retired from the NHS after a 35 year career including Adult and Peadiatric acute nursing, Health Visiting , specialising in a safeguarding role.  During this time Jenny received a Queen’s Nurse Award and a Fellowship of The Institute of Health Visiting.   She retired from the NHS in 2022. Jenny is looking forward to making everyone welcome and meeting all of your pets!

Jenny is married to Mark and they have two adult children.

She has a love of animals and has a Cockapoo called Alfie, a house cat called Albus Dumbledore, a tortoise called Sullivan and 5 hens.

Jenny enjoys walking, reading but especially open water swimming.

Wendy Lenton

RVN

 

Wendy always knew she wanted to work with animals and started nursing in a local practice in 1999 where she met Gemma. After badgering the clinic to do her training Wendy qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2005.

Wendy spent time nursing in emergency clinics after qualifying before moving back to general practice for a better work life balance. This is where Wendy found her passion for cat welfare and medicine. Wendy has completed her Certificate In Feline Nursing gaining a distinction which complements our Gold Standard Cat Friendly accreditation wonderfully.

Wendy lives with her two sons and three cats George, Betty and Plato who are very much part of the family. In her spare time Wendy likes to bake and somehow finds time to volunteer at Lincoln Cat Care charity shop.

Brooke Pardy

Client Care Advisor

 

Brooke joined Belvoir Vets in February 2024. Previously, Brooke worked on the Endoscopy unit at the Rotherham Foundation Trust as a Clerical administrator. During her 3 years at the trust, Brooke gained extensive experience working with patients and their families both in person and on the phone.
Brooke recently moved to Lincolnshire full-time, to pursue a career working with animals. She is an accomplished horse rider, competing in show- jumping events all over the country. As well as her horse, Brooke has 2 miniature Jack Russell’s Chico and Paul, who are her world.
Brooke looks forward to meeting you all and your pets!

Tom Grant

Student Veterinary Nurse

 

Tom’s background is primarily centered around working as a qualified Dog Trainer; having completed an apprenticeship and worked at WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute as a Canine Unit Specialist whilst achieving further diplomas at distinction level in canine behaviour and training. This has allowed Tom to gain a large array of experiences in areas such as animal husbandry, dog training and exposure to the veterinary world, leading Tom into his journey as a Student Veterinary Nurse in 2020. During his studies, Tom discovered his joy of writing and has since had various articles published with the VN Times. Tom is a passionate and dedicated animal advocate, particularly focusing on holistic health, and is wanting to explore many areas within the veterinary and animal fields in order to pursue a better world for our pets.
You’ll see Tom both in consults and on reception at times, separate to his work behind the scenes, as he progresses towards becoming a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

Becca Fairbrother

Vet

 

Becca qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2017 and has worked as a small animal vet ever since. Becca loves all aspects of veterinary life with a particular interest in medicine cases, but also enjoys surgery and is one of the team qualified to undertake laparoscopic surgery.

One of Becca’s favourite parts of the job is getting to build relationships with both client and pet, and understanding the importance of best steps in treatment for all concerned. 

Becca has a particular affinity for the area, being proudly born and bred in the Vale of Belvoir and having always worked in the region. Currently working part time, Becca shares her love for vet care with time spent with her family, including husband, Tom and young son, William. They enjoy spending time in the countryside walking with their (slightly crazed) cocker spaniel, Cooper…if the walk ends at a coffee shop or country pub then even better! 

Nancy Hodgkinson

Client Care Advisor

 

Nancy has been working in the veterinary industry since 2002. Starting in mixed practice, then small animal and equine. She has taken on various roles within the profession with all of them focused on client care.

Nancy is looking forward to meeting clients and building relationships with them and their lovely pets.

Outside of work Nacy enjoys walking her two dogs, terrier Archie and dachshund x naughty Dora, gardening, skiing and baking.

Joanna Burley

Vet

 

Joanna is originally from Sussex but having enjoyed living in the midlands whilst studying at the University of Nottingham she decided to stay in the area after qualifying in 2023. She started working at Belvoir vets in August of the same year. During her studies she worked at the Pet Blood Bank, a charity she found very rewarding to be a part of.

Joanna enjoys all aspects of veterinary and is excited to build strong relationships with clients and their pets.

In her spare time she enjoys playing netball, meeting up with friends and going on hikes with her Border Collie Lexi.

Sarah Whatton

Patient Care Assistant

 

Sarah has wanted to be a veterinary nurse since primary school and has worked in various practices over the last 18 years. She is due to finish her Veterinary Care Support Apprenticeship later this year and then go onto study veterinary nursing.

Sarah loves anything surgical and also working in the lab and will often be the person looking after your pets behind the scenes making sure they are comfortable and happy.

Outside of work Sarah lives with her partner, two children, three cats and a rabbit. She is a keen runner and a member of Grantham Running Club, having taken part in the London Marathon, The Great North Run and Rat Races ‘The Wall’ (a personal favourite). When not at work or out running she enjoys camping with her family and days out in the Peak District.

Courteney Balding

RVN

 

Courteney has been working in veterinary practice since 2016, qualifying as a registered veterinary nurse in 2019. She joined us in February 2024 and has worked primarily in small animal practice. Her main interest is surgery with her preferring to spend most of her time in theatre and aims to undertake the Advanced Veterinary Nursing Certificate in Surgery. Although surgery is her main interest Courteney also has a love of orthopaedics, particularly fracture repairs, and emergency & critical care.
Outside of work Courteney enjoys reading, crafting, puzzles, and swimming. She is a bit of a ‘nerd’ being a fan of the big named sci-fi and fantasy franchises. She also enjoys camping trips across the UK in the Land Rover with her partner, with a particular love for Scotland.
Courteney is proud to call herself an RVN and looks forward to caring for your pets.

Richard Curtis

Vet

 

Prior to joining the veterinary world, Richard worked in accounting for 7 years after sixth form. During this time, he decided to pursue his dream to become a veterinary surgeon, returning to education alongside work to make this a reality.
After graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2022, Richard worked for a busy Leicestershire small animal practice providing both GP and out of hours emergency care until joining Belvoir Vets in April 2024.
Richard has a keen interest in surgery and emergency care and continues to develop his knowledge in these fields. Through consulting, he enjoys building relationships with clients and their pets.
Away from the practice, Richard enjoys hiking, music, painting miniatures, and horse riding. He lives locally with his fiancé Lucy and their 4 cats, Gordon, Bonnie, Mimi and Nori. He also owns a horse called Tas which he trained as a yearling.

Anita Harris

Client Care Advisor

 

Anita has been working in the veterinary industry as a client care advisor since 2015 and is well known locally as a friendly face. She joined Belvoir Vets in March this year.
Anita is looking forward to getting to know all our clients and pets and building a relationship that will help make a visit an easy and enjoyable one, where a cuddle and a treat (for the animals!) is a good start.
Outside of work Anita spends time volunteering in her role as a counsellor so whether it is people or animals caring is what she loves to do. In her spare time Anita likes gardening and spending time with friends.

Hannah Pollard

Patient Care Assistant

 

Hannah joined Belvoir Vets in July 2024 as a Patient Care Assistant. She finished her A-Levels last year, whilst also completing work experience at various veterinary practices and a farm. She has always loved animals and has wanted to pursue a career with them for as long as she can remember and hopes to study veterinary nursing one day.

 

In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, spending time with her family and meeting up with friends.

 

As well as being a PCA you will also find Hannah on reception! She looks forward to meeting and building relationships with our clients and their pets.