FOREST LODGE VETERINARY PRACTICE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Nurse
- Amy James RVN Head Nurse
- RVN Head Nurse
I joined Forest Lodge in 2019 as deputy head nurse and have progressed to being one of the head nurses. I qualified as a registered veterinary nurse in 2014 and have been nursing a total of 16 years. I am involved in training our student nurses as one of the clinical coaches within the practice, this is a rewarding role which I enjoy.
I have a keen interest in medical nursing, anaesthesia and geriatric care.
Andy qualified from the University of Bristol in 2003. Following several years in mixed practice he focused his attention on small animal practice with an interest in surgery. He worked for four years at a busy PDSA hospital in Romford. During this time he advanced to senior veterinarian and became a successful clinical team leader. With a high surgical caseload and regular visits to referral practices he was in the first cohort to achieve the Cert AVP (GSAS). In 2011 Andy left the UK to work in Australia at the James Cook University in North Queensland. Here he was exposed to an array of cases working alongside specialists in all fields of veterinary practice. In 2012 Andy returned to the UK to commence study towards the RCVS Diploma in Orthopaedics and completed an internship at Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals, an outstanding orthopaedic and neurosurgical referral service in surrey.
Andy has worked as a vet doing charity work all over the world including South America, Africa and Australasia. He is also a keen sportsman and enjoys football, rugby, fishing, kayaking, beach volleyball and cycling. His friends include two German Shorthaired Pointers and a three legged cat he rescued called Poppy!
Job Titles:
- April Cross Student Veterinary Nurse
- Student Veterinary Nurse
Charmaine joined the Forest Lodge family in 2009, where a few years later she completed her training and qualified as an RVN. Progressing her way up from a clinical coach to student veterinary nurses, and then on to Head Nurse before she left to start her family. She now balances family life with an active toddler and works part-time as a senior RVN.
At home she has an asthmatic rescue cat called Jolly and a house rabbit called Binx.
She has a keen interest in anaesthesia, rabbit husbandry and feline behaviour.
Clare graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2014. After graduating, she spent nine months traveling and volunteering in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Fiji before coming back to the UK. She worked for three years in a small animal hospital in South Devon where she helped to establish a CT referral service.
In 2018, she moved to Vancouver, Canada for a year, working as a locum vet and volunteering with the pets of disadvantaged families. Since coming home from Canada she has been working as a locum vet in Hertfordshire and Dorset. She has a strong interest in animal dentistry and starts a certificate in small animals dentistry and surgery in October 2021.
In her spare time, she enjoys getting outside with her dog Merryn, running and teaching acroyoga. Clare joined Forest Lodge Vet Practice in July 2021.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Office Team
- Practice Manager
- Debbie Nash Practice Manager
Gemma has since worked in many small animal practices, most notably the Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Grimsby.
Gemma enjoys all aspects of first opinion practice but has a particular interest in medicine.
In her spare time, Gemma enjoys spending time with her young family exploring the New Forest and the local beaches.
Job Titles:
- Receptionist
- Gemma Woolgar Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Isabel Barker RVN Veterinary Nurse
- Veterinary Nurse
Isabel qualified as a veterinary nurse in November 2021 and joined Forest Lodge in April 2022. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary nursing but have a keen interest in animal behaviour and nutrition. She hopes to further her knowledge of these in the near future.
She has 2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs and a horse that she loves to ride in her spare time along with socialising outside with friends. She has most recently taken up paddle boarding and beach swimming.
Job Titles:
- Receptionist
- Jayne Halligan Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Clinical Director
- Jenny Asher MRCVS Clinical Director
- Veterinary Surgeon
Jenny wanted to be a vet from when she was a toddler visiting her grandfather at his mixed veterinary practice in rural Norfolk. She qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011 and has worked in small animal and exotics practices in Essex, London and Hampshire. Her main clinical interests are dermatology and 'small furries' (hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas etc) but her real passion is veterinary volunteering and 'shelter medicine'. She has volunteered in India, South Africa, Botswana and Malawi, and for the last few years has been visiting a charity called Mbwa wa Africa ('Dogs of Africa') in northern Tanzania where she runs neutering clinics and provides care to the local dogs, both stray and owned. At Forest Lodge she works in the role of Clinical Director, meaning as well as her everyday veterinary duties, she is responsible for supervising and managing the clinical team, and ensuring everyone works well together to provide the highest standard of care to every pet. At home she has two ponies, Fudge and Casper, and a very naughty cat called Elphaba.
Jo joined Forest Lodge in 2006 when she completed a placement as part of her veterinary nursing degree. She has been a Registered Veterinary Nurse since 2008, progressing her way up to a senior nurse and clinical coach to student veterinary nurses. Jo has a particular interest in small animal anaesthesia and rabbits.
Having owned rabbits all her life, her love for them came at an early age. When not at work she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, rabbit and one-eyed cat.
Joanne joined our reception team full-time in May 2014. She has an HNC with distinction in Applied Biology/Pharmacology. She has been involved in the veterinary profession for almost 10 years. Joanne is married with a daughter and two dogs, Archie and Boo, and a cat called Jasmine. She enjoys meeting people and their pets and loves living in the village of Sway. She enjoys being out in the Forest as much as she can.
Job Titles:
- Receptionist
- Kelly Green Receptionist
I'm a mum of 2 boys 5yrs & 10 months, I have 2 guinea pigs, 1 rabbit, 1 cat and 2 ponies.
I love being out in the forest whether walking or riding, spending time with the family as well as having some much-needed R & R for myself - when I can!
Job Titles:
- Lauren Davies RVN Veterinary Nurse
- RVN Veterinary Nurse
- Veterinary Nurse
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Member of the Office Team
- Receptionist
- Louise Hilliard Administrator / Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Head
- Receptionist
- Lucy Corbin Head Receptionist
Marina grew up in Houston, Texas where she loved animals from a young age. However, it was only in university when she started volunteering at her local rescue's vet clinic that she realised her true calling to become a veterinary surgeon! In 2016, Marina graduated with a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin, and then made the big decision to cross the pond to attend the Royal Veterinary College. During her time in vet school, she fell in love with England and decided to stay permanently when she graduated as a veterinary surgeon.
Marina enjoys working with all animals from your big, friendly Fido to your bouncy, little Peter Rabbit. She loves all aspects of general practice but has a particular interest in surgery and imaging.
In her spare time, Marina enjoys running, reading, cooking and watching Netflix alongside her rescue pup and her partner.
Job Titles:
- Megan Eldridge RVN Veterinary Nurse
- RVN Veterinary Nurse
- Veterinary Nurse
I joined Forest Lodge in 2017 as a student nurse and have been qualified almost a year.
Job Titles:
- Molly Peters Veterinary Nurse
- Veterinary Nurse
I am a full-time Veterinary nurse at Forest Lodge. I have always loved working with animals and spend my free time with my own dogs and horses. I often attend agricultural shows, either competing with my heavy horses or helping with the organisation of the show. I aspire to become a veterinary nurse so that I can continue to help people's beloved pets and care for them with the same devotion I give my own animals.
Job Titles:
- Head
- Nurse
- Robyn Graff RVN Head Nurse
Robyn joined Forest Lodge in 2012 and qualified as an RVN in 2015. She took 6 months out in 2019 to travel around Australia. She then returned to Forest Lodge where she progressed to Head Nurse alongside Amy.
She has a keen interest in surgery and is looking to perform more Schedule 3 Nurse procedures in the near future.
Robyn lives locally with her husband and dog, Barley. In her free time, she enjoys walks in the forest, paddle boarding and sea swimming.
Sally joined the Forest Lodge team in 2003 as a trainee veterinary nurse. She qualified in 2008 and now works part time as part of the senior nursing team at the New Milton branch. Her interests are laboratory work and nurse clinics.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Office Team
- RVN Insurance Administrator
- Sarah Fenton RVN Insurance Administrator
Sarah graduated as a Veterinary nurse in 1994 and joined Forest Lodge in 1996. She made the move from nursing to the office in 2001 dealing with your accounts, insurance, and is currently working part time following the birth of her son in 2015. In her spare time, she enjoys flyball and agility with her Jack Rosseu Maisie.
I joined the Forest Lodge team in March 2019, and have loved animals ever since I can remember. I primarily assist the nurses with the general upkeep of the practice, but I also really love working in the lab and learning cytology. I previously lived abroad in Fiji, where I volunteered at the local SPCA. I care for an African pygmy called Frank, and two guppies, called Hyde and Wade.
Sophie qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in September 2021 after having worked at Forest Lodge in various positions since 2015. She has a keen interest in animal behaviour and hopes to become a behaviourist in the future.
She has cats, dogs, chickens and a hamster and would have many more if her parents would allow. She has a particular soft spot for the geriatric cat.
She enjoys spending her free time with friends' outdoors being active and has recently treated herself to a paddleboard which she loves.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Director
- Veterinary Surgeon
Susie graduated from Liverpool University in 2009 and worked in small animal practice in Chichester. After 12 years of exploring the glorious South Downs her family decided it was time to move back to the New Forest. Having grown up in the New Forest, Susie felt it was lovely to be returning to old stomping grounds.
She has a particular interest in in Dermatology and is currently working towards obtaining a certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice, specialising in Dermatology.
Outside of work, Susie is kept busy with her young family and their beloved pets, an elderly British Shorthair cat called Bella and her gorgeous horse, Oliver!
Susie is pleased to be back in the Forest and is really excited to have joined the Forest Lodge Team.
Tammy grew up locally in the New Forest and went on to study at the Royal Veterinary College in London. After seeing practice at Forest Lodge as a student, she decided to join us permanently when she qualified in 2018. Although Tammy enjoys all aspects of veterinary she is particularly interested in medicine and ultrasonography. Outside of work she enjoys exploring the area with her partner and their naughty Chihuahua cross Carrick.