Our Staff

Matthew Bowditch BVetMed.MRCVS

From a family background of Veterinary surgeons and farmers, he graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1975. After three years in mixed practice in South Devon he settled into the Beaminster practice. The growth of the Practice from a cottage in the centre of town to a purpose built unit with modern facilities has been the fulfillment of an ambition.

Main interests in the Practice are general medicine and surgery, with a special interest in Diseases of the eye, poultry/game bird and dairy cattle medicine.

Matthew is married to Libby and has three sons, Ed, Robert and Charlie who are well grown now.

Home interests are working dogs (two springers and two Labradors) which belong to his wife when they misbehave, fly fishing and fly tying.

Terry Girling BSc BVetMed MRCVS

Terry graduated from Leeds University in 1983 with an Honours degree in Animal Physiology and Nutrition. He then went on to the Royal Veterinary College and qualified in 1987 .

Having worked in large animal Practice initially he moved to Beaminster in 1989 to do more mixed Practice.

Interests include Acupuncture, canine rehabilitation and he is currently chairman of the Canine Hydrotherapy Association.

Married to Sarah (also a Vet) and with Tim his 6 year old son, they have four dogs, two cats , two horses, loads of chicken and a flock of sheep.

In his spare time? he enjoys falconry (and subsequently does rehabilitation work with birds of prey) fly fishing and is an enthusiastic naturalist.

He is particularly bad at DIY but his enthusiasm more than makes up for it.

Kate Pennell BSc BVMS MRCVS

Kate graduated from Glasgow Veterinary School in July 2005 and joined the practice in August 2005. Her main field of interest lies in small animal medicine and diagnostics.

Outside work she enjoys traveling, dog walking with her “Springlie” (collie x Springer) Tilly and gardening.

Alex McCallum BA(Hons) VetMB MRCVS.

Alex joined us in 2007 after graduating from Cambridge University. A local girl, she has returned to her roots now living in Crewkerne with her Border Collie “Harry”.
A real all rounder, she has particular interests in small animal medicine and surgery and sheep medicine.
In her spare time she regularly treads the boards in musicals and pantomime alike with the local amateur operatic society CUDOS.
Singing has always played an important role from being a choral scholar at Cambridge to singing with Beaminster choral society

Fiona Lord RVN

Fiona qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 1999. She joined the Practice in 2004 and is now the Senior  Nurse and an A1 NVQ assessor  being responsible for training the student nurses.
She has a particular interest in medical nursing and critical/emergency care but also plays an active role in the large animal side of the Practice.

Kirsty Padden-Barr VN

Originally from Nottinghamshire Kirsty trained at a small animal practice and qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2001.

In 2002 she moved on to a larger practice providing a variety of nursing clinics. Here she passed her D32/33 Assessor exams and began teaching and assessing student Veterinary Nurses. She then began working as an Emergency VN at the PDSA centre in Nottingham caring for critical patients.

In 2003 Kirsty moved to Somerset with her piebald horse"Badger" and worked at a mixed practice as their Head VN and student assessor.

In September 2007 Kirsty married Rob - they are now the proud 'parents' of a retired Greyhound "Zack", and subsequently began working for Girling & Bowditch in October 2007, her main interests being nurse consultations and surgical work.

Hayley Parr VN

Hayley joined the practice 1st november 2000, she qualified in 2004 Whilst being with the practice Hayley has had an active role in setting up the hydrotherapy unit and has  a particular  interest in the laboratory and in surgical nursing.

Hayley is currently on maternity leave but will soon be back to join the team.

Karen Hawkins

After serving a total of 17 years in the Royal Navy and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, love and marriage brought me to West Dorset where I escaped the Rat Race!!  I immediately coerced Matthew and Terry into employing me as the oldest student in Vet Nurse history, definitely a change for the better for myself, although it's bizarrely that hardest I have ever worked! 

I have now been at Girling and Bowditch for nearly three years and will hopefully complete Veterinary Nurse Training in the summer.  I am married to Jim, a Tree Surgeon and we have two boys, Jake a ten year old Springer Spaniel and Rufus, a three year old Working Cocker spaniel!!
When I am not a work, i like to keep fit by running, cycling, and during the Shooting season, working the dogs.

Alex Webber

Alex joined us in August 2007 having been in Practice in Bournemouth for two years. She is currently in her second year of Veterinary Nurse training and qualifies in 2008.

Alex is particularly keen on intensive care and general care of inpatients.

At home she is a keen horse rider and looks after her three cats Nickleby, Bailey and Caffrey as well as Reeva and Floyd, a Doberman and a Boxer.

Stephanie Davis

Steph joined the team in July 2007 and is currently studying towards her animal nursing assistant qualification. Next year she starts her two year Veterinary Nursing qualification.

From a local farming family she has always been surrounded by animals and at home she has a Jack Russell terrier called Ellie and an ancient cat called...

Outside of work she is a keen swimmer, cyclist playing the piano, base guitar and is a grade 8 saxophonist!

Emma Stantiford VN

Emma joined the Practice in 1995 having studied Animal Care at Kingston Maurward College.  She qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2000 and subsequently became an NVQ assessor.

Ruth David Practice Manager

Katie Sawyer hydrotherapist

Katie has always known a rural environment, being the daughter of a trout fishery keeper. Her childhood was spent living and breathing horses, dogs tending injured wildlife and fishing!

Having spent several years working in an Office environment and not really enjoying it as a career she has returned to what she loves. Katie runs and manages the Canine Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy unit and has a keen interest in animal behaviour.

Apart from keeping her 13 year old son in check she is a keen walker and teaches dog agility , also competing with her 8 year old Springer Murphy (who is better at it than her).

Any other spare time is spent horse riding and occasionally picking up a fly rod!

Jane Chamberlain

Jane joined the Practice in February 2007. Prior to this she was a qualified Nursery nurse and then had a twelve year break as a full time Mum, to William, Hugh and Alice. With the children now at school she decided on a career change and trained as a Veterinary receptionist, although does keep her hand in with the Nursery nursing by “looking after” her husband who is a local Policeman.

She shares her life with Flaxen a Labrador, Terry the tortoise and a shoal of tropical fish.

Joanne Verhaeg

Chartered Physiotherapist specialised in the treatment of animals (ACPAT, A)
Before treating animals, as a physiotherapist you first have to train to treat people. I did my human training at Bristol Physiotherapy School, graduating in 2005, and began my animal training with Amanda Sutton, in Winchester 2 years later. I then worked for Amanda for a couple of years. I moved to Somerset in 2000 and began working independently, and for individual vets, treating horses and dogs in Somerset and Dorset. Shortly after moving to Somerset I met ‘Girling and Bowditch’ and was impressed by their holistic and enthusiastic approach to animal care and rehabilitation, and I’ve worked with them ever since!!

I’m married to Chris (a Royal Marine) and we have a daughter Poppy, 18 months old, 3 dogs – Megan (Staffie X Springer), Daisy-Doos (Salukhi), and Jeffrey (Salukhi X ?). I also have a horse called Eric as well as a beloved Dartmoor pony called Eddie! So, life is busy, and most of my spare time is spent with my daughter and/or my animals.