Karen Hawkins RVN, Personnel Manager
After seriving 17 years in the Royal Navy and Police Service of Northern Ireland, love and marriage bought Karen to West Dorset where she escaped the Rat Race! Karen immediately coerced Matthew and Terry into employing her as the oldest student in veterinary nursing history, Karen says this is “definitely a change for the better, although it’s the hardest I have ever worked!”
Karen completed her training as a Veterinary Nurse at the practice and qualified in 2008. She has now deviated from nursing, and has become our ‘Personnel Manager’. Keeping us all under control, she possibly now has the toughest job in the practice! She is married to Jim, a tree surgeon, and has four dogs, Rufus, Sky, Olive and Melba, one cat, Doris, lots of chickens and sheep.
When not at work Karen likes to keep fit by running, cycling and during the shooting season, working the dogs.
Fiona Lord RVN
Fiona qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2001. She joined the Practice in 2004 and is now our dedicated Farm Animal Nurse. She provides assistance to the Vets out on farms, deals with the never ending stream of DEFRA paperwork, and generally tries to keep the Farm side of the practice ticking over!
She also does routine vaccinations, lameness scoring and blood sampling so is often seen out and about in her Morris Minor!
Quite possibly born in the wrong era, she has a passion for antiques, old cars and tractors, traction engines, working horses, and pretty much anything old fashioned!
At home, she shares her life with 3 cats, a Springer spaniel with learning difficulties, and 5 ageing pet sheep.
Kirsty Padden-Barr RVN D32/33
Originally from Nottinghamshire Kirsty trained at a small animal practice and qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2001. In 2002 she moved 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, and subsequently began working for the practice in October 2007, her main interests being student training, minor surgery, raising money for Greyhound charities, and looking after our website!
In her spare time Kirsty enjoys reading (and selling books for charity in our reception area), travelling, listening to music and attending concerts/theatre productions.
Hayley Parr RVN
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 laboratory work and surgical nursing.
Hayley lives with her husband Jon, a local AI man, daughers Tegan and Madeleine, and Stella the collie.
In her spare time Hayley enjoys socialising, meeting up with friends and running.
Alex Webber RVN
Alex joined the practice in August 2007 having been in a practice in Bournemouth for two years. She qualified as a Veterinary Nurse at our practice in 2008 and is particularly keen on laboratory work, radiography, and in-patient care.
In her spare time Alex enjoys horse riding, watching live bands and shopping. At home she has two cats, Bailey and Caffrey and Jarvis the crazy cocker spaniel!
On January 3rd 2012 Alex and her fiance Jon became the proud parents of their son, Elliott Lawrence, who weighed in at 6lb 4oz. Congratulations!
Stephanie Davis RVN
Steff joined the practice in July 2007. She has now passed her exams and as a Registered Veterinary Nurse, can persue her interest in the nursing of exotic species.
At home she has an elderly cat ‘Silky’, a Jack Russel ‘Ellie’, and Alistair-Eugene the tortoise, otherwise known as ‘Mr T’. In her spare time Steph’ enjoys Moto GP, plays bass guitar and is a grade 8 Saxophonist.
Kelly Jones SVN
Kelly is in her first year of Veterinary Nurse training. She spends one day a week going to college in Dorchester, and the rest of the week working with us putting into practice what she has learnt!
She lives in Crewkerne and has two cats ‘Zulu’ and ‘Will’. When not working or studying she enjoys socializing with friends, traveling, dog walking, music and eating out.
She has a long-term ambition to go to Borneo and volunteer at an organgutan conservation project.
