I originally came in to do work experience at the practice and had a great experience. I then went on to do my veterinary nursing qualification through an apprenticeship route. I spent one day in college and four days working here a week, and I successfully qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2021. I've been here from the very start of my career, and it has been great to progress within the same practice.

I love animals. I grew up with animals on a family farm and we had pet dogs and cats as well. I helped with the cows and the sheep on the farm, and with the horses. I always had that ambition within me to learn how to look after animals. I feel very lucky to have found a job I enjoy so much because it was always my dream to work with animals.

At the practice, I offer nursing support for both small and large animals. I love going out and about with the vets and working with large animals for things like horse castrations, as well as helping and assisting while the vets carry out surgical procedures in the practice. I find it very meaningful to know I’m helping to look after and care for so many animals. 

I’ve worked my way up from being a student to an RVN here, and I’ve developed my skills and knowledge and the trust of my colleagues and our clients. It’s a great feeling. Everyone here is willing to help you learn, especially if you're keen to be involved. They make sure that you are encouraged to pursue new skills and supported in that development.

What kinds of cases do you see at Hay Vets?

We do quite a lot of routine procedures, such as neutering and dentals and things like that, but we also get some interesting cases that come through. One of the vets, Helen, does orthopaedic procedures which are very interesting to work on. Something I particularly like about orthopaedics is that you really get to follow that patient through their journey. if we have, for example, an animal with a fractured leg, it’s amazing to be able to see it through to the end and to see that animal restored to a full quality of life. 

What makes the team at Hay special for you? 

We all work together as one. Although this is the main practice I've worked at in my career, I have been to other practices where it seems like people are working on different teams, but here we are one big family working together. Everyone gets on, and we try to regularly go out for walks and for food and things like that together. 
Everyone supports each other here and we’re all very close, but we’re also very welcoming. I love it when new people come and we get to share our skills and knowledge, and we all love getting to be a part of helping them feel comfortable and supported in their new role. We’ve all been through the experience of starting a new job, so we know what it’s like!

What made you want to stay on at Hay Vets after qualifying? 

The team spirit is a big factor, everyone is kind, we all work together and there’s a very friendly atmosphere. It made me want to stay, and I also knew I’d be able to continue to gain experience here which is important to me. I know some places it can be more difficult to get the opportunities to develop, but what I noticed working here is that everyone sticks together and supports you, and makes sure you have those chances to learn new skills or develop yourself.

I had a lot of great support from the nurses and vets when I was qualifying. Everyone's got such amazing and varied experiences because they’ve come from lots of different backgrounds, including charity work. I've been supported to develop my knowledge by every member of the nursing team and the vets. There’s such a wide range of clinical expertise to learn from here, and having that shared learning has massively boosted my confidence in myself. 

The clients are very friendly as well, and we all feel like part of a community together. They're keen to find out how to help their animals, and the farming clients especially are all very relaxed and friendly. There’s a real sense of trust.

What are your favourite things about the practice in terms of resources and equipment?

We have a range of great facilities and equipment that support us in offering exceptional care to our clients, including our latest addition which is a new ultrasound scanner. Our practice building is spacious and big, which means we have a great working environment with lots of room for consultations and surgeries. There’s a big staff area too, which we all like to relax in on our breaks. We’ve also got showering facilities here, so some members of the team make use of that after going running or even for a wild swim in the River Wye on their lunch breaks or after work!

What’s available in the local area, and what do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m able to bring my dog to work which is great, we’ve got kennels outside and I go for a walk every lunchtime. There’s a particularly nice route I like to do, but there are loads of walks not far from the practice. There's the Hay Bluff which is a beautiful mountain range, and the local castle which has recently been renovated. There are cafes and bookshops here, and the main annual event is the Hay Festival week, which is amazing. Authors and other speakers come from all over. Everyone who comes into the community here, even just for a visit, enjoys it. There are plenty of activities to do but it feels very peaceful and calm too.

I’ve also got horses and I like to go hacking, I'm lucky enough to have a nice open mountain by me to go riding there. My dog, who is a recent rescue loves going for walks of course. She’s a Patterdale-cross terrier and she didn’t have the best start in life, but she's turning into a really cuddly lap dog.

What would you want someone considering applying to join Hay Vets to know?

The team are all so enthusiastic and collaborative, we all like to work as one. Everyone is very helpful and supportive of each other, whatever their role. The practice has such a warm and welcoming feeling, and the local area is full of beauty and peace, as well as lots of activities to get involved in. It’s a wonderful, vibrant space here and we all love being a part of providing animal care to the local community.