Meet the team

Always striving to be the best

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Practice Standards Scheme

We are proud to have completed the requirements for Tier 2 status. Here is a quote from out last report:

"...the practice appeared to be well organised and made proper use of staff qualifications. There was excellent client communication on both sides [large and small animal] of the practice. The whole impression was of a well organised and happy unit from the top down."

Investors in People

We are pleased to provide a friendly and supportive workplace for our staff. Here is an extract from the report by Investors in People:

"At the heart of the business, there lie very strong values and ethics which are shared by everyone and are led from the top. Animal care and empathy with the clients are of utmost importance to everyone working in the Practice... the strong emphasis on customer care and compassion... represent how you do business and what's important to everyone working for the business."

Katie Longmire

BVMS GPCert(WVA&CPM) MRCVS

Vet and Director. Joined in 2003

Katie graduated from Glasgow University. She completed an Acupuncture course in 2005 and later studied Herbal Medicine. Katie completed a Certificate in Chronic Pain and Acupuncture in 2015. She is also very interested in physiotherapy, pet nutrition and behaviour.

Out of work Katie enjoys gardening and is an avid walker along with her faithful dog Stig. Katie can also be found driving along the county's roads on her less faithful trike!

Liz Curtis

BSc BVMS MRCVS

Vet. Joined in 2011

Liz completed a degree in zoology before graduating from Glasgow Veterinary School in 2010. She is from a farming background in the borders where she owned her own sheep flock from the age of 17. She is now focused on the small animal side of practice and has a particular interest in dermatology. She is also currently working towards her certificate in advanced veterinary practice.

Liz has a rescue cat called Storm and in her spare time loves exploring the outdoors with her husband, Dave and two little girls, Hope and Lana.

Claire Thompson

BVMS MRCVS

Vet. Joined 2008

Claire graduated from Glasgow University in 2005 and after a spell in mixed practice, in the Yorkshire Dales, came to work in Helmsley in 2008. She enjoys all aspects of general practice but has a special interest in feline medicine.

Out of work she can usually be found outside on the farm where she lives with her husband, two children, sheep, chickens, cats and Guinea pigs

Maddie Smith

MA VetMB MRCVS

Vet. Joined 2018

Details coming soon!

Will Sennitt

BVSc PGCertVBM MRCVS

Vet. Joined 2016

Will graduated in 2014 and moved to Yorkshire with his wife, Rachel who also works at the practice. Though starting out as a mixed vet, Will now treats the small animals that visit our practice.

Will has a keen interest in practice and business management, completing a post-graduate certificate in Veterinary Business Managment in 2021.

Outside of the practice, Will enjoys walking with his wife and their cocker spaniel, Bertie in the great local countryside. He also enjoys seeing live music and the catching the latest films at the cinema.

Bronia Perks

BVSc MRCVS

Vet. Joined 2022

Bronia has worked in North Yorkshire since graduating from Liverpool University and started at Ryedale Vets at the beginning of 2022. She has a particular interest in surgery and loves getting to know all of the pets here.

At home Bronia has a rescue cat called Oreo and enjoys exploring the countryside with her spaniel Wispa.

Erica Clifford

BVetMed MRCVS

Vet. Joined 2022

Details coming soon!

Anna Tilley

RVN SQP

Lead Nurse/Trainer. Joined in 2009

Anna has been in veterinary nursing since 1997, and qualified as an RVN in 2005. She was recognised as the Blue Cross Veterinary Nurse of the Year in 2007. Anna was Head Nurse for 10 years before returning from the birth of her son to lead our nursing team and training as clinical coach for our student veterinary nurses.

Anna has two cats that have been rescued - and has hand reared many kittens in her time. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her son and husband.

Maisie Manners

RVN

Nurse

Details coming soon!

Kerry Stonehouse

RVN SQP

Nurse. Joined in 2002

Kerry studied for her nursing qualification with us and successfully qualified as an RVN in 2008. Her work interests include a strong liking for diagnostics, and has a particular interest in laboratory techniques.

Kerry also achieved an SQP qualification which means she can dispense and advise on certain drug types.

Mandy Butterworth

RVN

Lead Nurse. Joined in 2006

Brought up on the family farm, Mandy is well used to dealing with stock. She worked in the leisure industry for 7 years doing everything from climbing to rafting. Mandy qualified as an RVN in August 2012.

Mandy has returned to work after having twins in January 2015. She also has a Labrador called Annie.

Abigail Harrison

RVN

Lead Nurse. Joined in 2016

Abbie started at the practice towards the end of her nursing degree in 2016 and since qualified as a RVN in July 2016. She has a particular interest in nursing medical cases as well as nurse clinics.

Abbie loves spending time with her family and friends, as well as doing some gardening and baking. She also likes to go walking with her two dogs, Scruffy and Snoopy.

Anna Marsden

RVN

Nurse. Joined in 2004

Anna started working at the practice in 2004 and started her nurse training in 2006 - qualifying in 2008.

Anna has a special interest in nutrition and enjoys advising owners on their pets' dietary needs.

Outside of work, Anna cares for her Labrador, Noah which she delivered by caesarian section at the practcie in 2012! She also enjoys attending music concerts and holidaying with her sister!

Paula Richardson

RVN

Nurse. Joined 2014

Paula joined the practice in 2014 and has been nursing for just over 30 years. Her nursing career began in Rugby but later moved up to Yorkshire with her husband. She enjoys surgical work and looking after hospitalised patients.

She has two daughter who have left home and now enjoys knitting, crocheting and looking after her mengarie of pets including three Labradors, one Cocker Spaniel, a Terrier and her cat, Edgar.

Liz Woof

RVN

Nurse.

Liz first qualified as a Travel Agent after leaving school but decided being sat behind a computer all day wasn't the job for her, so she retrained as a vet nurse and qualified as a RVN in 2015. She enjoys the variation in her job and has a special interest in lab and surgical work.

Outside work Liz enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and has baby number 2 on the way, looking after their 10 dogs, hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl and peacocks!!

Beth Skinner

RVN

Head Nurse. Joined 2016

Details coming soon!

Santa Mezaka

RVN

Nurse

Details coming soon!

Sophie Finnegan

RVN

Nurse. Joined 2021

Sophie qualified as an RVN in the summer of 2021 and enjoys all the aspects of veterinary nursing in particular caring for medical and hospitalised cases.

When not at work, Sophie care for her hourse, chickens and kitten (who she has hand reared as an orphaned newborn). She is often found at the yard, exploring the outdoors or curling up with a good book.

Hannah Phillipson

RVN

Nurse. Joined 2018

Hannah enjoys all aspects of veterinary nursing but has a particular interest in animal behaviour.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with family and her dogs, Patch and Betty.

Ella Smith

RVN

Nurse

Details coming soon!

Molly Kay

RVN

Nurse

Molly joined the Ryedale Vets team in September 2020 as a Student Veterinar Nurse. She has a passion for dog behaviour and emergency care as well as an interest in all things avian!

Outside of work, Molly lives with her two guinea pigs, Wilma and Dan. She can usually be found running the local trails and watching waterfowl or paddleboarding.

Ellie Cooper-Ballam

SVN

Student Nurse

Details coming soon!

Hollie Coates

SVN

Student Nurse

Hollie is a student veterinary nurse who has been in practice for the past four years and aims to qualify in 2023. Hollie has a particular interest in rehabilitation and behaviour.

At home Hollie likes to go out running and exercising at the gym and also going for walks with her two dogs.

Fiona Vance

Practice Manager & Director

Joined in 2001

Fiona first started with us as a nurse. Fiona completed her Diploma in Business Management in 2013. She now has the role of Practice Manager, keeping the practice running on a daily basis and generally keeping everyone in line!

She has two children and dogs at home. At weekends you can find her spending time with her kids and showing their pony and also enjoys watching her son play cricket.

Sam Wright

Receptionist & Groomer

Joined in 2014

Sam says the favourite parts of her job are talking to the pet owners and cuddling the puppies!

Outside of work she lives with her children, Oliver, Poppy and Fearne.

She is besotted with her dogs. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and going to the gym.

Kirsty Webb

Receptionist

Details coming soon!

Anita Horner

Housekeeper. Joined in 2015

Anita joined Eastgate Vets in November 2015 as our housekeeper, and is a truly valued member of our team. She is always busy keeping the practice clean, tidy and restocked as well as keeping the vets fuelled up with tea.

Outside of work Anita enjoys walking and pilates, and spending time with her family.

Kim Feather

Receptionist & Accounts. Joined 2015

Kim has a Weimarnaer called Reggie and a Labrador called Neo. They are both 8 years old.

Kim succeeded in completing the BVRA award - passing the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. She is now accredited as a Registered Veterinary Receptionist.

Kim says she loves her job because no two days are the same and she enjoys being around the patients and their owners.

Joanne Loggie

Receptionist. Joined 2017

Joanne is one of our part time receptionists at the Helmsley branch. She has worked here since 2017 and enjoys meeting and greeting the clients and their animals.

She spends her free time walking in the North York moors, with her dogs. She has a keen interest in photography and loves the outdoors.