Meet the Veterinary Team at Forest Veterinary Clinic

VETERINARY SURGEONS

Tom Llewellyn

Partner, Clinical Director and Veterinary Surgeon

A local lad, Tom, wanted to be a vet from a very young age and started coming to the practice for work experience as a 16-year-old student — he has pretty much been here ever since. He attended Edinburgh Vet School and graduated in 2007 with Distinction. He started at Forest two days later!

In nearly 18 years at the clinic, Tom has seen plenty of changes. He started off as a newly qualified vet under Neil’s guidance and, over the years, has progressed to a senior role. Finally, in August 2023, Tom became a partner in the clinic alongside Neil. He is currently the Clinical Director at the Practice and wears many hats.

Most of Tom’s time is spent treating dogs and cats, from everyday cases to bizarre and unusual ones. Whether the case is medical or surgical, straightforward or complex, Tom will be keen to get involved.

Tom is a certified Government Vet (an Official Veterinarian) and often undertakes the task of exporting pet animals on behalf of the clinic. He has presided over exporting several interesting cases — from cats and dogs, to the more exotic, like sending a Bearded Dragon to Cyprus! He even once did the certification for a dog to be exported to Bermuda (by private jet, obviously!).

Although they only make up a small percentage of our patients, Tom will also see the bulk of our exotic animal patients. Over the years, he has treated all manner of creatures, ranging from meerkats, raccoons, skunks, snakes (even one that weighed over 30kg!), lizards, tortoises, owls, and parrots — so many species he can’t recall them all!

Outside of work, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife and two young boys, though he rarely sits still and can often be found walking his two Border Collies, Ted and Leo, or riding stupidly long distances on one of his (many) bikes.

Tom is very proud of the clinic and the team that work here, and he feels immensely privileged to have such a wonderful, rewarding job. Literally, it was, and still is, his dream job.

Neil Larke

Partner and Veterinary Surgeon

Neil will be another familiar face to many of you, having been the Owner and Director of Forest Vets since 1992!

Neil graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1984 and has lived a varied career. From early morning rising for farm animal vet work to the hustle and bustle of a small animal clinic, Mr Larke has seen and done many things. One such tale reports of Neil amputating the toe of a parrot and another where he removed the eye from a poorly fish! A little-known fact about Neil is that he has a large wealth of knowledge on the care of tropical fish and has over the years kept a variety himself.

He is notably a fan of a ‘posh’ cat (the fancier the better) and has owned a fair few in his time. These days, he enjoys the company of his partner and their ‘very proper little dog’ Luna the Toy Poodle, who he reports can outrun a whippet!

Many clients have stories about Neil where they fondly recall the animals they have loved and lost over his career, and to this day, many of our clients are very keen to grace his consult room door.

Nowadays, Neil is moving away from clinic life, in part due to the development of a tremor (though his wit is just as sharp as before!), and taking a more managerial role, but you may still see him for his afternoon vaccine clinics or giving the younger staff a helping hand. One thing is for certain — between Neil and Tom, the practice has a bright future ahead.

Sophie Brown

Veterinary Surgeon

Sophie joined Forest Vets in 2019 after graduating from the Royal Veterinary College (like Mr Larke some years before!) and has been feeding dogs too many biscuits ever since.

Sophie first started at the practice as a client with her family’s Border Collie Fallon, who sadly was rather ill. This experience cemented her decision to one day become a Vet herself. Later, she joined the practice as a Vet Student and then became a New Graduate at the Practice and has been learning ever since.

Sophie enjoys getting to know the pets and people of Forest Vets and has been subject to their kindness whilst growing her early career. She has an interest in ophthalmology (treating eye conditions) and will gladly take on the more squeamish of jobs.

Outside of work, Sophie likes to get creative in one way or another and learn about lots of weird and wonderful things; however, she is pretty useless in a pub quiz despite this. Her family have two very cute (if a little mischievous) Border Collies – Nala and Foxy — who like to keep Sophie on her toes, but who she wouldn’t change one bit.

Milly Wagg

Veterinary Surgeon

Milly is a newer face here at Forest Veterinary Clinic, joining us in the summer of 2023. As a final year vet student, she gained work experience with us, and after graduating from Nottingham Vet School in July ‘23, she came to join the team.

Rabbit husbandry and medicine are a big passion of Milly’s. Having adopted and bonded her bunnies, Eric and Dave, Milly is at her happiest when there’s a rabbit on her consult list. Milly recently welcomed home a now not-so-little Cocker Spaniel puppy, Paddington, who often comes to the practice to ‘supervise’ the team.

Outside of work, Milly enjoys keeping fit and active – whether that be attending her local Park Run, running a half marathon, training at the gym, or simply walking the dogs. Milly is a Grade 8 trained classical singer and is hoping to join a choir again now that she’s finished university.

Milly is keen to uphold the friendly, personable service that Forest Vets provides and is excited for what the future of the practice holds.

Imogen Smith

Veterinary Surgeon

Imogen graduated from Nottingham University in December 2024 and joined us shortly after in January 2025. Before and during vet school, Imogen spent 7 years working as a receptionist in a veterinary emergency care centre, so she has a wealth of experience in dealing with urgent cases and stressful situations.

She particularly enjoys ultrasound and emergency care work, but not quite as much as getting to know owners and their furry families. Outside of work, Imogen enjoys reading, swimming and walking (say hello if you see her out and about) and has a delightful feline duo — Nancy and Noodles (but would secretly love a dog too!)

Practice Management

Leanne Goodchild

Practice Manager

Leanne has been at the Practice ‘since God were a lad’ and many of you may have seen our celebration of her 16 years of service (it’s not been easy keeping us in line that’s for sure!). She has welcomed many a New Graduate Vet and Student Nurse through these doors.

Any of you out partying in the mid-2000s might have run into Leanne on the doors of many of the nighttime establishments in the local area — this helped her explore her leadership role and allowed her to blossom into the confident Manager we have today.

Since she was 14 years old, Leanne has been in the animal field working her way from kennel work, assistive care and then onto being Practice Manager. She is the one who deals with your queries and insurance, so she is kept very busy most of the time chasing paperwork and stock supplies. She finishes the Management team alongside Neil, Tom, and Jenny, and together they keep the practice moving.

In her free time, she is out on adventures with her partner and their Springer Spaniels — Reggie and Sid — travelling the UK countryside by yellow van or motorbike (which is another of Leanne’s more daring passions). Reggie and Sid are currently in their teenage phase – so let’s wish Leanne luck with that! If not out with her dogs, she is working out at the gym or practising her martial arts skills, which are lesser-known but useful talents for a Practice Manager to have.

VETERINARY NURSES

Jenny Black

Head Registered Veterinary Nurse

Jenny is our Head Registered Veterinary Nurse here at Forest Vets.

She has been in the Veterinary Industry for 15 years, qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2013. Following this, she gained further Certification in Veterinary Nursing of Exotic species in 2014.

Over the years, she has worked with all kinds of animals, including small animals, horses, farm animals and exotics. Before settling at Forest Vets in August 2023, she travelled the country as a Locum, working in a variety of practices, from small first opinion practices to one of the largest first opinion and referral veterinary hospitals in Europe. Jenny thrives in a fast-paced environment and has a special interest in Emergency and Critical Care cases. In the practice, Jenny is responsible for training our Student Nurses and the day-to-day running of the practice. She is often found consulting or behind reception, helping and advising our other members of staff.

Away from work, Jenny has a very busy home life, with two young children, five ducks, her faithful dog Thor, and a chicken, called Doris, who definitely rules the roost! When she is not surrounded by children and animals, she can usually be found walking in the Peak District with Thor, riding her motorbike or at a rock concert. Jenny says, “Being outdoors or immersed in music makes me feel alive and helps me recharge, ready for another busy week at work”.

Sadie Shoebridge

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Sadie joined Forest Vets in May of 2024 and has been brightening our days with her positive attitude and quick wit ever since — many of you will have already met her lovely face!

At work, Sadie is passionate about feline and exotic (specifically guinea pig) care and is always championing best practice and fear-free visits for our patients. As a Registered Veterinary Nurse, Sadie also enjoys flexing her Schedule 3 skills, such as performing dental work (such as scale and polishes), which is a huge help to the clinical team. This year, she has enrolled onto an ISFM (International Society of Feline Medicine) certificate of Feline Nursing to further advance feline patient care and bring this new knowledge to your lovely pets. Sadie is extremely excited about putting this training into action with our brand-new cat ward!

Outside of work, Sadie enjoys walking her Spaniel, Audrey Lavender, and paddle boarding, which she has taken up in the last year. At home, her menagerie consists of three rescue Guinea Pigs, one rescue Tortoise, two Cats and three Chickens… as you can see, she is a busy lady! Sadie is also a passionate Swiftie for those in the know and will gladly talk all things Taylor for those who have the time.

Kylie Kershaw

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Kylie joined us in November 2024, having worked in numerous varied roles ranging from referral centres to out-of-hours clinics.

Kylie has achieved accreditation as a Clinical Coach and uses her wealth of experience to help guide our Student Nurse, Leah, through her training. Kylie also has a particular interest in geriatric patients (the golden oldies!). She is working towards gaining her certificate in Mobility Nursing to add to her certificate in Emergency and Critical Care for Nurses. Kylie will be leading our Mobility Clinics at the practice, which take place each Wednesday.

Outside of work, Kylie loves reading and has a lifetime ambition to see Orcas in the wild — hopefully a trip to the far north of Scotland this year will fulfil this dream!

Leah Smith

Student Veterinary Nurse

Leah is one of our youngest team members, but don’t be fooled — she is on the path to becoming a Registered Veterinary Nurse — a task that is not a walk in the park! As of April 2023, Leah has been enrolled with Bottle Green Training, which is a college-based route for Veterinary Nursing. This means Leah works under the guidance of our team while building her skills, confidence, and knowledge.

Leah has always had an affinity for animals and their care, which drove her to choose this rewarding, but often very stressful, career path. She is no stranger to hard work, though, as she was once a Competitive Swimmer and has had a decorated athletics career.

She can often be found helping the Reception or Nursing Teams at the front desk with administrative tasks such as preparing consent forms and booking appointments. If you haven’t seen her she is busy down the back helping care for our in patients and making sure your furry friends are safe, warm and fed.

Leah has a soft spot for our small furry patients with whiskers and tiny feet. She has two herself, the lovely Guinea Pigs — Rolo and Smudge, who keep her company and help her with her practical work.

VETERINARY RECEPTIONISTS

Lîse-Marie Noon

Head Receptionist, SQP

Lîse has always had a life-long passion for animals, which started out in the Farming Industry with her beloved dairy cows, where she knew each and every individual — remembering individuals is the basis of being a great Receptionist. She then went on to Animal Management in Broomfield, followed by Brackenhurst, where she graduated in 1989. In this era of her life, she also went on to do a National Certificate in Agriculture (Lîse has always had an interest in learning more in her chosen fields.) Many years later, she became a Veterinary Receptionist at a neighbouring practice and has been in the role for over a decade – she joined Forest Vets over 5 years ago now.

Over the years, Lîse rose through the ranks and became Head Receptionist, and has been a support to staff and clients alike, often giving a shoulder to cry on. She isn’t afraid to get stuck into the less glamorous roles and is good at managing the emergencies that walk through the door. Lîse enjoys furthering her knowledge and has been on many courses, which have aided her and the team in improving client care and support for the Practice. She has recently qualified as an SQP (Suitably Qualified Person) and was even voted as a finalist in “SQP of the year”!

She has a particular soft spot for the Labradors and Dachshunds who walk through our door, and you will often find them conveniently tucked behind reception with her for a little cuddly welcome.

In her ‘free’ time, Lîse enjoys spending time with her family and her pets, which include Goose the Labrador, Liesl the Dachshund, Squid the Griffon and Margot the cat. It’s a busy life, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Michelle Bryan

Receptionist

Michelle will be another familiar face as she works front of house, aiding you all with your queries, concerns and appointments. Michelle joined us after working at Kings Mill Hospital for just over 20 years and transferred her knowledge to the animal kingdom — she hasn’t looked back since!

Many of you will know Michelle has a soft spot for the small and furry creatures (minus tarantulas!) and can often be found giving them a little cuddle down on the waiting room floor or a little biscuit for those who may need a nibble. Michelle is always keen to help and is passionate about making our clients feel supported and seen.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her life partner, Barney (her fluffy wee dog!) and her husband, Mitchell. She is an avid ice hockey fan and a big supporter of the Nottingham Panthers and regularly follows them to their home and away games with her family. Recently, Michelle has invested in ‘Connie’, her beloved motorhome, and is enjoying spending all the time she can living the ‘motorhome life’!

Alex Tuft

Receptionist

We first met Alex as a client with her two troublesome terriers, then Alex joined our Reception Team in 2023, and in doing so swapped one side of the reception counter for the other!

Prior to working at Forest Vets, Alex had a long career as a human medical Receptionist, which means she has a great wealth of knowledge and has perfected her client-facing skills. Some of you may even have seen her working within the community in this role.

Alex always has a smile on her face and a cheerful personality, which makes her a perfect fit to help our clients with confidence and reassurance. Many human emergencies are also animal emergencies, so rest assured that Alex will be able to prioritise your concerns and their importance in a timely manner.

She has two little Terriers – Bronwen and Gwen – who have been regulars at the practice for many years. Bronwen is diabetic, so has been a very frequent flyer in recent times, and lucky for her to have an owner like Alex! In her free time, she enjoys socialising with her friends and family, enjoying the more luxurious things in life, and widening her horizons by exploring both the UK and countries abroad in her motorhome.

Vicki Lyons

Receptionist

Vicki is a face some of our long-standing clients may recognise from two decades ago! Vicki was a Registered Veterinary Nurse at Forest for several years in the early 2000s, and once helped take a young vet student (Tom!) under her wing. Vicki went on to undertake other job roles after leaving us in 2011, before finally coming back to Forest as a Receptionist part-time in April 2025. It has been lovely to welcome Vicki back to the team, and it really feels like she never left.

Outside of work, Vicki has a passion for her “small furries”; over the years, she has cared for Chinchillas, guinea pigs, and even a three-legged hamster named Chomp!

Vicki is looking forward to putting her many years of veterinary experience to good use again, and although she won’t be as hands-on with the patients as she used to be in her new reception role, Vicki will bring her wealth of knowledge to the reception team and be able to offer brilliant advice and comfort to our wonderful clients.